Wholesale Accounts Sales Lead

Outpost Natural Foods•Milwaukee, WI

About The Position

The Wholesale Accounts Sales Lead manages Outpost’s wholesale accounts to provide high-quality service, grow sales, and limit losses. The role includes soliciting new clients, managing customer orders, driving company vehicles to deliver products and materials, and supervising wholesale accounts delivery staff. The position works with the Operations Manager, Logistics Supervisor, Director of Food Service, and Finance Director on customer service, delivery coordination, account development, budgeting, and wholesale operations. The role leads and develops department staff, including hiring, scheduling, training, performance evaluations, and corrective action. It oversees account service and merchandising, develops account materials and operating procedures, monitors sales and margins, and works toward quarterly sales projections and budget goals. The position also prepares and completes deliveries, maintains vehicle records and condition, and supports ordering, invoicing, inventory, and equipment maintenance. The work environment includes moderate to loud noise, moving mechanical parts, and wet, humid, hot, and cold conditions. Job-related travel is within Southeast Wisconsin, and occasional weekend shifts are required. The role involves physical activity including standing, walking, bending, sitting, reaching, pushing, pulling, handling objects, operating machinery and vehicles, and lifting up to 80 pounds or team lifting over 100 pounds.

Requirements

Valid driver’s license and clean driving record.
Experience with stocking, ordering, and receiving in a retail setting.
Outstanding customer service skills.
Ability to work efficiently in a fast-paced environment and motivate others.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively.
Attention to detail and good organizational skills.
Ability to manage multiple demands, work under time pressure, and meet deadlines.
Ability to follow systems and procedures and follow through on commitments.
Ability to remain objective, neutral, and calm under pressure.
Regular, predictable attendance.
Effective communication skills in English and ability to read and comprehend instructions.
Flexibility and ability to adapt quickly to changing conditions.
Ability to operate material-handling equipment, including pallet jacks, manual and electrical loading dock lifts, vehicle rail gates, and forklifts.
Ability to use hands and feet to operate machinery and company vehicles.
Vision abilities including close, distance, color, peripheral vision, depth perception, and focus adjustment.
Ability to stand, walk, bend, sit, reach, push, pull, and handle or feel objects with hands or fingers.
Ability to lift up to 80 pounds and team lift up to and over 100 pounds.
Ability to work in hot, cold, and wet climates and maintain a high level of maneuverability.

Nice To Haves

Basic Excel experience; Foodtrak experience is a plus.
Previous retail, grocery, or food-products merchandising experience is a plus.
Previous sales and supervisory experience preferred.

Responsibilities

Provide efficient, informative, friendly, fair, and respectful service to internal and external customers.
Model supportive, participatory leadership; promote team building; motivate staff; communicate respectfully; and apply Outpost’s values and policies.
Oversee wholesale account service and coordinate delivery schedules with the Operations Manager and Logistics Supervisor.
Service vendor accounts and coordinate with drivers to place orders, rotate products, and fill and merchandise kiosks or displays.
Build and maintain business partnerships, retain accounts, respond to customer issues, and identify opportunities to increase revenue and acquire new accounts.
Develop sales materials for prospective clients and work with the Director of Food Service on wholesale menu options.
Research potential wholesale venues and account opportunities with the Operations Manager and propose feasible options.
Ensure new accounts are set up with required billing information and share it with the Director of Food Service and Finance Director.
Develop and audit standard operating procedures for wholesale operations, and maintain plan-o-grams for accounts.
Set wholesale product prices based on established target margins and meet or exceed quarterly budgeted sales projections.
Develop and uphold staff performance standards; schedule staff within labor budgets; arrange shift coverage; and fill in as needed.
Hire, train, motivate, evaluate, and provide tools and materials to staff; determine corrective counseling or disciplinary action when needed; and conduct department meetings.
Perform duties included in wholesale driver job descriptions.
Meet margin, labor, sales, and inventory goals; monitor costs and margins; and document wholesale sales and losses.
Collaborate with the Operations Manager on annual operating budgets, projections, capital budgets, and equipment needs.
Prepare and load vehicles, secure cargo, drive to destinations, unload products, check in with accounts, and complete deliveries on schedule.
Follow traffic laws, drive professionally, maintain vehicle logs, report damage or broken equipment, clean vehicles, and inspect and maintain vehicle equipment and supplies.
Assist with product ordering, paperwork, and invoicing; merchandise and stock products at accounts; maintain back-stock inventories; and detail out-of-date returned products.
Assist with light maintenance of wholesale equipment, adapt to changing delivery conditions, and communicate with the Operations Manager or Logistics Supervisor when off-site as needed.
Follow company policies and procedures, keep the vehicle and office orderly and clean, maintain a positive attitude, and perform other assigned duties.