Sales Operations Manager at Marukan Vinegar U.S.. Inc. Paramount, CA

Sales Operations Manager – Marukan Vinegar U.S.A. Inc., Paramount, CA

THIS POSITION IS NOT REMOTE. IN OFFICE IN PARAMOUNT CA

Position/

Job Title:

Sales Operations Manager
Department: Sales
Location: Paramount, CA
Status: Exempt
Shift: Office Hours, occasional off‑hour work
Immediate Supervisor: President, CRO

Positions Supervised: Customer Service/Order Desk

• Supports the sales organization by managing back office/inside sales operations. Facilitates communication within departments to ensure sales objectives are met efficiently and timely. Leads the Customer Service team. Responsible for Forecasting, Budgeting, Trade Promotion Management, Sales Accounting, Customer account set up and maintenance, Customer and Item Master Data, Pricing, etc. Works closely with VP of Sales to co‑manage the sales department.

• Responsible for Food Safety as it relates to the sales department. Immediately communicates any product recall information as necessary. Provides leadership to cultivate and improve the company’s strong food safety culture and good manufacturing practices. Keeps current on training as required and ensuring complete and timely training of all personnel in the sales department.
• Hires, trains and holds Customer Service staff accountable for their respective responsibilities. Ensures complete and efficient communication of sales operations internally and externally.
• Set sales and expense budgets and KPIs for the sales department annually. Communicate sales activities and progress towards sales objectives and budgets to VP of Sales and executive management regularly.
• Works with Marketing Department, VP of Sales and executive management to determine necessary price changes or optimization of pricing strategies. Manages price list and ensures correct pricing is implemented in automated systems and communicated internally and externally as needed.
• Manages customer and distributor portals and data, using these to provide and communicate sales and production forecasts to stakeholders. Oversees internal and external inventory levels for optimisation of complete and on‑time shipments.
• Manages Sales P/L statements by sales division and customer to ensure profitability and achievement of budget at the customer and division levels. Communicates to VP of Sales, Sales Managers, Brokers and Agents, and executive management.
• Supervises and facilitates Quality Document exchanges between company and customer through the Customer Service department. Ensures customers have accurate, up‑to‑date quality documentation, certifications, audit reports, certificates of origin, etc.
• Adds, updates and maintains all Customer Master Data and Item Master Data.
• Reviews and approves sales expenses according to budgets.
• Works with Accounts Receivable to reconcile customers and assist in the collection of past due invoices. Notifies customers that are on or off credit holds as needed.
• Communicates with Logistics Department to maximise sales and minimise shortages, cost‑effectively. Cooperates to optimise inventory levels and manage ageing inventory.

• Reports to President, CRO. Provides weekly sales report of sales department and major customer activities.
• Provides updates on major customer activity in a timely manner. Discusses problems and proposes solutions to VP of Sales and President/CRO.
• Present sales summaries to board of directors and steering committee at regular meetings.
• Helps to determine, track and report Sales Department KPIs.
• Maintains up to date records of distribution and pricing.
• Updates and maintains Sales Department Policy Manual.

Performs other miscellaneous duties as assigned or needed.

• Education/Certification: Bachelor’s Degree in Business, Sales, Marketing, Manufacturing Operations, Supply Chain or Management preferred.
• Required Knowledge and
  
  Skills:
  
  
  • Excellent communication skills, written, verbal and digital.
  • Strong understanding of food manufacturing distribution, logistics, go‑to‑market strategies and food safety and quality standards.
  • Must be able to report sales opportunities, progress and challenges to executive management.
  • Strong strategic, analytical, critical thinking, and budgeting skills.
  • Able to understand sales reports, fact‑based syndicated data, consumer marketing studies. Able to apply learnings relevant to the position.
  • Ability to travel rarely to occasionally.
  • Windows environment application, including Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Excel, Word and PowerPoint. Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central and Power BI experience strongly preferred.