Employment Type: Salaried
Work Designation: Work from Home
Position Summary:
The Director of Retail Sales, West Region, will manage and support the sales activities of their direct reports and assigned sales agency(s) in order to drive and achieve objective based sales growth and profitability within their respective market. This individual will not only lead a team of sales people in support of this effort, but will leverage cross-functional resources to achieve the objectives outlined in the strategy. Experience with key strategic customers like Costco is highly desirable.
Major Duties and Responsibilities:
- Strategy - Leadership in creating market-based and retailer-specific strategies for growing Ventura's portfolio in Retail, comprising brands, private label, and retail foodservice. Provide clear direction on the "right" types of opportunities for the team to pursue. Provide guidance on trade and promotional activities, broker initiatives, and sales team execution elements (targets, approach, etc.).
- Execution - Lead field sales execution with direct reports and broker teams leveraging a robust operating model. Regularly review market analytics with Sr. Director of Sales, Regional Sales Managers, broker partners, Revenue Management and Marketing to determine customer needs, volume and margin potential.
- Account Leadership - Leads development of Costco business for the Company to encompass Branded products, Private Label, Deli, Bakery, Food Court, and eCommerce. This includes responsibility for the corporate relationship, strategic alignment, and execution of objectives with this retailer, leveraging multifunctional team members where necessary. Regularly present business case for thinking and acting differently to accelerate our growth at Costco to internal stakeholders.
- Broker Management - Responsibility for setting broker execution strategy and measuring performance within their respective region.
- Communication - Provide consistent, clear and concise communication to direct reports and broker sales team to insure alignment for all goals and objectives. Elements include: Competitive product, pricing, promotional and leadership updates; Resources and support needed to maximize team volume and profitability growth; Key customer performance updates. Work closely with the broker Client Development Managers to have superior execution across all broker offices.
- Training, Education and Development - Ensures exceptional program and product knowledge of the direct reports and broker sales team through individual custom and company training programs. Works collaboratively with Ventura Foods Marketing and Learning & Development to insure training and educational programs are on point. Conducts ongoing performance reviews with all direct reports and provides directions to support, enhance and add to employees current skill set.
- Sales Expense Management - Responsible for ongoing management of customer, personal and team sales expenses within established budget parameters.
Education and Experience:
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
- 5+ years of progressively responsible experience in a broad range of sales and people management positions including field sales, broker management, sales operations, trade/customer marketing, category management and marketing
- Extensive P&L management experience as well as financial analysis, budgeting and forecasting experience
- Solid track record of problem solving and priority setting in a fast paced and evolving business environment
- History of delivering superior business results in changing environments and competitive markets
- Expertise in category management and joint business planning process is desirable
- Ability to travel up to 30%
- Prior experience using a CRM database, i.e. SalesForce is helpful
- Prior experience leveraging syndicated data, i.e. IRI or Nielsen is desired
- High preference for retail foodservice, deli-bakery, center of store, including private label
- Prior National Account experience with Albertson's, Costco, etc., strongly preferred
Knowledge and Skills:
- Possesses a professional business presence with exceptional communication and presentation skills both verbal and written
- Experience with CRM systems and other technology to support a digital/virtual sales process (Teams, etc.)
- Self motivated with a drive for continuous improvement and excellence
- Ability to influence and motivate others
- Key personal attributes including: integrity; creativity; self motivation; accountability; high energy and results driven
Why Join Us:
Ventura Foods innovates and manufactures food solutions for foodservice and retail businesses. We make exclusive products for the world's most iconic restaurants and retailers, we provide ready-to-go product solutions for professional kitchens, and we make consumer brands everyone knows and loves. When you work for Ventura Foods, you get a strong foundation of training, a manager who cares about you and celebrates your success, a safe environment, and challenging work. As part of our team, your future is limited only by how much you’re willing to push yourself to get there. We invest in your growth because you invest in ours.
Ventura Foods offers career growth opportunities as well as competitive compensation and benefits:
- Medical, Prescription, Dental, & Vision – coverage beginning on your 1st day for eligible employees
- Profit Sharing and 401(k) matching (after eligible criteria is met)
- Paid Vacation, Sick Time, and Holidays
- Employee Appreciation Events and Employee Assistance Programs
- Salary Base Range of $161,814.00 - $215,779.00 for Employees Located in California*
- Annual bonus (based on the incentive program terms and conditions)
*The “base salary range” provided above is a good faith estimate of what we expect to pay for this position. The range provided is for California-based employees as Ventura Foods is required by California State Law to post pay rates. Ventura Foods reserves the right to pay outside of the given range based on a variety of factors including but not limited to: candidate skills and experience, complexity of the job, budgetary factors, and location/geography. Ventura Foods conducts regular reviews of compensation ranges and therefore reserves the right to alter this range at any given time.
Diversity & Inclusion:
Our commitment to a diverse and inclusive environment in which all employees are treated with respect is evident in our company culture and values. We believe that fostering an environment of inclusion and a focus on diversity across our organization is vital to attracting top talent, driving innovation, and meeting the high expectations of our customers in a rapidly evolving global marketplace.
Ventura Foods is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, gender, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
