Sales Director, Kroger

About the Role:

We have a current opening for a Sales Director, Kroger and are actively reviewing applications.

The Sales Director, Kroger plays a critical leadership role within Ferrero's North America Grocery business. Kroger is the largest Grocery retailer in the U.S. marketplace, and a valued Platinum Ferrero customer.  The business requires strong commercial leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and a focus on delivering sustainable growth and mutually beneficial business results.

Based in Cincinnati, OH, this role leads Ferrero's commercial strategy and customer engagement with Kroger while providing day-to-day leadership and coordination of the local cross-functional team supporting the account. The Sales Director is accountable for developing and executing customer growth strategies, fostering strong executive-level relationships, and delivering sustainable business results across Ferrero's portfolio of iconic brands.

This role is hybrid, and will require in-office presence in our local office in Cincinnati, OH.

Main Responsibilities:

CUSTOMER LEADERSHIP & STRATEGY Lead Ferrero's commercial relationship with Kroger.

Develop & execute multi-year account strategies driving sustainable sales, share, & profit growth.

Serve as the primary commercial leader and subject matter expert for the Kroger business.

Lead both internal and customer-facing Joint Business Planning (JBP) processes and long-range innovation planning with a 3 to 5-year growth horizon.

Identify new opportunities across assortment, pricing, promotion, innovation, eCommerce, and omnichannel growth.

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT Build and maintain strong relationships with Kroger executives, merchants, category leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders.

Engage regularly with senior customer leadership, including Director and V.P. level contacts, to strengthen strategic partnerships and drive mutual business objectives.

Represent Ferrero in key customer meetings, executive reviews, and collaborative business planning initiatives.

Manage senior-level broker relationships aligning with customer & business priorities.

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP Provide day-to-day leadership and coordination of the Cincinnati-based cross-functional team in the local Ferrero office supporting the Kroger business.

Foster strong collaboration across Category Management, Shopper Marketing, Sales Operations, Forecasting, Supply Chain, Finance, Revenue Growth Management, eCommerce, and Broker partners.

Align resources, priorities, and execution plans to deliver customer objectives and company growth targets.

Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team focused on accountability, collaboration, and business results.

COMMERCIAL EXECUTION & BUSINESS MANAGEMENT Deliver annual volume, revenue, profitability, and trade investment objectives for the Kroger account.

Translate customer and category strategies into actionable distribution, shelving, pricing, merchandising, and promotional plans.

Monitor and deliver key performance indicators (KPIs) across customer, financial, and operational metrics.

Maintain accurate customer forecasting and business planning processes.

Ensure effective management of trade spending and investment optimization.

INTERNAL INFLUENCE & LEADERSHIP Partner with brand, marketing, category, and commercial leaders to develop strategies that strengthen Ferrero's position within Kroger.

Influence enterprise-wide decision making through customer insights, market intelligence, and strategic recommendations.

Champion customer-focused growth opportunities and advocate for investment priorities that support long-term business success.

Promote a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across all functions supporting the account.

About You:

Bachelor's degree required.
8-10+ years of progressive experience in Sales, Account Management, Category Management, or related commercial leadership roles within a consumer packaged goods (CPG) environment.

Strong strategic thinking and commercial acumen with the ability to translate vision into execution.

Proven ability to build credibility and influence at senior customer and internal leadership levels.

Demonstrated success leading large national customer accounts and delivering sustainable business growth.

Experience developing and executing strategic customer plans while managing complex, cross-functional business initiatives.

Preferred Experience Multi-channel retail experience preferred, including Grocery, Mass, Club, Value,…