Role Purpose
Westfalia Fruit is seeking a motivated and commercially focused sales professional to join our North American commercial team. This role will be responsible for managing and developing key customer relationships, growing existing accounts, identifying new business opportunities, and contributing to the continued profitable growth of the business.
The successful candidate will take ownership of their customer portfolio, working to understand customer needs, identify opportunities for growth, and deliver strong commercial results. The role requires a balanced approach to customer service and commercial performance, with a clear understanding of pricing, margins, market conditions, and long-term account development.
Working closely with internal teams across procurement, operations, logistics, quality, and finance, the role will help ensure customer requirements are effectively managed, and commercial commitments are successfully delivered. The individual will be expected to communicate effectively, respond proactively to challenges, and build strong working relationships both internally and externally.
We are open to candidates with varying levels of experience and will align the scope and seniority of the position with the experience and capabilities of the successful candidate. Above all, we are looking for a driven, collaborative, and commercially minded individual who can take ownership of customer relationships and contribute to the continued development of Westfalia Fruit's North American business.
Responsibilities
- Manage and grow relationships with existing customers and take ownership of overall account performance.
- Identify opportunities to expand existing business through increased volume, new programs, and additional product offerings.
- Develop new business opportunities that align with Westfalia Fruit’s commercial strategy and profitability objectives.
- Understand customer needs, priorities, and market dynamics to identify opportunities and provide effective solutions.
- Manage pricing and commercial negotiations with a clear understanding of supply, costs, margins, market conditions, and profitability.
- Stay informed of market conditions, customer trends, competitive activity, and supply dynamics that may impact commercial decisions.
- Work closely with operations, procurement, logistics, quality, and finance to ensure customer commitments are communicated and executed effectively.
- Take ownership of customer issues and opportunities with clear communication and strong follow-through.
- Maintain accurate sales forecasts, pricing, customer information, and other relevant commercial data.
- Represent Westfalia Fruit professionally with customers, industry partners, and at relevant trade events.
Requirements
Essential Experience
- Experience in sales, account management, business development, or a related commercial role, preferably within fresh produce, foodservice, grocery retail, or the broader food industry.
- Demonstrated ability to build, manage, and grow strong customer relationships.
- Strong commercial judgment with an understanding of pricing, margins, market conditions, and profitable growth.
- Ability to manage existing business while proactively identifying and developing new opportunities.
- Strong communication, negotiation, organization, and problem-solving skills.
- Self-directed and accountable, with strong follow-through and the ability to work effectively across different areas of the business.
- For more experienced candidates, established industry relationships and a proven track record of developing profitable new business would be highly valued.
- Experience managing strategic accounts, negotiating commercial programs, and contributing to broader sales strategy would also be valued.
Our Values in Action
Leading Self/Individual Contributor Roles
In this role, you are expected to demonstrate our values through your day-to-day actions:
- Deliver work aligned to customer needs and quality
- Communicate clearly and support team success
- Act with integrity and speak up when needed
- Continuously learn and adapt
- Build respectful and trusting relationships
Benefits
- Competitive salary
- 401(k) retirement plan
- 100% covered medical, dental and vision insurance
- Life insurance
- 15 days’ paid vacation per year
- Paid sick leave
- 8 paid holidays
- Floating holiday
Skills Required
- Experience in sales, account management, business development, or a related commercial role, preferably in fresh produce, foodservice, grocery retail, or the broader food industry.
- Ability to build, manage, and grow strong customer relationships.
- Strong commercial judgment and understanding of pricing, margins, market conditions, and profitable growth.
- Ability to manage existing business while identifying and developing new opportunities.
- Strong communication, negotiation, organization, and problem-solving skills.
- Self-directed, accountable, and able to work effectively across different business areas.
- Established industry relationships and a proven track record of developing profitable new business.
- Experience managing strategic accounts, negotiating commercial programs, and contributing to broader sales strategy.
What We Do
Westfalia Fruit is a leading global avocado company and a multinational supplier of fresh fruit and related processed products, trusted for over 75 years.
