Director, Sales - West

PURPOSE -

Provide strategic and tactical leadership for all sales development in the Western Zone.

Current Account Responsibilities: HEB, Albertson/Safeway Divisions, UNFI, AWG, Target, Costco, WINCO, Hy-Vee and other regional chains.

PRINCIPALACCOUNTABILITIES-

Sales Leadership

Own and drive the sales strategy for the zone across all segments, channels, and retailers.
Lead, mentor, and develop a team of four direct reports, setting clear objectives and ensuring accountability.
Develop strong relationships with key broker management and key account managers.
Manage the P&L for the zone, ensuring profitable growth while achieving sales targets.

Forecasting & Planning

Oversee the zone sales forecasts to support demand planning and production.
Partner with Region Sales Managers in key account planning, aligning both short-term and long-term strategic goals with customer priorities.
Drive internal alignment on volume and financial projections with cross-functional teams.

Trade Management

Lead the accountability of trade spend management to maximize zone ROI and ensure compliance with the company's trade policies.
Collaborate with the internal finance team to optimize trade spending and deliver budgeted margins.
Analyze trade effectiveness to identify opportunities for growth and improved performance.
Lead team through negotiations including contracts and pricing.
Ensure timely completion of Order to Cash initiatives maintaining less than 15% aged balances.

Business Planning

Foster strong partnerships with key customer decision-makers to influence category growth initiatives.
Monitor and adjust business plans to ensure continued alignment with evolving market and customer needs.
Address and resolve customer issues and concerns promptly and effectively.

Market & Customer Insights

Stay ahead of market trends, competitive activity, and customer insights to inform sales strategy and execution.
Provide thought leadership on category and shopper trends, influencing innovation and in-store execution plans.
Leverage data-driven insights to identify growth opportunities within the shelf stable proteins

Collaboration

Work closely with internal Marketing, Category Management, Supply Chain, and Finance teams to ensure alignment on go-to-market strategies.
Ensure effective communication and collaboration between the sales team and cross-functional partners.
Prepare and participate in company leadership team meetings on scheduled basis
Prepare and participate Monthly Business Reviews (MBR) and quarterly board meetings

KNOWLEDGE/EXPERIENCE/COMPETENCIES-

Must live in Central/Mountain/Pacific time zone
10 years of overall professional experience in CPG sales and 5 years of sales management
BA in Business Administration preferred
Broad knowledge and experience in Grocery Trade gained at successive levels of responsibility in multiple areas of Headquarters and Retail Levels
Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities
Excellent leadership and team management skills
Strong track record of successfully collaborating with other functional teams
Executive presence and comfort around sharing vision/strategies with senior management
Strong ownership for results and how those results are achieved for the team
Superior negotiation and communication skills
Financial acumen and budget management skills
Ability to build and maintain strong customer relationships
Ability to travel 25%, occasionally working evenings and weekends as needed for special assignments
Ability to lift and carry 35 lbs. repetitively

If you have a disability and cannot apply online, please mail your resume and cover letter to:

StarKist Co.

1875 Explorer Street

10th Floor

Reston, VA 20190

ATTN: Human Resources

Please note: this option is for individuals with disabilities only.

StarKist Co. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We enthusiastically accept our responsibility to make employment decisions without regard to race, religious creed, ethnicity, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, marital status, registered domestic partner status, medical condition, disability, military service, pregnancy and related medical conditions, or any other classification protected by federal, state and local laws and ordinances. EOE/AA/M/F/Vet/Disability