Northeast Regional Sales Manager (Retail Grocery)

We are hiring Rockstars to join our Sauer Brands team!

Overall Goal of Position:

The Northeast Regional Sales Manager position is accountable for the achievement of regional volume objectives forecast accuracy, promotional execution, distribution targets, new item speed to shelf, SRP management, and retail execution. The RSM position is responsible for delivering creative, fact-based solutions, managing trade spend and thought leadership that will help build Sauer Brands at assigned customers to help make OurRecipe@SauerBrands.

Job Summary:

Responsible for proactively managing, monitoring, evaluating and holding the accountability for the overall business plan to meet all volume, profit and share objective. Primary focus is to (a) achievement of sales objectives and specific volume goals through regional broker team management, execution of account plans and brand strategies that will meet key performance indicators (KPIs), (b) manage relationship with customers, brokers, and internal resources (c) manage trade plans and profitability of SKU mix. The Northeast Regional Sales Manager will report to the VP of Retail.

 Key Duties and Responsibilities:

• Achievement of sales objectives and specific volume goals through regional broker team management, execution of account plans and brand strategies. 
• Focus on achieving optimal MAPS (Merchandising, Assortment, Pricing and shelving) by account.
• Create & Manage trade spending plans that support marketing and promotional plans; Key Focus: determining volume, pricing depth, frequency, distribution and negotiating with customer
• Develop and deliver customer plans to achieve objectives within budget. Deliver short- & long-term solutions through best practice thought leadership.
• Present category reviews and business plans to retail grocery customers (distributors, direct and indirect grocery retailers) that exist across a diverse customer base in the Northeast.
• Strong broker management skills to lead the regional broker sales team within the geography.
• Work closely cross functionally to produce timely business updates for senior leadership.
• Trade Planning Management including data entry and post event analysis reviews

Performance Standards (the criteria that will be used to evaluate performance):

• Business Key Performance Indicators
• Commercial-Net Revenue, Gross Margins, Distribution, Trade Spend
• Brand Health-Share growth, Distribution growth, Velocity per ACV point, channel development, net price growth
• Spending Effectiveness
• Pricing and margin optimization
• Trade spending optimization
• What you do and how you act
• Leadership and contribution to overall success of SBI
• Personal Effectiveness-meeting timelines and productivity requirements (quantity and quality of work)
• Personal interaction, communication and teamwork with internal and external parties, consistent with OurRecipe@SauerBrands.

What We Are Looking For: 

• Personal Characteristics
  • Entrepreneurial drive and the desire to “build a business”
  • Outgoing, energetic, and results oriented personality 
  • Overall confidence in one’s abilities and comfortable communicating the facts 
  • Smart, creative and inquisitive 
  • Integrity-Does the right thing even when no one is looking 
  • Disciplined approach, and accountable for KPIs 
  • No excuses mindset and Dependable team player with positive attitude 
  • Personal values that mesh with SBI values
• Performance History
  • Documented history of making improvements in assigned work area/responsibilities
  • Stellar references based on contributions and performance
• Demonstrated proficiency in the following areas:
  • Ability to present information, internally and externally, in a succinct manner to drive to decision making. Ability to work and thrive under time constraints and prioritize responsibilities. 
  • Skilled at building relationships with key stakeholders, including customers, brokers and internal cross functional teams. 
  • Strong Excel and PowerPoint skills needed to analyze situation and make decisions. 
  • Experience using TPM, Forecasting and Promotional Planning Tools
  • Demonstrated strategic thought leadership, Team oriented, collaborative, diplomatic, and flexible. 
• Education & Experience:
  • BS/BA degree in business or related technical discipline. Advanced degree preferred.
  • 10 -15 years of CPG selling experience desired, with a minimum of 5 years of significant interactions with relevant accounts.
  • Retail grocery and Northeast customer experience is required.
    • Direct Accounts: Wegman’s, Albertson’s Mid-Atlantic, Shaw’s, Weis 
    • Distributors: (KeHe, UNFI and C&S) experience required.  Indirect Accounts include: Wakefern, Key Foods, Market Basket, Price Chopper, Top’s and all NY Metro accounts.
  • Condiment and Spice experience a plus.
  • Specialty distributor experience a plus.
• Other: 

• Preferred locations: Pittsburgh, PA; Philadelphia, PA; and Baltimore, MD  
• Travel required (25%)

What Is In It For You?
Our company acknowledges talented people are attracted to companies that provide competitive pay, comprehensive benefits packages and outstanding advancement opportunities. For this reason we offer a Comprehensive Benefits Plan that includes the following: 

• 401K
• Medical/Dental/Vision Coverage
• Vacation, Sick Days and Holidays
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Employee and Dependent Life Insurance
• Voluntary Disability Insurance
• Other Voluntary Insurance Options

Sauer Brands, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state.