Sales Director Global Ingredients

Job Summary:
The primary focus of this role is to maximize the sales and distribution of almond ingredients across the current commodity, competitive core, and premium ingredient portfolio in the following channels in the US: Food Manufacturers, Food Ingredient Distributors, Co-Manufacturers, Co-Packers and International Customers.
The objective of this role will be to maximize commodity opportunities within these accounts, maintain competitive core manufactured volume and drive for incremental margin through effective servicing of accounts in these channels. The position will work closely with the Sales Lead for the segment to develop account strategies and how to "win" with customers in this segment.
To be successful in this role one will need to demonstrate strong business acumen, negotiation and communication skills, customer savvy, organizational and analytical agility, and collaboration with cross functional partners and alignment with Blue Diamond's values to maximize success across this business segment.
Job Description:
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

• Development of an annual customer sales plan for the assigned account base in partnership with Sales Lead, consistent with the goals and objectives of the GID strategy
• Ensure progress is on track to performance metrics for customers in assigned account base and understand impact to overall GIM/commodity performance.
• Accountable for detailed and accurate monthly forecasting to planning team to ensure peak reliability.
• Collaborate with cross functional teams on the development of Go-To-Market strategies for key product groups through market mapping (understanding industry volume, BDG volume, competitive landscape, new opportunities for BDG) and determine a Go-Market Market approach to drive incremental margin vs the competition
• Understanding of the fundamentals of industry supply and demand drivers, market dynamics, and competitive set, to position pricing/value with customers.
• Assess multiple business opportunities and make appropriate tradeoffs balancing volume and margin to improve long term business performance and profitability
• Obtain best sales/margin result while working through customer objections/counteroffer.
• Develop relationships with key decision makers at the customer, identify the needs and tailor specific solutions that create value to the customer and profitability to Blue Diamond
• Develop and present a business case to advance ideas forward
• Provide specialist support and expertise to work with manufacturing plants in cross-functional teams on an as-needed basis, to assist with troubleshooting, complaint resolution, process optimization etc. for customers
• Communicate deep customer's insights - organization structure, business strategies, culture, relations - with Blue Diamond colleagues to ensure knowledge transfer to continually increase our customer intimacy
• Highly Motivated, self-starter, with willingness to take ownership in development of a brand-new role
• Ability to Travel up to 50%

MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's Degree
• 10 years of food industry sales experience or related roles.
• Experience in a team selling environment.
• Required to travel for extended periods up to 50%.

PREFERRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCES

• MBA or Graduate Degree
• Global Sales Experience
• Sales experience with Food Ingredients selling into Food Manufacturers, Food Ingredient Distributors, Co-Manufacturers and Co-packers.
• Experience selling and commercializing Private Label products
• Experience using CRM Software & Formalized Sales Process
• Business Development Experience
• Proven leadership skills with the ability to manage complex situations to a positive resolution.
• Exceptional business acumen, including an understanding of global markets, financial and commercial models.
• Analytically minded with an eye for process improvement.
• Clear written and oral communication skills, ability to effectively articulate complex issues across all levels of an organization.
• Ability to engage stakeholders build trust and collaborate cross-functionally
• Bilingual

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• N/A

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
While performing the duties of this job, employees are regularly required to sit, walk and stand; talk or hear, both in person and by telephone; use hands repetitively to finger, handle, feel or operate standard office equipment; reach with hands and arms
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this class. Employees work under typical office conditions, and the noise level is usually quiet.
Blue Diamond Growers is an Equal Opportunity and E-Verify Employer
EOE/Minorities/Females/Vet/Disability
Education:
Bachelors (Required)
Other Job Details:
Work Shift:
Day
Pay Type:
Salary
Hourly Rate (if applicable):
N/A
Targeted Exempt Salary Range (if applicable):
$126,900.00 - $164,700.00
Grow your career. Partner with us. We Are the Almond People!
Blue Diamond Growers (BDG) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. BDG provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, color, age, religion, protected veteran or disability status, or genetic information. BDG also complies with all provisions of the U.S. Government's Executive Order 11246 dated September 24, 1965 and the rules, regulations and relevant orders of the Secretary of Labor.