Regional Customer Manager

Advantage Sales & Marketing dba Advantage Solutions•Portland, OR

4d•Remote

About The Position

The Regional Customer Manager is the first layer of field sales leadership within the Natural/Specialty organization. This role provides coaching, accountability, and development for a regional team of Customer Managers, while supporting Sales Team Leaders and Directors in pursuing strategic client growth, retailer partnerships, organizational leadership, and business development. The position is open to candidates in AZ, CA, OR, WA, NV, UT, and ID, and some travel is expected. The Company is a North American sales and marketing agency specializing in outsourced sales, merchandising, category management, and marketing services for manufacturers, suppliers, and producers of food products and consumer packaged goods. It serves a range of retail trade channels and connects manufacturers with retailers to help make products available to consumers. This role leads retailer execution and regional business performance, using sales data and retailer insights to identify opportunities, address gaps, and support revenue, profitability, and operating income objectives. It works closely with Customer Managers, Sales Team Leadership, Client Services, Analytics, Retail Operations, and other cross-functional partners. The position has direct reports and may also provide guidance to indirect reports. Work is performed primarily in an office environment, with the position open to candidates in the listed states.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED required; a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is preferred in the initial qualifications section. A later education requirements section lists a bachelor's degree.
4–6 years of experience in a relevant field; consumer packaged goods sales, customer management, or retail account management experience is preferred.
Headquarters sales calls experience required.
Strong consumer packaged goods sales knowledge, including distribution, promotions, assortment, displays, and new item execution.
Ability to lead, coach, develop, and hold sales teammates accountable.
Strong understanding of natural, specialty, grocery, mass, club, and related retail channels.
Ability to analyze sales data, retailer insights, and KPI reporting to identify opportunities and performance gaps.
Experience using syndicated data, retailer portals, and business intelligence platforms.
Strong client, retailer, presentation, communication, and cross-functional collaboration skills.
Strong written and verbal communication skills and proficiency presenting in person and virtually.
Advanced Excel skills required.
Strong business acumen and ability to support revenue growth, profitability, and execution priorities.
Highly organized, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Some travel is expected.
Ability to perform office-based essential functions, including sitting for extended periods, hearing a telephone, entering data on a computer, and potentially lifting up to 10 pounds.

Nice To Haves

Natural and specialty retail experience is a plus.
Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience is preferred in the initial qualifications section.
Consumer packaged goods sales, customer management, or retail account management experience is preferred.

Responsibilities

Lead, coach, and develop a regional team of Customer Managers by setting expectations, conducting performance discussions, identifying skill gaps, and supporting development and succession planning.
Provide day-to-day sales leadership on retailer engagement strategies, promotional execution, assortment recommendations, display opportunities, new item launches, and retailer-specific growth plans.
Monitor distribution goals, promotional programs, display initiatives, new item priorities, and retailer relationship activity to ensure business objectives are met.
Analyze sales performance, distribution gains, promotional effectiveness, display execution, retailer activity, and other KPIs using syndicated data, retailer insights, and internal reporting tools.
Support regional revenue, profitability, and operating income objectives by aligning team resources to priority client opportunities, driving distribution expansion, supporting promotional execution, and advancing retailer partnerships.
Partner with Sales Team Leadership, Client Services, Analytics, Retail Operations, and other cross-functional teams on strategic planning, organizational change, process improvement, and adoption of selling tools and best practices.
Serve as a senior point of contact for key regional retailers by supporting relationship-building, participating in retailer meetings, resolving escalated issues, and identifying growth opportunities.
Participate in client business reviews, planning sessions, and strategic discussions, translating client objectives into actionable retailer execution plans with Customer Managers and Sales Leadership.
Hire, retain, train, coach, guide, direct, and develop direct reports using company-wide processes, tools, and resources.
May delegate work and provide guidance, direction, and mentoring to indirect reports.
Perform additional position- or department-related responsibilities as assigned by a supervisor or manager.