Sales Director, East Zone

Provides strategic leadership, coaching and business direction for a team of at least three Region Managers within the Foodservice Distributor channel. Responsible for delivering zone-level sales, profit and growth objectives by aligning Region Managers, Business Development Managers, Brokers and Distributor partners to the Foodservice Distributor Annual Operating Plan. Leads team to work cross-functionally with internal and external stakeholders to execute key customer strategies, distributor priorities, regional broker performance, new business development and cross-functional initiatives across multiple geographic regions.

Job Description and Responsibilities

The Director of the East Zone reports to the VP, Sales - Foodservice Business Unit. This role is remote and the person should reside in a major metro market in the Eastern states. Preferred locations are Charlotte, Atlanta, Chicago, and Philadelphia.

• Leads, coaches and develops a team of at least three Region Managers responsible for Foodservice Distributor performance across assigned geographic zones.
• Translates the Foodservice Distributor Operating Plan into zone-level priorities, clear goals, account strategies and measurable execution plans.
• Owns sales, profit, new business and strategic growth objectives for the assigned director area and monitors Region Manager progress against annual budgets.
• Conducts regular business reviews with Region Managers to assess distributor performance, broker execution, pipeline health, customer opportunities and risk mitigation plans.
• Builds and maintains senior-level relationships with key Foodservice Distributors, regional brokers, targeted chain accounts and strategic operator partners.
• Provides direction to Region Managers on distributor planning, regional chain development, large leverage operators, key segment focus and priority account execution.
• Collaborates with Corporate Distributor leadership to support execution of corporate distributor product approvals and local market implementation across assigned zones.
• Ensures Region Managers effectively manage broker relationships, market coverage, food show participation, product demonstrations and follow-up activities.
• Guides teams in identifying, pursuing and securing profitable new business opportunities that support annual growth objectives.
• Reviews and prioritizes target account lists, key segment plans and opportunity pipelines with Region Managers and Business Development Managers on a regular cadence.
• Leads escalation and resolution of customer, distributor or product-related issues across assigned zones, including coordination with Quality Assurance, Customer Service, Operations and cross-functional partners.
• Leads cross-functional communication with Marketing, R & D, Culinary, Purchasing, Cost Accounting, Operations and Customer Service to advance distributor and operator opportunities.
• Provides field insight, competitive intelligence, customer feedback and business recommendations to senior leadership.
• Develops talent through coaching, ride-alongs, performance feedback, succession planning and individual development plans for Region Managers.
• Ensures timely completion of required reporting, forecasting, administrative documentation and performance tracking across assigned zones.
• Actively participates in and helps lead Foodservice Sales Meetings, planning sessions and strategic distributor reviews.

Minimum Job Requirements:

Education/Certifications:

• College degree or equivalent experience required. 
• Culinary or Sales related accreditation a plus
• Must possess valid driver’s license.

Experience:

• Minimum of 8-12 years’ experience in Foodservice Sales, Distributor Management, Sales Leadership or related commercial roles.
• Prior experience leading sales managers, multi-market teams or geographically dispersed associates required.
• Demonstrated success delivering sales growth, profitability, new business development and execution through others.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Proficient in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Proficient in use of Outlook
• Demonstrated leadership and possesses the ability to develop interdepartmental relationships
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively with diverse groups of associates and customers ranging from entry level to executive level positions.
• Ability to work with multiple departments including but not limited to Cost Accounting, Operations, Purchasing, R & D, Culinary, Quality Assurance, and Information Services, both internally and externally.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, often with competing deadlines.
• Strong coaching, talent development, performance management and team leadership capabilities.
• Ability to analyze business performance, identify market opportunities and convert strategic direction into field execution.
• Ability to prioritize projects and clearly communicate direction internally and externally

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• Directly supervises, mentors, coaches and conducts performance reviews with at least three Region Managers.
• Provides leadership direction for Region Managers responsible for Business Development Managers, broker partners and distributor execution within their respective geographic zones.
• Supports talent planning, associate development, succession planning and performance management across assigned zones.

Working Conditions and Physical Effort:

• Home Office environment
• Light physical effort.  Requires standing, sitting, walking, talking, seeing, hearing, fine dexterity, and handling of average-weight objects up to 50 pounds.
• Substantial travel required (up to 60-70%) mostly in the United States
• Resides in key market of geographic zone

Expectations:

• Will demonstrate, promote and exemplify the Company’s Core Values

At C.H. Guenther, we value transparency in compensation. By providing the salary range for this role, we aim to promote fairness and help candidates make informed choices about their career. The salary range for this role is:

$121,272.00 - $232,304.00

Actual compensation may vary based on job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, as well as geographic location.

C.H. Guenther & Son will never offer or pay a wage or salary that is not compliant with applicable local, state, or federal pay laws, including minimum salary thresholds.

We also offer a variety of benefits, including health and disability insurance, retirement savings options, flexible spending accounts, employee assistance programs, educational assistance, parental leave, paid time off, and company-paid holidays.​

For additional information about our company, go to www.chg.com.

C.H. Guenther & Son and its subsidiaries are E-Verify participating employers.

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All offers of employment are contingent upon successful completion of the pre-employment screening process which includes a drug screen and review of criminal background and other records as required.

AA/EEO/Drug-Free Employer