Business Development Manager, Professional Products Division - Northeast
About The Position
The Professional Products Business Development Manager for the Northeast Region manages Ghirardelli’s specialty coffee business across distribution, roasters, and end users in NY, NJ, MA, MD, RI, DE, DC, CT, ME, VT, NH, and PA, and grows sales with specialty coffee accounts under the direction of the Regional Manager. The role engages end users, regional chain accounts, and broadline distributors in the foodservice channel and handles sales-related administration, including orders, shipments, customer service, invoicing, credit and payment matters, and other tasks. The manager oversees Ghirardelli’s professional products line, including chocolates and cocoas, sauces, frappe powders, Sweet Ground Chocolate, Double Chocolate Hot Cocoa, and other professional products intended for foodservice and specialty coffee beverage and dessert applications. The role is accountable for sales budgets, account targets, trade promotion budgets, forecasts, expense management, and sales priorities through direct account selling. This includes customer communications, trade funds management, forecasting, and accountability for volume, profit, and account execution. The manager represents and strengthens Ghirardelli’s premium brand through appropriate pricing, promotional, and advertising activities, and manages all e-commerce activities in the Northeast Region.
Requirements
- At least 3 years of specialty coffee or foodservice selling experience, or equivalent experience.
- Strong foodservice key-account sales and marketing abilities.
- Self-motivated, with a drive to succeed.
- Clear oral and written communication skills.
- Demonstrated public-speaking ability and skill in delivering effective customer presentations.
- Strong follow-up, availability, and responsiveness to internal and external partners.
- Good organizational and time-management skills.
- Strong analytical and computer skills, including Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Word, and the ability to use, search, and navigate the Internet.
- Experience with forecasting software, promotional planning and deduction-management systems, promotional product spending, and travel and entertainment expense management.
- Extensive knowledge and experience with the foodservice channel and/or customers.
Responsibilities
- Achieve sales budgets and foodservice and specialty coffee sales priorities.
- Develop new and existing key accounts in foodservice and specialty coffee through prospecting, value-based selling, and relationship building.
- Identify opportunities to expand use of Ghirardelli professional products with existing accounts and build store-level brand awareness through point-of-sale materials and account-specific marketing.
- Build long-term business relationships and sustainable competitive advantage for Ghirardelli.
- Present products developed by Ghirardelli bakery partners that are made with Ghirardelli chocolate when opportunities arise.
- Coordinate account call coverage and execution with the Regional Manager.
- Focus product selling on Ghirardelli’s core professional products.
- Manage trade funds within budget and assess efficiency through return-on-investment analysis.
- Manage all e-commerce activities in the Northeast Area.
- Demonstrate passion, commitment, and integrity; protect confidential information; consider both top-line and bottom-line impacts; and collaborate across functions.
- Report sales and prepare category reviews and business reviews for key accounts as needed.
- Travel to account locations as needed.
- Monitor competitive activity and maintain category expertise.
- Take on ad hoc tasks and projects as needed, with potential to increase responsibilities or geographic coverage.
- Manage customer communications, orders, shipments, customer service, invoicing, credit and payment matters, and other sales execution administration.
- Manage account targets, forecasting, expenses, volume, profit, and account execution.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
Education Level
No Education Listed
