Position Description:

The Associate Director, Retail Sales will lead our Business-to-Consumer (B2C) sales function as well as design and execute a high-impact Route-to-Market (RTM) strategy across key channels including grocery, home improvement, sporting goods, club, and outdoor retail, with accountability for driving best-in-class Distribution, Shelving, Merchandising, and Pricing (DSMP) execution.

This role will oversee direct account management, guide a retail field team of indirect sellers, and lead the selection, development, and performance of a high-impact broker network. Additionally, this role is responsible for trade spend optimization and ROI analysis, while leveraging Salesforce as the centralized platform for customer data, sales performance tracking, and execution visibility.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Strategic Leadership & Planning
  1. Develop and execute comprehensive retail sales strategies to achieve revenue, profit and growth objectives across national, regional and alternative retail channels.
  2. Lead annual sales planning, including forecasting, promotional strategy, and trade spend management, ensuring alignment with overall company goals.
• Retailer & Account Management
  1. Build and maintain strong relationships with key national and regional grocery retailers and distributors.
  2. Serve as the account lead for direct accounts, develop customer-specific sales plans, and oversee new business development.
• Team Leadership & Development
  1. Lead, coach and develop a high-performing indirect retail sales team and broker network, fostering excellence in customer management and sales execution
  2. Oversee broker selection, management, and performance to ensure consistent, high-quality retail execution across all geographies.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration
  1. Partner with Marketing, Finance, Operations and Supply Chain to ensure sales strategies are integrated with business objectives, demand planning, and product launches.
  2. Leverage analytics and market insights to drive fact-based selling and continuous improvement.
• Sales Operations & Execution
  1. Optimize trade promotions pricing, and slotting strategies to maximize ROI and customer profitability.
  2. Champion the adoption and standardization of Salesforce CRM for sales operations, ensuring accurate data, real-time insights, and performance tracking.
• Market Analytics & Growth Initiatives
  1. Analyze sales trends, market dynamics, and competitive landscape to identify growth opportunities and mitigate risks.
  2. Drive retail distribution expansion, new account acquisition, and category growth within existing and prospective accounts.
• In-Store Execution Excellence
  1. Ensure high standards for in-store execution, including Distribution, Shelving, Merchandising, and Pricing (D/S/M/P).
  2. Define and track execution KPIs, utilizing data and field feedback to refine strategies improve shelf presence
• Industry Representation
  1. Represent the company at key industry trade shows, customer meetings, and join business planning sessions.

Supervisory/Management Responsibilities:

• Responsible for hiring, training, and termination of a growing team of Regional Account Managers and broker partners.
• Supervises department costs, personnel, and methods
• Participates in the Performance Management Process
• Lead management and execution of established sales plan

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing or a related field; MBA or advanced degree a plus
• 10+ years of progressive sales experience in the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry, with a focus on food & beverage and grocery retail accounts.
• Minimum of 3 years in a sales leadership role managing sales teams and broker/distributor networks
• Demonstrated success in B2C sales strategy, key account management, brand launches, and delivering sales and profit growth.
• Deep understanding of retail execution, trade economics, product P&L, trade spend, promotions, and gross-to-net management.
• Proficiency with Salesforce CRM, sales analytics tools, and syndicated data platforms, proven ability to drive system adoption and leverage data for insights.
• Exceptional leadership, analytical, planning, communication, negotiation and project management skills.
• Experience collaborating in cross-functional and matrixed environments, aligning sales with marketing, finance, and operations.
• Ability to thrive in fast-paced, high-growth and entrepreneurial settings, comfortable with ambiguity and rapid change.
• Strong initiative, autonomy, and problem-solving skills; able to drive projects from conception to completion.
• Existing relationships with key retail buyers preferred.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 30-50% for customer meetings and field team support.

Physical requirements

• Continually operates a computer and other standard office equipment to develop reports, dashboards, and other related documents. Must have the ability to view and interpret information on a computer screen or physical documents for extended periods.
• Continually maintains accurate records and performs data entry requiring regular use of hand-eye coordination and finger dexterity.
• Continually conducts visual review and analysis of data displayed on monitors and physical documents.
• Sits for extended periods while performing job duties, while occasional opportunities to stand and move as needed.
• Occasionally bends, reaches, or stretches to retrieve files or materials (mobility to move around the workspace).
• Continually performs dexterity movements and must have the ability to use hands and fingers to operate a keyboard, mouse, and other office equipment with precision
• Continued and sustained mental focus and awareness to ensure accuracy in data analysis, reporting, and decision-making.

Competencies:

• Communication: The ability to give and gather information and actively manage the communication process by asking questions, conveying complex information in plain language, listening and considering others’ views, state own views clearly and concisely, and address conflict in a professional and productive manner.
• Customer Focus: Pursuit of the highest level of customer service; anticipate the customer’s future needs and trends; identify opportunities to benefit customers; strive to resolve customer concerns; and offer advice and guidance in responding to customer inquiries.
• Time Management: Able to make the most effective use of one’s own time and that of others; gets the job done without procrastinating or delaying; is constantly aware of what is the best use of time.
• Drive for Results: Dedicated to achieving the best results by taking a dynamic approach to work, perseveres and uses metrics to analyze performance.
• Forward Thinking: The ability to anticipate the implications and consequences of a situation and take appropriate action to be prepared for possible contingencies.

Benefits for this role include: Medical, vision, dental, discretionary bonus up to 30% (50% personal performance based & 50% company performance), profit sharing (which feeds retirement) at a minimum of 3% annually and 184 hours PTO in the 1st 12 months.