Now Hiring - Harvest Sherwood Food Distributors - Manufacturing Director, Sales - East Retail in Cleveland, OH

Full description of the position

We encourage you to bring your talent and effort to Harvest Sherwood and contribute to our shared success, while having fun, serving our customers, and strengthening the local communities in which we operate. As the largest independent wholesale food distributor in the U.S., with 15 distribution centers from coast-to-coast, Harvest Sherwood is an essential business. We buy, sell and deliver fresh, high quality protein products and other foods to over 6,000 retail and foodservice customers.

Job Purpose

The Director of Sales, East Retail is responsible for managing the sales operations and staff in a specified region, while working closely with marketing through participation and input in products and services within protein commodities. The retail business will focus on food and grocery stores, mass merchandisers and foodservice facilities. This individual will drive revenue generation through understanding and utilizing the companys product, organizational, and customer knowledge to influence customers and assist them in applying the products/services to their needs. The Director of Sales, Food Service also directs branch Sales Associates within the branch and is responsible for recruiting, training and mentoring new hires and existing Sales Associates within an assigned branch.

Key Responsibilities

The Director of Sales, East Retail will be assigned duties, based on organizational needs and priorities.

• Creating a sales strategy to drive growth for the Company and translating strategy into tactics, metrics, and milestones necessary for successful execution.
• Understanding the strengths and vulnerabilities of major competitors and develop sales strategies to proactively address areas of opportunity to develop competitive differentiation.
• Guiding relationship and overall business development process at key prospective accounts including account strategy execution and management, ongoing communication of value proposition and value-added programs and services, resource coordination, price management and achievement of forecasted profitable growth.
• Achieve regional sales operational objectives by contributing sales information and recommendations to strategic plans and reviews; prepare and complete action plans; implement production, productivity, quality, and customer-service standards; resolve problems; complete audits; identify trends; determine branch sales system improvements; and implement change
• Meet sales financial objectives by forecasting requirements, prepare annual budget schedule expenditures, analyze variances, and initiate corrective actions
• Establish sales objectives by creating a sales plan and quota for branches in support of company/branch objectives
• Maintain and expand customer base by counseling branch sales associates, build and maintain rapport with key customers, and identify new customer opportunities
• Recommend product lines by identifying new product opportunities, and/or product, packaging, and service changes, survey consumer needs and trends, and track competitors
• Provide leadership by establishing credibility, act with integrity, show and inspire commitment, and motivate and guide team to achieve goals
• Manage the overall activities of the branch including the directing, advising, and managing of direct and indirect subordinates to ensure strong team member and team performance
• Work with management to ensure employees understand the goals and objectives of their positions and have the tools to meet and exceed those goals.
• Develop, maintain, and administer a sound organizational plan, initiating improvements as necessary
• Establish performance expectations, monitor against expectations, and provide necessary feedback to team members to enhance their growth in position and promotional opportunities
• Coordinate with other departments within the branch and communications within, between, and among various functional areas ensuring a cohesive relationship throughout all levels and locations

Qualifications and Experience

• 10+ years of progressively responsible sales and/or management experience, with a demonstrated record of success.
• Bachelor's degree in management, business, marketing is a plus or equivalent years of experience.
• Has led a sales function for a multi-region division or enterprise in the five hundred-million dollar revenue range or more.
• Experience spanning national accounts, field sales, and inside sales is required.
• Deep understanding of sales & customer account strategy, pricing & margin management, sales organization development, sales tools & operations, and sales performance management.
• Strong background in key account management driving growth and strategic account initiatives in the protein market.
• Extensive knowledge of food industry and consumer needs, possessing a commercial mindset along with full comprehension of marketing and sales principles.
• Quantitative and numbers-driver with the ability to link sales and margin management directly to account specific and companywide profitability.
• Operates with a strong sense of ownership and commitment.
• Will have a strategic view of the business but will focus on the Companys immediate growth requirements and initiatives.
• Ability to travel up to 50% of the time. Open to a remote/flexible work location.

We encourage you to bring your talent and effort to Harvest Sherwood and contribute to our shared success, while having fun, serving our customers, and strengthening the local communities in which we operate. As the largest independent wholesale food distributor in the U.S., with 15 distribution centers from coast-to-coast, Harvest Sherwood is an essential business. We buy, sell and deliver fresh, high quality protein products and other foods to over 6,000 retail and foodservice customers.
Harvest-Sherwood is committed to offering competitive benefits to our employees and their dependents, including paid vacation, health insurances, and a 401K plan!

Harvest-Sherwood is committed to offering competitive benefits to our employees and their dependents, including paid vacation, health insurances, and a 401K plan!

• We are an equal employment 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.

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