AIM Corporate Specialist

Location: 5000 Kansas Avenue Kansas City, KS 66106

Department: AIM Sales

The AIM (Advertising and Innovative Marketing) Specialist is ultimately responsible working with In-House Ad Groups, multiple AWG departments, and the vendor community, to increase same store sales and profits through the development of merchandising and marketing programs, printed ads, websites, and promotional events. The result should be increased ad week sales over last year(s). A core component of this role, in addition to those listed below, is to design, create, and deliver Fresh Sales offers related to Produce, Meat, and Deli/Bakery. This position will support AIM retailers in the development and expansion of Fresh and Center Store promotional programming for their consumers. 

Essential Functions:

• Leverage scale to negotiate improved costs of goods from vendors.
• Review vendor funding to maximize sales and profitability including the negotiation of costs and fees with vendors.
• Act as the central point of contact for fresh offerings across multiple departments to liaise between the AIM and Advertising teams.
• Provide input with respect to featuring fresh offerings in seasonal and theme related ads.
• Communicate and implement negotiated fresh sales offers to divisional AIM Team members and coordinate with division Fresh Teams.
• Support the timely and accurate input of promotions into IPro trade/promotional planning software. 
• Work with 3rd party providers and serve as a subject matter expert on tools used in the promotional planning process. 
• Coordinate with in-house departments to create weekly ads and ongoing promotions while identifying key ad items and programs. 
• Partner with sales and other marketing personnel to cost-effectively follow through with all phases of promotional campaigns. 
• Assist divisions with needs or requests including mediating issues between retailers and vendors, billing issues, customizations, and sales opportunities. 
• May develop promotional material to be used at trade shows, seminars, or other special events where the desired target market will be present.
• Engage with marketing team to develop campaigns and incorporate other marketing tactics such as social and digital into plans. 
• May support the manual processes involved in creating the final product, including writing the weekly ad based upon food show event cycles. The result should be a complete, accurate, and timely flow of information to retailers and vendors.

Qualifications

Any combination of education, training and experience providing the following knowledge, skills, and abilities:

 Knowledge:

• Understanding of the retail grocery industry, vendor community and brokerage or sales area(s).
• Ability to learn the IPro ad planning tool.
• Planning experience as it pertains to item mix, pricing, promotion, frequency, etc.
• Advertising and sales trends by category. 

Abilities:

• Exceptional attention to detail and time management skills.
• Strong technical aptitude with comfort in software navigation.
• Effective relationship building skills to create and grow professional relationships with vendors and retailers. 
• Highly adaptable and able to manage various tasks while meeting multiple deadlines. 

Experience, Education and Training:

• Minimum of high school diploma.
• College degree or comparable work experience preferred.
• A grocery retail background, with sales and marketing experience.
• Knowledge related to the Fresh category is a plus.

Physical Requirements:

• Perform bending, squatting, sitting, and reaching from floor level to waist level. 
• Must be able to move throughout various buildings, conduct meetings at retail sites, load and unload materials and equipment. 
• Must be able to lift 25 pounds (copier paper boxes).
• Must be able to sit in a car for long periods of time. 
• Must be able to drive both day and at night.

Working Environment:

• Standard office/store environment. 
• Occasional overnight travel.
• Must be able to work nontraditional hours as needed (before and after normal office hours and weekends).

Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG) is the nation’s largest cooperative food wholesaler to independently owned supermarkets, serving 1,100 member companies and more than 3,300 locations throughout 33 states from 9 wholesale divisions. Consolidated sales for AWG in 2023 were $12.4 billion. In addition to its cooperative wholesale operations, the company also operates subsidiary companies that provide certain real estate and supermarket development services, and pharmaceutical products. For more information, visit AWGinc.com.

Benefits: 

• Medical, Dental, & Vision Insurance
• Health Savings Account
• Dependent Care Flexible Spending Account
• Paid Vacation, Holiday, and Sick Time
• 401(k) with 4% match along with 3 other contributions
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Basic & Supplemental Life and AD&D
• Employee Assistance Program
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• Wellness Program
• Yearly Holiday Bonus