Zone Sales Manager

Campbell's • Hartford, CT

1d • $108,000 - $148,500

About The Position

The Zone Sales Manager (ZSM) leads a team of Market Development Leaders (MDLs) to achieve distribution, sales, merchandising, and promotional targets through effective engagement with the Independent Distributor Partner (IDP) network and local warehouse logistics organization. The role is responsible for more than $100 million in revenue and for developing and implementing the zone business strategy to drive growth across brands and increase dollar share. This includes deploying resources across the marketplace to maximize volume and minimize operating cost, providing sales leadership across the zone, and supporting MDL development.

The ZSM manages retail business plans across multiple retailers and geographies, builds relationships with key retail decision makers, identifies competitive threats and growth opportunities, and works with IDPs and internal teams to improve execution. The role also develops route infrastructure strategies, strengthens IDP engagement, tracks forecasts and market performance, and recruits, coaches, and develops a high-performing MDL team. The position involves interaction with retailers, IDPs, sales strategy and operations, supply chain, plant operations, and depot management. It requires use of iPad business applications and travel as business needs demand.

Requirements

• With a bachelor’s degree, at least 5 years of Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) or Direct Store Delivery (DSD) sales experience.
• Without a bachelor’s degree, at least 10 years of Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) or Direct Store Delivery (DSD) sales experience.
• At least 2 years of experience managing and influencing sales teams.
• Excellent leadership and communication skills.
• Strategic thinking, operational and retail knowledge, and strong business acumen.
• Ability to understand IDP contracts and the independent distributor partner business model.

Nice To Haves

• DSD route-to-market and warehouse experience.
• Ability to travel as needed, locally and overnight, including to company meetings, training, and other regions as business needs demand.

Responsibilities

• Manage, monitor, evaluate, and update the overall business plan to meet Campbell Snacks objectives.
• Develop 60-, 90-, and 180-day business plans across retailers and geographies to support execution and share growth.
• Communicate distribution, merchandising, and promotional execution targets.
• Secure retail space for new items and points of interruption in partnership with IDPs.
• Build relationships with retail decision makers and assess retailer strategies, competitive position, and opportunities.
• Track competitive threats and develop strategic plans to close market gaps.
• Design and forecast quarterly business plans and retailer plans across the portfolio.
• Develop go-to-market strategies with IDPs and use business analytics to recommend plans for base products, innovation, and marketing activation.
• Analyze retailer performance across brands and recommend actions to achieve the plan.
• Share insights and collaborate with internal retail customer teams to improve execution.
• Communicate retail execution goals and monitor MDL performance against business strategies.
• Lead retail development in the assigned area, including maintaining a retail wiring plan for compression selling with IDPs.
• Develop retail relationships with senior-level management through compression selling in partnership with IDPs.
• Cultivate and implement joint business engagement with IDPs and participate in quarterly IDP business meetings as appropriate.
• Use syndicated and retailer-provided data to discuss the snacks business, consumer trends, business drivers, and growth opportunities.
• Develop route infrastructure growth strategies and align priorities with local Business Development Managers.
• Improve route viability through route redesign and efforts to minimize route turnover; recommend potential IDPs for open routes.
• Collaborate with Sales Operations on route infrastructure strategy and communicate sales and distribution opportunities using available applications and tools.
• Coach and influence the internal team to strengthen IDP relationships and engagement.
• Review weekly MDL deployment plans and work with Sales Operations to improve market efficiency and growth.
• Support other functions as needed, including new product development, process improvement, and brand marketing.
• Track monthly forecasts, support supply chain efficiency, provide feedback on shipments, consumption, and inventory, and identify forecast risks.
• Use performance management plans to develop MDL skills, capabilities, and behaviors.
• Conduct MDL team meetings to share best practices, practice selling, and communicate deployment plans and strategic initiatives.
• Train, coach, and develop new MDLs on processes and best practices.
• Deliver gross revenue, share growth, executional excellence, and ACV display gains in key accounts and the assigned geography.
• Recruit and develop a high-performing MDL team, mentor MDLs, and manage performance where role expectations are not being met.
• Align the MDL team on goals and opportunities through periodic strategy meetings.
• Engage with retailers, IDPs, and cross-functional stakeholders while assessing market needs and deploying resources against business demands.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, short- and long-term disability, AD&D, and life insurance, with coverage options for individuals, families, and domestic partners, beginning on day one.
• Matching 401(k) plan with enrollment available on the first day of employment and immediate vesting.
• Unlimited sick time, paid time off, and holiday pay.
• Free access to the fitness center for employees at WHQ.
• Access to on-site day care operated by Bright Horizons and a company store for employees at WHQ.
• Campbell’s Cares matches employee donations and/or volunteer activity up to $1,500 annually.
• Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).
• Wellness benefits beginning on the first day of employment.
• Competitive health, dental, and 401(k) benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Education Level: No Education Listed