Category Specialist - Cheese -West Coast

Job Overview

Increase Specialty Cheese sales through education and implementation of marketing and promotional programs in conjunction with Director Cheese & Specialty. Work directly with Sales and customers on category’s products that ultimately relates to increased cheese sales. Assist and educate Account Managers in category offering, maximize sales and help grow company product offering. This role will collaborate with the sales team to achieve the objective of Building Out the Store.

Core Responsibilities

• Educate and assist Account Managers and Customers with Vendor promotions programs
• Communicates competitive information to Sales Managers, Category Directors and Sales Reps
• Create informative Sale Sheets and maintains a library of appropriate data as related to their specific category
• Coordinates Customer training, enlisting Vendors, Brokers, and Sales Reps as needed
• Responses to requests from Sales Managers, Category Directors, or Sales Rep to help with Sales presentations on new or current customers with potential sales
• Travels throughout assigned territory to call on regular and prospective customers to solicit orders, offer promotional opportunities, schematic suggestions and present new items.
• Available for resets or Product Demonstrations
• Prepares proposals to include pricing and assessments of customer needs including department schematics
• Attends and educates & learns by attending Sales Meetings and various Trade Shows
• Report competitive information and category trends to appropriate sales team members
• Oversee category development of new accounts and servicing of existing accounts.
• Write and process sales documentation for use by the sales team in promoting department items and maintains a library of appropriate data related to specific categories.
• Coordinate customer training, enlisting vendors and/or brokers and appropriate sales team members as needed.
• Respond to requests from Category Manager, Sales Manager, Account Manager or Inside Sales to accompany or make sales calls on potential new or current customers.
• Travel throughout assigned geographic area to call on regular and prospective customers to solicit orders, offer promotional opportunities or present new items.

Additional Responsibilities

• Display or demonstrate product, applies knowledge of products and services and demonstrate benefits and features to promote sales.
• Prepare written proposals to include required quotes and assessments of customer needs including department schematics (plan-o-grams) as requested by the customer.
• Attend regular sales meetings and trade shows as needed.
• View or retrieve essential customer information, analyze missed opportunities for sales and review potential sales with particular customers.
• Complete department projects as needed (i.e. – category resets).

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• ACS Member and/or CCP preferred

• 5-7 years related experience and/or training

• Knowledge of product specific to category including basic department operations.
• Ability to analyze and determine sales opportunities
• Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals.
• Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from customers.
  
  Understanding of sales forecasting, programs, promotions and related techniques.
• Knowledge of word processing software; inventory software; internet software;
  Power Sell software; IDS systems and Power facts software
• Motivated self-starter
• Good oral, written and technical communication skills
• Good customer relations and diplomacy
• Good negotiation, organization and planning skills

Remote Role

• This position is classified as remote where the associate will perform remote work from their primary residence. Remote associates are welcome to work from the office but are not required to do so. While remote associates are not required to work from an office on a regular basis, they may be required to come to the office or other UNFI locations for necessary business reasons or if directed to do so by their manager.

Travel (minor)

• This position may require the associate to…