Regional Sales Manager - Chicagoland
The Wonderful Company
Company Description
You may know us for our Wonderful Pistachios, POM Wonderful Juice, Wonderful Halos, and Seedless Lemons, but we're all one Wonderful -- and we have an excellent opportunity for a Regional Sales Manager with direct HQ selling experience in the Chicagoland area.
The Regional Sales Manager is a key player on the Wonderful Team and is expected to be a strategic, proactive, creative problem solver with a demonstrated track record of professional & persuasive sales skills. We are seeking an individual who understands the importance of healthy, high-quality products and is passionate about driving quality and volume. This role reports to the Vice-President of Sales, Central U.S.
As the Regional Sales Manager, you will lead strategic planning, execute brand plans, and, through collaboration with cross-functional teams, maximize our volume and the customer’s growth potential. You will be responsible for managing customer headquarters accounts within our grocery channel in the states of Illinois (IL) and Wisconsin (WI), including key retailers such as Jewel, Roundy’s, Fresh Thyme, Woodman’s, as well as other key grocery retailers, Independents, and wholesalers.
Job Description
- Sell product programs directly to key buyers at grocery corporate headquarters by capitalizing on solid business relationships, capturing opportunities with a creative approach to satisfy brand goals, and maximize volume
- Create tailored persuasive sales presentations for category managers at the corporate level
- Develop key multi-level relationships with the retail customer
- Manage a trade fund budget for each brand group
- Understand business metrics by examining shipments and syndicated data and leveraging information to influence business decisions.
- Collaborate and communicate retailer plans with the Wonderful Sales Merchandising team to guide in-store execution
- Partner with internal cross-functional teams including marketing, operations, and merchandising
- Surface volume-building opportunities to Vice President and Marketing teams
- Actively participate in the development and execution of e-commerce initiatives at the customer and collaborate with the Wonderful Company E-Commerce team
- Demonstrate a high sense of urgency through tactful persistence
- Effectively manage administrative selling activities, including forecasting and demand planning
- Network within the industry and at key customer events/initiatives. The successful candidate is expected to build and leverage a strong network across accounts and within the produce industry
Qualifications
- Required minimum CPG (or similar industry) sales experience of 7-10 years demonstrating progressive responsibility and achievements.
- Minimum of 3 years of experience selling multiple product lines (ideally from multiple companies or brands) to multiple headquarter accounts.
- Direct selling experience versus simply managing a brokered or third-party sales team.
- Branded premium produce experience or similar CPG experience (branded, premium, and perishable products).
- Knowledge of technology and software tools to (1) prepare and deliver persuasive sales presentations, (2) prepare and track sales forecasts, and (3) track key account activities throughout the year.
- Strong appreciation for the Wonderful Company values and culture especially related to health and wellness.
- You are comfortable with traveling up to 40% for customers meetings, trade shows, collaboration and conferences.
Pay Range: $120,000 and may include a discretionary bonus. Final compensation will be dependent upon skills & experience.
Additional Information
- Thriving Wellness Community: Access to top-notch medical coverage comprehensive vision and dental plans, and a 401k with match eligibility to secure your financial future and including:
- 24/7 online physician consultations
- virtual mental health resources
- life coaching
- engaging employee community groups
- cash rewards for healthy habits and fitness reimbursements
- library of on-demand fitness videos
- Career Advancement Opportunities: Unlock your potential with clear paths for career progression and internal mobility across our diverse family of brands and business units.
- Focused Learning and Development: Grow as a leader with our dedicated Learning and Organizational Development department, offering extensive resources like People Manager and leadership training, webinars, and eLearning courses.
- Empowering Mentorship Program: Connect with colleagues through our company-wide mentorship program to share goals, overcome challenges, and drive your career forward.
- Continuous Improvement Training: Participate in training that empowers all employees to learn and implement concepts that drive significant, positive change in the workplace.
- Building a Healthy Society: To date, our co-Founders Lynda and Stewart Resnick, through their foundations and The Wonderful Company, have invested more than $2.5 billion in education, health and wellness, community development, and sustainability initiatives across California’s Central Valley, Fiji, and the world. In 2024, Wonderful ranked as #3 in PEOPLE’s “100 Companies That Care” list and was named one of Fortune magazine’s 100 Best Companies to Work For. To learn more about our corporate social responsibility efforts, visit csr.wonderful.com.
- Giving Back to the Community: Make a difference with Wonderful Giving, allowing you to allocate company-provided funds to up to three charities of your choice, and join Wonderful Neighbor to contribute to group service projects within our local communities.
Wonderful Sales™ is the sales and merchandising organization for The Wonderful Company, a privately held $6 billion company with consumer brands including Wonderful® Pistachios, Wonderful® Halos®, POM Wonderful®, FIJI® Water, JUSTIN® and Landmark® wines, as well as the Teleflora® flower delivery service.
The Wonderful Sales team is responsible for the sales of Wonderful produce items through supermarkets and retailers across the U.S. and Canada. Our associates support nearly 20,000 stores and are devoted to promoting our high-quality branded products. The team consists of sales professionals, merchandisers, a direct store delivery group in New York, and a Los Angeles-based headquarters staff, which includes finance, analytics, and support.
The Wonderful Company, a successful, fast-growing privately held $6 billion company with 10,000 employees worldwide. The Wonderful Company’s connection to consumers has health at its heart and giving back in its DNA. The company has a long-standing commitment to corporate social responsibility, including more than $1 billion invested in environmental sustainability; $65 million in charitable giving, education initiatives, and innovative health and wellness programs each year; and $143 million toward the construction of two charter school campuses in California’s Central Valley. To view the current Corporate Social Responsibility report, visit csr.wonderful.com.
To learn more about The Wonderful Company, visit www.wonderful.com, or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
The Wonderful Company is an Equality Opportunity Employer that provides opportunities for advancement. We are committed to creating a diverse workforce that embodies a deep culture of acceptance, equity, and inclusion. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected categories.
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