Hershey's Territory Sales Lead (Kansas City District)

The Hershey Company•Kansas City, MO

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Territory Sales Lead (TSL) ensures flawless execution of store-level sales and promotion plans with customer retailers in an assigned territory. The territory consists of high-volume food chain grocers and mass merchandiser customers. The TSL drives incremental sales, implements and maintains promotional and merchandising strategies, and ensures distribution of authorized Hershey items across all classes of trade. The role calls for a driven, entrepreneurial, influential, and planful approach. The TSL builds consultative relationships with customer Key Decision Makers (KDMs), collaborates with them on action plans to increase sales, and uses strategic relationships to influence merchandising support. The position analyzes store, product, market, consumer, and customer information to guide business decisions; conducts consultative forward selling; and maximizes sales and display opportunities through store walkthroughs and customer commitments. The role also executes customer-specific promotional plans on the sales floor, maintains permanent secondary displays and other display vehicles, and completes daily and weekly administrative reports using company-approved methods and technology. The position is based in the Kansas City District. Employees can expect a starting base salary of $54,000; additional compensation may include overtime and incentives. Other benefits include health care, vision, dental, retirement, vacation, and sick leave.

Requirements

GED or high school diploma.
A 2-year Associate or Community College degree, or 3 years of previous sales experience.
Valid U.S. state-issued driver's license.
Must reside or be willing to commute within the territory boundaries.
Ability to drive to multiple sales calls daily.
Ability to lift 10–60 lbs. regularly, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Ability to bend, kneel, stoop, and demonstrate manual dexterity frequently, with or without reasonable accommodation.
Ability to climb ladders occasionally.
Ability to occasionally use equipment such as crushing balers and handheld electric trucks.
Ability to use a tablet and other wireless technology; some roles require intermediate Microsoft Office computer skills.
Daily access to wireless internet.
Flexibility and adaptability to changes in territory coverage.
Occasional weekend work may be required during peak seasons; select territories may require occasional overnight stays.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

Build and maintain consultative business relationships with customer Key Decision Makers (KDMs) at all levels.
Partner with KDMs to develop and execute action plans that increase sales, and cultivate influential customer contacts to achieve sales objectives.
Use strategic relationships with KDMs to influence and negotiate customer assistance with merchandising Hershey products.
Obtain and analyze store, product, and market data and use trends and analytics to build the business.
Complete pre-call planning using company methods and tools.
Review and recommend route changes that maximize business efficiency across sales calls in the territory.
Solve problems by analyzing information and using consumer trends and customer insights to guide decisions and influence action.
Engage in forward selling using provided data sources, technology, processes, and procedures.
Conduct store walkthroughs and gain KDM commitments to maximize sales and display opportunities.
Influence KDMs to order additional products and secure high-quality merchandising locations.
Execute customer-specific promotional plans on the sales floor and achieve merchandising objectives through forward selling.
Partner at store level to build, maintain, and execute product placement on the sales floor, including permanent secondary displays and other display vehicles.
Submit reports on daily and weekly activities, expenses, competitive activity, account changes, promotions, and other administrative functions using approved methods and technology.