VP, Foodservice & Food Manufacturing Sales

Location:

Candidate can be based in the following cities: Kansas City, St. Louis Park or Chicago

General Purpose:

Accomplished sales leader to drive business development, lead sales team, and expand sales footprint in foodservice & food manufacturing channels. Lead the strategic planning, direction, and goal setting for area of sales responsibility in collaboration with senior leadership. Responsible for developing and implementing strategic sales initiatives to achieve revenue growth, expand market share, and build strong relationships with market and foodservice partners. Improve profitability through volume growth, margin optimization, and cost savings initiatives through the effective leadership of others. Accountable for the sales performance and results of large, strategically important accounts, an extremely large market, and/or for diverse disciplines or departments within division.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute a strategic vision and comprehensive foodservice & food manufacturing sales strategy to achieve sales targets and growth objectives
• Align foodservice sales strategies with overall business goals and initiatives across multiple product portfolios
• Analyze market trends, customer insights, and competitive landscape to identify growth opportunities
• Collaborate with division and senior leadership to align sales strategies with overall company goals

Business Development / Market Growth

• Identify and cultivate relationships with key foodservice & food manufacturing accounts
• Proactively pursue new business opportunities to expand DFA's presence in the foodservice channel
• Lead demand generation that leverages marketplace insights for overall profitable growth
• Develop and implement strategies to establish new markets and grow existing accounts
• Create representation strategy for the company at industry events, trade shows, and customer meetings

Team Leadership and Development

• Provide leadership, guidance, and support to the sales team to drive performance and foster professional growth
• Lead, mentor, and manage a high-performing sales team
• Establish clear performance goals and accountability measures for the sales team
• Align organizational structure to strategic goals and align skill sets to desired outcomes

Customer Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key foodservice & food manufacturing customers, including distributors, operators, and chain accounts
• Negotiate contracts and agreements to maximize revenue and profitability.
• Act as a strategic partner to customers by understanding their needs and offering tailored solutions
• Engage R&D to develop and present application focused solutions

Sales Operations

• Oversee the sales pipeline, forecasting, and budgeting processes to ensure accurate and timely reporting
• Monitor and analyze sales performance, providing insights and recommendations for improvement
• Collaborate with marketing, finance, operations, and product development teams to support sales initiatives and ensure customer satisfaction
• The requirements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by employee, but is not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Other duties may be assigned as required.

Minimum Qualifications:

• B.S. Degree, preferable with a Management or Sales/Marketing emphasis
• MBA preferred
• 15+ years of dairy, ingredient and/or foodservice sales leadership experience in a progressive sales organization
• Proven career advancement in sales of dairy ingredients and food products
• Knowledge of dairy products
• Certification and/or License - None

Necessary Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Proven track record of growing profitable sales results at a senior sales level and in a competitive market
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to inspire and manage a team effectively
• Excellent negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills
• Deep understanding of foodservice distribution channels, industry trends, and customer needs

• Knowledge of commercial business, marketplace, and consumer
• Strong executive presence and the ability to quickly gain the confidence of colleagues, enhanced by a strong sense of team and outstanding people skills

• Strong leadership abilities
• Exceptional communication skills
• Ability to solve complex customer demands and problems
• Self-driven and committed to hands on work habits
• Ability to initiate and adapt to change
• Ability to balance heavy work load and manage multiple tasks

• Must have the ability and capability to advance to a senior level in the organization
• High level of proficiency with sales planning, both short-term and strategic planning
• Experience developing and managing strategic customer relationships
• Ability to plan, coordinate, and direct the work of others
• Product and application knowledge, particularly in cheese and dairy proteins
• Team leader, able to convince others to enthusiastically support new initiatives
• Able to read, write, and speak English

Travel:

50%-75% (up to 2 weeks per month)

An Equal Opportunity Employer