Director of Sales

UNDERSTANDING

With a strong understanding of company goals and values, the sales director will oversee creating and executing sales strategies for their customer base, ensuring mutually beneficial alignment of strategies and goals between Albanese and their customers.  They will identify and implement high level growth strategies, promotional plans, and evaluate trade investments to meet budget goals.  The sales director will build and maintain rapport with executives at key customers.   They will also build the strongest of relationships with management and supporting departments by being collaborative with other departments and having a ‘One Team’ mentality. 

This person is a transformation leader.  They look at systems and processes as starting points with opportunities to provide additional simplification and standardization within all systems.  They use technology, training, and lean practices as tools to reach sales goals.  They see data as their primary source of truth and are proactive looking for trends to identify issues.  The decisions they make are based in fact gathered from reliable sources.  They understand perfection is impossible, while never faltering from their goal of achieving it.  They guide and develop their team using the core values of ACG.  They require creativity from themselves and their team.  They drive a “nothing is impossible” attitude and view issues as direct challenges to better themselves and their team.

CORE VALUES

Our 5 Core Values are more than just words, they’re a way of life.  We know that companies with a strong culture & a higher purpose perform better in the long run.

·         Own It

·         Hustle and Refuse to Settle

·         Love People

·         Act for the Greater Good

·         Find a way

WORKING RELATIONSHIP

Reporting directly to the VP of Confectionery Sales, the Sales Director will work cross-functionally across the company to deliver and exceed the annual objectives.  They will serve as a key member of the Sales Leadership team in developing strategies, building sales capabilities, and identifying growth opportunities.  Build close partnerships with their direct reports, customers, accounting, customer service, marketing, and production planning to ensure all facets of their business is operating at the World’s Best level.

RESPONSIBILITIES

·         Deliver company objectives around sales, profit, and distribution.

·         Build strategic, executive relationships with key customers through a Joint Business Planning process.

·         Implement and manage promotional strategies while driving trade investment effectiveness and efficiency to improve ROI.

·         Train, develop, and motivate direct reports to deliver annual goals and build deeper understanding and relationships with their key customers.

·         Work with broker partners and internal cross-functional teams to lead execution of merchandising, assortment, pricing, and promotion. This includes presenting and selling-in new items and innovation.

·         Partner with cross-functional teams to drive understanding of customer objectives and to advance the relationship, partnership, and drive differential value.

·         Participate in monthly forecasting meetings with Sales + Operations and identify demand projections.

·         Utilize data (syndicated, internal, customer) to build insight driven internal and external presentations.

·         Own the sales forecast for their customers to provide the most current and accurate prediction of the business possible.

·         Maintain and keep up to date the iTPM system with current promotional plans and contracts to speed the deduction clearing process.

·         Provide industry, customer, and competitive insights in a timely fashion.

·         As needed or requested, be willing to help in other areas of the company.

·         Be an active member of the Albanese team, helping us to live out our values and ensuring we are having fun along the way.

·         Other tasks as assigned.

REQUIREMENTS

·         8+ years of selling experience with 5+ years’ retailer headquarter sales account experience with CPG/Packaged Food organization.

·         Direct selling and broker management experience strongly preferred.

·         Demonstrates resourcefulness in getting things accomplished and solving problems with a sense of urgency.

·         Strong strategic planning, negotiation, interpersonal and communications skills

·         Demonstrated ability to multi-task and set priorities.

·         Passion for people development.  People management experience preferred.

·         Success in applying insights to business development.

·         Confectionery experience a plus.

·         Proven history of cross-functional partnerships.

EDUCATION

·         Bachelor’s degree