Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Kinder's Premium Quality Seasonings & Sauces is a rapidly growing company in the grocery sector, seeking a Sales Director for the Central Region. The role involves leading the grocery business, driving growth through strategic partnerships and team leadership, while ensuring alignment with the company's broader objectives.
Responsibilities
- Develop and execute the Central Region grocery strategy to deliver sales, profit, distribution, and market share objectives
- Build and maintain senior-level relationships with key grocery customers, wholesalers, and strategic partners across the region
- Lead annual business planning, Joint Business Plans (JBPs), customer negotiations, and strategic growth initiatives
- Identify opportunities to expand distribution, optimize assortment, and accelerate velocity across existing and emerging customers
- Partner with Revenue Growth Management and Finance to ensure profitable growth through effective pricing, trade investment, and promotional strategies
- Represent the voice of the customer internally, ensuring customer needs are reflected in business decisions and growth plans
- Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of Business Development Managers responsible for regional customer relationships and execution
- Establish clear objectives, performance expectations, and development plans that drive accountability and growth
- Foster a culture of collaboration, ownership, continuous improvement, and customer-centric decision-making
- Provide strategic guidance and support during customer negotiations, line reviews, and critical business discussions
- Build organizational capability by identifying talent, developing future leaders, and creating succession plans
- Lead customer planning processes including annual operating plans, forecasting, promotional planning, and investment management
- Ensure alignment between customer plans and Kinder’s broader commercial, brand, and operational objectives
- Monitor sales performance, market trends, inventory health, and forecast accuracy to proactively identify risks and opportunities
- Drive best-in-class execution of new item launches, promotional programs, merchandising initiatives, and seasonal activations
- Partner closely with Supply Chain and Demand Planning to optimize service levels, inventory management, and customer fill rates
- Leverage Circana, retailer POS, syndicated data, shopper insights, and internal analytics to identify growth opportunities and inform strategic decisions
- Translate data into actionable business recommendations that improve customer performance and strengthen category leadership
- Lead business reviews and executive presentations with compelling, insight-driven storytelling
- Monitor competitive activity and market dynamics to ensure Kinder’s remains positioned for sustainable growth
- Collaborate with Marketing, Category Management, Revenue Growth Management, Finance, Supply Chain, and Operations to deliver integrated customer strategies
- Influence internal stakeholders to align resources, priorities, and investments behind key growth opportunities
- Drive process improvements that enhance planning, forecasting, execution, and customer service
Skills
- Bachelor's degree required
- 12+ years of progressive CPG sales leadership experience, including significant experience within the grocery channel
- Proven success leading regional or national customer portfolios and delivering profitable growth
- Demonstrated experience leading and developing high-performing sales teams
- Strong understanding of grocery retail dynamics, customer planning, trade investment management, and category management principles
- Experience working with syndicated data sources such as Circana, NielsenIQ, and retailer POS systems
- Strong financial and analytical acumen with the ability to translate insights into strategic action
- Exceptional communication, negotiation, and executive presentation skills
- Proven ability to influence across functions and lead within a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
- Strong strategic thinking coupled with a hands-on, results-oriented approach
- Willingness to travel approximately 25–35%
- MBA preferred
Benefits
- Paid time off
- 401k
- Bonus / incentive eligibility
- Equity grants
- Competitive health benefits
- Other family-friendly benefits, including parental leave
- Flexibility so team members have the autonomy to work outside the office when needed to support their work-life balance and personal commitments
Company Overview