About the position
Have accountability for the development, growth, and management of assigned accounts and account strategies within the Dairy Powders division, specifically sweetened condensed, ice cream mix and commodity powders accounts. Manage the sales function and any aspect, including tactical activities, to optimize profitability and operational efficiency. Develop existing customers to their full potential and use market insights and industry relationships to identify and then develop target customers for the specified categories. Apply strong understanding of the company's products, product lines, and/or services to existing customers and potential customer landscape.
Responsibilities
- Develop, manage, and execute sales in the sweetened condensed, ice cream mix and commodity powders categories, delivering on assigned volume and profit targets for the category
- Listen to customers to learn their future needs and anticipate new areas of business development for DFA
- Identify new sales/business opportunities, new markets, the need for new products, etc., and initiate action plans to increase share of market with existing and new accounts
- Continuously improve the customer list within the dairy product categories
- Utilize a 'solutions selling' approach drawing from organizational strengths and capabilities
- Determine customer needs, problems, insights, and strategy
- Identify, clearly outline, and present the opportunity details including short- and long-term value to DFA
- Drive opportunities to commercialization internally, and most critically, 'close' with the customer
- Follow a recognized sales process and use the organization's broad product capabilities, R&D and marketing capabilities to maximize opportunities
- Provide innovative ideas to customers by understanding their brands, platforms, and strategies
- Prepare and deliver sales presentations, product demonstrations, and proposals on existing, new products and/or services
- Educate clients on the benefits and features of the products and/or services
- Develop, recommend, and help implement annual sales plans and strategies
- Influence the cross-functional team to streamline processes and broaden capabilities by demonstrating value through customer opportunities
- Provide customers with exceptional customer care; work with urgency to resolve customer issues and problems
- Elevate and help resolve gaps within processes or systems to continue to improve customer care
- Own the performance of assigned accounts and act on difficult or complex account challenges and opportunities
- Foster customer relationships at various levels across multiple functions (R&D, marketing, purchasing, quality assurance, operations)
- Negotiate all aspects of a customer interaction, as directed by sales leadership
- Utilize various systems and processes such as the order process, Salesforce/Power BI, inventory management, logistics systems, supply/demand planning
- Maintain accurate records of customer interactions, sales activities, and sales pipelines
- Assist in training new sales and internal personnel, when appropriate
- Monitor accounts receivable reports to identify unusual customer activities or payment failures
- Ensure that established company credit policies and objectives are met
- Develop and train DFA’s contact for customers that utilize a distributor or broker organization
- Attend industry and customer trade shows in line with company approval and direction
Requirements
- Undergraduate degree in business, sales, marketing, or related curriculum (or equivalent combination of experience and education)
- 5 to 8 years of sales, account management, or related experience that includes proven results in growing and advancing new market expansion and profitable sales growth
- Experience in the foodservice with emphasis on bakery, industrial sales with emphasis on bakery and confectionary, dairy, consumer packaged goods/foods, or related industry
Nice-to-haves
- Certification and/or License may be required during course of employment
