We are working with a leading regional food company who has a terrific opportunity for a Director of Sales to support and lead an experienced, senior sales team.

This established organization has a highly collaborative, team-first, community-oriented culture. Consensus is built among team members and departments, advice and input is sought and shared. This role will manage teams in multiple locations, visit customers, attend trade shows. The company has long and solid relationships with national, regional, and local grocery retail.

This role will manage and direct sales for lines of organic fresh produce. A background with organic produce across a large number of SKUs strongly sought. Consideration of other organic foods can potentially be given. Position is based in Portland, OR; relocation assistance may potentially be available.

The Director of Sales will be responsible for:

• Ensuring the highest service levels to a diverse customer base
• Leading the sales team – ensuring development, performance, morale, and retention
• Providing primary leadership over product, pricing, actionable analytics, and promotions as main strategies to manage inventory, drive sales and profit

Position Functions:

• Promote the development of flexible, adaptive and innovative processes for use in new business growth by supporting and enabling an effective and efficient team approach.
• Provide leadership of the day-to-day operations of the sales department, while maintaining focus on the Company’s strategic goals. Promote safety, development, training, and evaluation of all sales team members.
• Collaborate organization-wide to support or lead projects and initiatives, facilitate process change, manage organizational change, and ensure success.
• Develop and implement sales strategies, using analytics to set sales targets and provide guidance on associated sales actions, and forecast sales volume for both existing and new products.
• Develop and maintain a historical perspective on the marketplace to analyze and predict future trends and needs. Maintain familiarity with competitors’ products and services. Recommend changes in products, services, and sales policies by evaluating results and competitive developments. Stay current with new products and services offered by competitors, and with other trends in the organic produce industry.
• Develop and implement account management objectives including key service metrics.
  Manage the negotiation of products with customers based on margin goals, which may include providing volume discounts or other agreements. Partner with the business development team to create onboarding plans for new business/new partnerships and grow existing accounts.
• Develop and coordinate programs and processes for industry leading customer service and sales to increase customer satisfaction, measure with a trade survey annually.
• Work closely with Sourcing leadership to align demand planning and inventory strategies with sales growth.
  Responsible for developing and maintaining customer, grower, and vendor relationships.
  Travel as needed to meet with customers, attend and host at industry events, and nurture relationships.
• Analyze lead quality and sales trends to continually refine outreach strategies.
  Own budgeting, forecasting, and sales planning for the team. Mange the operational budget through a collaborative approach.
• Measure sales activities by developing key sales metrics, and ensure that these metrics are analyzed, reported on a regular basis, and adjusted accordingly to achieve sales goals and objectives.
• Set departmental objectives and goals to align with the strategic plan, annual goals, and company initiatives.

Requirements - Qualified candidates will have:

• 10+ years of progressive & successful sales experience, with at least 5+ managing and coaching sales teams to meet and exceed sales goals.
• A deep understanding of the produce industry, including supply chain logistics, product characteristics, and quality control.
• Strategic planning and pricing experience.
• Strong knowledge in the channels of distribution of perishable products or related industries.
• Exceptional presentation, written and oral communication skills.
• Experience in fiscal management including P&L’s, budgets, projections, cost control skills and proven track record of revenue generation and strong customer relationships.
• Excellent management and organizational skills with the ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects concurrently.
• Strong leadership and motivational skills to build, mentor, train, grow, and lead a team.
• Strong interpersonal skills including consensus building, meeting and discussion
• facilitation and active listening, with the ability to inspire and influence others as necessary
  
• Ability to develop and implement effective sales strategies and adapt to changing market conditions.
• Excellent sales negations & influencing skills. Proven success record in account and relationship management, and sales negations.
• Ability to analyze data, identify trends, and make informed business decisions.
• Strategic mid-term and short-term thinking, as well as the ability to multitask with a sense of urgency in a quick cycle time & fast paced environment.
• Display emotional intelligence when dealing with difficult situations.
• Computer proficiency including Windows, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Outlook & PowerPoint), & CRM.
• Bilingual English/Spanish a plus.

Physical Requirements:

This position requires the ability to sit for long periods of time, hear and converse over the telephone and in person, and on a computer. Requires ability to accurately receive and disseminate information to maintain and enhance relationships. Requires ability to travel and occasional overnight travel. Standing, stooping, bending required. Ability to meet the above description of position with or without reasonable accommodation.

The base salary reasonably expected for this role is around $130,000 - $150,000 ~ per year. The actual salary for this role will be determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s skills and experience. The position will have healthcare benefits, a generous PTO, fitness reimbursement, among others.

For more information, contact Rich Lentz at  rich@producecareers.com