Business Manager

Acosta•Phoenix, AZ

10d

About The Position

As a Business Manager, you will manage assigned customer business in a defined marketing area and help drive company success by achieving business objectives and building strong customer relationships. The primary responsibility is to increase sales and market share for represented brands while earning a profit for manufacturers and Acosta. The role involves delivering principals’ sales and merchandising objectives, communicating priorities across internal teams, developing relationships with principals and customers, and using market and customer insights to support sales programs. The Business Manager also monitors account and competitive information, manages promotional plans and fund balances, follows client policies, and contributes to team development and business improvement. Minimal local travel is required, at less than 5%.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
Proven track record in sales; preferably with a food broker or national company.
Strong interpersonal, organizational, presentation, negotiation, and sales skills.
Ability to analyze sales and marketing information to make effective sales presentations.
Proficiency with a variety of software packages used to support the sales function.
Willingness to travel; local travel is minimal, less than 5%.

Nice To Haves

Sales experience with a food broker or national company.

Responsibilities

Achieve principals’ volume, share, and sales fundamental goals—including merchandising, assortment, pricing, and shelving—at the lowest possible cost while maximizing company revenue through brokerage, commissions, bonuses, and contest earnings.
Communicate principals’ priorities to Retail Sales Managers, Sales Technology Managers (IT), Marketing Managers, Business Managers, and the retail selling organization to support in-store presence and business objectives.
Report directly to the General Manager or Team Leader and manage or participate in developing, designing, and presenting Acosta introductions to new principals.
Develop and maintain strong relationships with principals and customers, communicating proactively with key principals.
Coordinate ongoing communication between General Managers and key principals, and collaborate with Retail Sales Managers on major retail initiatives such as new product introductions, selling drives, and contests.
Coordinate principals’ market visits and key account calls, using knowledge of customers, markets, and principals to sell specific programs and initiatives.
Use insights from Senior Vice Presidents, General Managers, Team Leaders, and Senior Business Managers to develop conceptual sales presentations that deliver principals’ objectives.
Provide feedback to principals and the General Manager on the effectiveness of strategies, selling programs, and initiatives; suggest ways to build organizational capacity and improve the business.
Maintain current account distribution information, review market pricing reports for accuracy and competitive activity, and collect and report competitive activity.
Manage personal skill development and share customer and manufacturer information with team members to build organizational capacity.
Ensure client procedures and policies are followed, develop expertise in client proprietary systems to manage promotional plans and fund balances, and monitor financial management matters such as deductions and take corrective action as needed.
Perform other duties as assigned to support the overall success of the business.