Director Sales - Kroger

Overview

The Director Sales – Kroger is responsible for customer management, planning, field execution of strategic and operating plan initiatives, and team leadership across the enterprise’s full scope of business orting to the Sr. VP, Sargento Sales, this role includes developing the strategy and tactics for sustainable success, delivering sales and margin growth, deepening market and customer relationships, broker management, and planning, coordinating and executing company selling strategies to achieve annual goals.

The role provides direct leadership to a team of two sales and category management professionals and broker support, offers training, coaching and succession planning in each area of responsibility, and also heads Sargento’s Cincinnati office.

• Responsible for achieving sustainable dollar volume, profitability, share, P&L contribution, and related financial performance objectives for the account in support of the company’s total growth objectives.
• Develop and cultivate strategic customer relationships through Joint Business Planning and elevate connectivity with senior leaders through Top‑to‑Top meetings.
• Lead and coordinate the efforts of cross‑functional departments (onsite and at Sargento HQ) to meet company objectives within a close‑knit selling environment.
• Support corporate planning, analysis and budgeting processes to achieve short‑ and long‑term business objectives. Develop a 1–3 year sales plan for the account.
• Implement strategic merchandising plans and activities to support annual objectives while maintaining Sargento’s Merchandising Standards of Excellence. Prepare and deliver account presentations using Sales and Marketing data, syndicated and account‑specific data.
• Make or oversee headquarters calls to identify new business opportunities and deepen existing customer relationships to support short‑ and long‑term corporate strategies.
• Develop and manage account promotional plans, including post‑promotional analysis to verify sales results and return on investment.
• Be knowledgeable of market and industry trends, competitors, and top customer and channel strategies. Apply Price Commodity Management principles to execute initiatives that meet organizational business plan objectives.
• Maintain effective internal relationships necessary to achieve business objectives consistent with Sargento’s culture.
• Continuously review market and account base to identify opportunities, threats, or new ways of doing business to meet customer needs and corporate objectives. Share trends so appropriate resources can be allocated.
• Foster a collaborative and respectful work environment that includes constructive debate.
• Travel overnight 25% of the time.

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Master’s degree/MBA strongly preferred.
• 12+ years of related consumer product sales experience preferred.
• National headquarters sales & broker management experience required.
• HQ Kroger experience strongly preferred.
• Previous supervisory experience required.
• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Advanced skills with syndicated data analysis, terminology, and reports.

• Manage two direct reports and any future subordinates.
• Direct overall direction, coordination, evaluation, and performance of the team in accordance with company policies and applicable laws.
• Interview, hire, train, assign, direct, appraise, reward, discipline employees, and resolve complaints and problems.
• Serve as the indirect leader of all cross‑functional team members in the Sargento Cincinnati sales office.

• Comprehensive medical plan, including fertility and adoption benefits, dental, and vision insurance.
• Remote ½ day Fridays.
• Onsite Health & Wellness Center.
• Employer 401K contribution in the top 1% of the nation.
• Relocation assistance.
• Tuition assistance.
• Access to employee store.

With over 2,400 employees and net sales of nearly $1.8 billion, Sargento is a family‑owned company that has been a leader in cheese for more than 70 years. We pioneered the world’s first successful pre‑packaged sliced and shredded natural cheeses. Sargento is based in Plymouth, Wisconsin, where we manufacture and market shredded, sliced, and snack natural cheese products, as well as ingredients and sauces.

To learn more about our culture and values, visit Sargento careers.

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