Area Sales Manager

Job Summary

The Area Manager for Food & Beverage plays a direct role in ensuring customer satisfaction by servicing a majority of the existing Zee accounts in his or her area. This includes ensuring Zee products are performing as expected, chemical allocation equipment is functioning properly, and responding to any other customer inquiries as necessary. He or she also contacts prospective customers to sell chemicals, equipment, and services to the processing industry, writes and reviews analyses, and recommends products and services to customers.

Attempts are made to resolve problems encountered with customer's products and services.

• Service existing accounts by planning visits and providing 100% customer service on a daily basis.
• Monitor ongoing service of the account including visits during sanitation operations, often after normal business hours.
• Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.
• Identify prospective customers using business directories, leads from existing clients, participation in organizations, clubs, trade shows and conferences.
• Instruct sanitation crews on proper chemical usage and provide training classes when necessary.
• Complete field reports covering sanitation concerns, plant status and employee safety.
• Establish new accounts by planning and organizing work and travel schedules to call on existing or potential customers.
• Proactively network with key industry contacts to build long‑lasting business relationships.
• Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.
• Answer customers’ questions about products, prices, availability, uses, and credit terms.
• Emphasize product features based on analyses of customers’ needs and technical knowledge of product capabilities and limitations.
• Prepare sales contracts for orders obtained, and submit orders for processing.
• Maintain customer records using automated systems.
• Complete special projects upon request and other duties as assigned.

• Required: Strong customer service focus, social and interpersonal skills, active listening, effective communication, ability to excel in a fast‑paced environment and meet time‑sensitive deadlines.
• Ability to travel ≥75% of the time (mostly by car) to visit customers and work with distributors throughout the sales territory.
• Ability to work nights (2nd or 3rd shift) with sanitation crews to provide product training and service.
• Preferred: Strong critical thinking, persuasion, and comprehension skills; mechanical aptitude; knowledge of the composition, structure and properties of substances and chemical processes; uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques and disposal methods.

Required: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in experience and education.

• Required: 1‑3 years of previous sales experience.
• Preferred: 1‑3 years of experience working in chemical, sanitation, food protection, food manufacturing or related field.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word and Excel highly preferred.

The successful candidate will receive a competitive salary and sales commission. The overall benefits package includes medical, vision, and dental insurance, as well as a 401(k) with company contributions. A monthly auto allowance and expenses for overnight travel and customer activities are provided.

Salary range: $60,000 – $90,000.