Zone Sales Manager - Northern New England

Since 1869 we've connected people through food they love. Our history was created by remarkable people, ideas, and innovations. It serves as inspiration and foundation for our future success. 
 
We’re proud to be stewards of amazing brands that people trust. Our portfolio includes the iconic Campbell’s brand, as well as Michael Angelo’s, noosa, Pace, Pacific Foods, Prego, Rao’s Homemade, Swanson, and V8. In our Snacks division, we have brands like Cape Cod, Goldfish, Kettle Brand, Lance, Late July, Pepperidge Farm, Snack Factory, and Snyder's of Hanover.  
 
We foster a culture of belonging where people come first, and diversity is embraced. And we live our values, always, while setting the highest standards for performance.
 
Here, you will make a difference every day. You will be part of a dynamic, collaborative, and competitive team. You will be supported to build a rewarding career with opportunities to grow, innovate and inspire. Make history with us.

Zone Sales Manager

Reports to (Title): Regional Vice President

Direct and Indirect Reports (# and Titles): 9-11 Direct Reports (Market Development Leaders & Market Sales Leaders)

Business Unit: Snacks

Function: Sales

General Summary

The Zone Sales Manager (ZSM) is responsible for leading a team of Market Development Leaders (MDLs) and Market Sales Leaders (MSLs) to achieve distribution, sales, merchandising and promotional targets through effective engagement with the Independent Distributor Partners (IDP) network and the local warehouse logistics organization.  Zone Sales Managers are responsible for +$100MM in revenue. The ZSM must develop and implement the zone business strategy to drive growth across brands and increase dollar share, including marketplace deployment of resources to maximize volume and minimize operating cost. The ZSM provides sales leadership across the Zone, personal development to the respective MDL and MSL

 team and alignment with the Customer Team.

Retail Development

• Responsible for proactively managing, monitoring, evaluating and updating the overall business plan to meet Campbell Snacks objectives.

• Develop business plans for 60-90-180 days out across all retailers and multiple geographies, to support executional excellence and share growth.

• Communicate targets for distribution, merchandising, and promotional execution.

• Secure retail space for new items and points of interruption with key retail decision makers through partnership with IDPs.

• Forge and develop strong relationships with key retail decision makers.

• Assess the retailer’s competitive position, behaviors and strategies and understand how they align with Campbell Snacks strategic goals and identify opportunities to create win-win scenarios. 

• Track and evaluate competitive threats in the market and set strategic gap closure plans to win.

• Design and forecast quarterly business plans to attain key metrics across the portfolio to deliver the quarterly lock retailer business plan.

• Design go to market strategies through partnership with IDPs and utilize business analytics to recommend key business issues/plans related to base products and/or innovation and marketing activation.

• Conduct retailer specific analysis across portfolio of brands to identify opportunities to the plan and make appropriate recommendations.

• Provide insights, feedback and collaborate with internal retail customer teams with solution-oriented ideas and adjustments for continuous improvement and improved executional excellence.

• Communicate retail execution goals and monitor performance of MDLs and MSLs to achieve business strategies.

• Lead retail development within assigned area with an emphasis on designing and maintaining a retail wiring plan for compression selling through partnership with IDPs. 

• Penetrate and establish retail relationships with elevated levels of management with focused compression selling through partnership with IDPs.

Independent Distributor Partner (IDP) Engagement

• Cultivate, develop and implement optional quality joint business engagement. 

• Participate in optional quarterly IDP business meetings to collaborate on operational matters with the IDPs.

• Offer syndicated and retailer supplied data to discuss the state of the snacks business, consumer trends, key business drivers, and discover incremental opportunities.

• Develop growth strategy to support route infrastructure growth and align on priorities with local Business Development Managers.

• Improve route viability by reengineering for growth and minimizing turnover of routes to support IDP engagement.

• Recommend potential IDPs for open routes as potential future business partner.

• Design and collaborate with internal sales operations team to create a route infrastructure strategy.

• Collaborate with internal sales operations team to provide clear and concise communication regarding sales and distribution opportunities and other key information utilizing available applications and tools, which will assist them in engaging with IDPs.  

• Coach, lead and influence internal team to develop strong relationships and improve engagement with IDPs.

• Clear understanding of IDP contracts and the independent distributor partner business model.

Team Development

• Review weekly MDL deployment plans to improve execution, IDP engagement, retailer visibility and deliver on the Campbell Snacks objectives.

• Collaborate with Sales Operations to improve the efficiency of the market and drive growth.

• Seek out and provide support as needed to the different functions on assigned categories (e.g. new product development, process improvement, brand marketing).

• Track monthly forecasts in order to maximize supply chain efficiencies and provide constructive feedback on shipments, consumption data and inventory changes. Proactively identify potential risks or threats to monthly forecasts.

• Utilize performance management plans with MDLs and MSLs to develop and enhance individual skills, capabilities and behaviors to build a team culture.

• Conduct MDL and MSL team meetings as necessary to share best practices, role play and communicate deployment plans and other strategic initiatives.

Job Complexity / Scope:

• Engage with a diverse set of outside stakeholders, including retailers and IDPs, while navigating complex route to market distribution model, distributor model and market trends

• Able to assess market needs and deploy resources against business issues and demands

• Utilize iPad business applications to provide up to date information regarding business trends

• Train, coach and develop new MDLs and MSLs on processes and best practices

• Identify and implement growth strategies for infrastructure opportunities

• Deliver gross revenue target, share growth and executional excellence metrics.

• Deliver ACV display gains in key accounts and region geography

• Establish strong selling relationships with key retailers and divisional leaders of top retail accounts within zone

• Ensure MDL team is engaging IDPs in collaborative spirit to build relationships and maximize growth potential

• Build, recruit & develop high performing MDL team that promotes positive IDP engagement & culture

• Periodic strategy meetings with MDL team and MSL team to align on goals and opportunities

• Identify & mentor MDLs and MSLs so that they can achieve personal development and career progress.   Effectively manage the performance of those MDLs and MSLs struggling to meet role expectations.

• Requires cross functional interaction within the retailer, sales strategy, operations team, supply chain, plant operations, depot management, and IDPs

Job Specifications:

• B.A. required

• 5-10 years of Direct Store Delivery (DSD) sales experience

• Minimum 3 years managing sales teams

• DSD route to market, warehouse experience a plus

• Excellent leadership and communication skills

• Must be a strategic thinker and have strong business acumen

Working Conditions

• Travel as needed, both local and overnight

• Must be able to relocate as required

Travel Required

• Must be able to travel within district, to company meetings, company training and other regions as business needs demand.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently is required to stand, walk and sit. The employee is occasionally required to climb or balance and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 35 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.  The employee is required to drive to stores, warehouses and hubs within the market on a consistent basis.

Disclaimer

The preceding job description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by employees within this classification.  It is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all duties, responsibilities and qualifications required of employees assigned to this job. 

Compensation and Benefits:

The target base salary range for this full-time, salaried position is between 

$85,900-$140,800

Individual base pay depends on work location and additional factors such as experience, job-related skills, and relevant education or training. Total pay may include other forms of compensation. In addition, we offer competitive health, dental, 401k and wellness benefits beginning on the first day of employment. Please ask your Talent Acquisition Partner for more information about our total rewards package.

The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity for employees and qualified applicants in all aspects of the employment relationship, including consideration for employment, without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, citizenship, marital status, protected veteran status, disability, age, religion, or any other classification protected by law.