Sales Director, East Zone

C.H. Guenther & Son•San Antonio, TX

1d•$121,272 - $232,304•Remote

About The Position

Provides strategic leadership, coaching and business direction for a team of at least three Region Managers within the Foodservice Distributor channel. Responsible for delivering zone-level sales, profit and growth objectives by aligning Region Managers, Business Development Managers, Brokers and Distributor partners to the Foodservice Distributor Annual Operating Plan. Leads team to work cross-functionally with internal and external stakeholders to execute key customer strategies, distributor priorities, regional broker performance, new business development and cross-functional initiatives across multiple geographic regions.

Requirements

College degree or equivalent experience required.
Must possess valid driver’s license.
Minimum of 8-12 years’ experience in Foodservice Sales, Distributor Management, Sales Leadership or related commercial roles.
Prior experience leading sales managers, multi-market teams or geographically dispersed associates required.
Demonstrated success delivering sales growth, profitability, new business development and execution through others.
Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
Proficient in use of Outlook
Demonstrated leadership and possesses the ability to develop interdepartmental relationships
Strong verbal and written communication skills.
Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of associates and customers ranging from entry level to executive level positions.
Ability to work with multiple departments including but not limited to Cost Accounting, Operations, Purchasing, R & D, Culinary, Quality Assurance, and Information Services, both internally and externally.
Ability to manage multiple tasks, often with competing deadlines.
Strong coaching, talent development, performance management and team leadership capabilities.
Ability to analyze business performance, identify market opportunities and convert strategic direction into field execution.
Ability to prioritize projects and clearly communicate direction internally and externally

Nice To Haves

Culinary or Sales related accreditation a plus

Responsibilities

Leads, coaches and develops a team of at least three Region Managers responsible for Foodservice Distributor performance across assigned geographic zones.
Translates the Foodservice Distributor Operating Plan into zone-level priorities, clear goals, account strategies and measurable execution plans.
Owns sales, profit, new business and strategic growth objectives for the assigned director area and monitors Region Manager progress against annual budgets.
Conducts regular business reviews with Region Managers to assess distributor performance, broker execution, pipeline health, customer opportunities and risk mitigation plans.
Builds and maintains senior-level relationships with key Foodservice Distributors, regional brokers, targeted chain accounts and strategic operator partners.
Provides direction to Region Managers on distributor planning, regional chain development, large leverage operators, key segment focus and priority account execution.
Collaborates with Corporate Distributor leadership to support execution of corporate distributor product approvals and local market implementation across assigned zones.
Ensures Region Managers effectively manage broker relationships, market coverage, food show participation, product demonstrations and follow-up activities.
Guides teams in identifying, pursuing and securing profitable new business opportunities that support annual growth objectives.
Reviews and prioritizes target account lists, key segment plans and opportunity pipelines with Region Managers and Business Development Managers on a regular cadence.
Leads escalation and resolution of customer, distributor or product-related issues across assigned zones, including coordination with Quality Assurance, Customer Service, Operations and cross-functional partners.
Leads cross-functional communication with Marketing, R & D, Culinary, Purchasing, Cost Accounting, Operations and Customer Service to advance distributor and operator opportunities.
Provides field insight, competitive intelligence, customer feedback and business recommendations to senior leadership.
Develops talent through coaching, ride-alongs, performance feedback, succession planning and individual development plans for Region Managers.
Ensures timely completion of required reporting, forecasting, administrative documentation and performance tracking across assigned zones.
Actively participates in and helps lead Foodservice Sales Meetings, planning sessions and strategic distributor reviews.