Objective: This position is responsible for selling directly to customers in a defined geographical region. Account sizes can range from small to very large within any sector in the food, beverage, snack, nutraceutical, meat, pet food and other related industries. This person is responsible for growing sales by working with and building business relationships with R & D, New Product Development, Purchasing and Supply Chain groups.
The Regional Sales Manager must be able to develop a thorough understanding of the customer’s business plan and operation, and to utilize our supplier’s expertise to continually bring new solutions to our customers to help them develop new products and solve problems.
The position reports to the VP, Sales & Marketing.
Job SummaryKey Roles and Responsibilities

• Meet divisional sales goals, usually 10% gross profit growth annually
• Build, retain and expand strong multi-level and cross functional relationships with key decision makers within the customer base including Purchasing, R&D, Marketing, Operations, and Quality, etc.
• Bring together needs of various departments or functions in the customer organization to create a strong compelling reason to take action and formulates the unique value Essex Food Ingredients can provide
• Foster contacts and business at new customers requiring extensive networking and sometimes cold calls
• Communicate results of customer visits via weekly reports to division management
• Work internally to build strong business relationships within all Essex Food Ingredient departments
• The Regional Sales Manager must be able to develop a thorough understanding of the customer's business plan and operation, utilize his/her knowledge and our supplier’s expertise to continually bring new solutions to our customers to help them develop new products and solve problems.

Sales Goals and Objectives

• Develop and execute a detailed sales strategy plan, with input from the VP, Sales and Marketing, to and meet divisional financial goals. The plan should be based on assigned accounts/geography based on understanding of market, first hand customer information, and alignment with Essex strategy.
• Ensure that sales revenues, volume, growth and contribution margin are achieved or exceeded through
• Update project pipeline monthly
• Meet measurable personal objectives developed around annual divisional goals

Market Sales Activities

• Conduct customers calls, in person and over the phone, in a customer friendly manner that reflects knowledge of the customer and industry and occasionally,
• Uncover customer’s need for offerings Essex Food Ingredients can provide
• Fully investigate all sales leads with feedback provided through weekly reports
• Communicate to customer any pricing schedules and changes
• Use the full capabilities of Essex Food Ingredients which are valued by the customer (i.e., products and services from multiple functions and business units) to differentiate an offering from the competition
• Manage contract performance, as required
• Investigate and initiate cross selling opportunities within the Skidmore Group of companies.
• Develop and lead customer specific technical and marketing projects, leading them to productive completion
• Identifies where opportunities lie in the pipeline and takes effective action to move opportunities through the pipeline
• Execute negotiations creating and maintaining a cooperative atmosphere, making absolutely sure all sides have a perfect understanding of what is agreed upon and testing for understanding
• Demonstrate solid and strong ability to develop presentations using best practice presentation skills—integrating needs and benefits to address needs, including appropriate steps to move on, setting audience expectations, and using variety and emphasis through intonation
• Bring the customer through the buying cycle by establishing or building relationships with receptive people, gain access to those who own problems or issues, and navigating to people who have power to make a decision
• Plan for prospecting by effectively obtaining and using referrals, and prioritizes suspects and prospects
• Use customer-focused messages to move new opportunities forward, link Essex’s capabilities to current business issues, and asks questions to make customers think about or struggle with answers

Sales Communications

• Keep tentative travel plans in shared Outlook Calendars at least three weeks out
• Prepare meeting agendas for all customer visits
• Submit sales call report within Weekly Reports including, at least:
• Contacts and titles
• Overall customer business review
• Pertinent opportunities with impact on GP$
• Any competitive information

Other duties as assigned.
QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Positive energetic attitude
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills
• Excellent time-management skills/ability to prioritize and deliver planned results in a fast paced and dynamic environment
• Efficient in MS Office Suite of programs, particularly with Word, Excel and Outlook.
• Particular attention to detail
• Committed to producing accurate and high-quality results

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: This job requires prolonged driving. The employee is regularly required to sit, talk and hear. The employee is constantly required to use hands and fingers to feel, handle or operate objects, tools, or controls and reach with hands and arms. The employee is occasionally required to climb, balance, stoop, kneel, crouch, crawl and walk. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, and ability to adjust focus. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Must be able to work in severe weather conditions, both heat and cold
LANGUAGE SKILLS: While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear fluently in English and have the ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals; ability to write routine reports and correspondence; ability to speak effectively before individuals or groups.
MATHEMATICAL SKILLS: Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume; ability to apply concept of basic algebra and geometry.
REASONING ABILITY: Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a variety of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists; ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form; must possess strong analytical and problem solving skills.
Other Certification: The Regional Sales Manager must maintain a valid driver’s license, be able to drive themselves and maintain a record of safe driving.
Quality and Quantity Standards: Standards may be both qualitative and quantitative and will be determined by the VP, Sales & Marketing.
Education and Experience Requirements: Qualified candidates will have a minimum of 5 years of technical experience, and demonstrated new product development success. Great communication, problem solving, analytical and interpersonal skills required. A positive energetic attitude with excellent time-management skills/ability to prioritize and deliver planned results in a fast paced and dynamic environment. Food science or science related degree and practical experience preferred.
Working Conditions: Visit assigned accounts and market areas on regular basis. Weekly travel is expected with only periodic full weeks of non-travel. While performing the duties of this job, the employee frequently works in outside weather conditions. The employee is occasionally exposed to cold, heat, wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet while in the office, or moderately loud when in the field.
This is a regular full-time position. The work hours vary depending on customer delivery requirements. Some overnight travel is required. The regular work hours are: Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m., though as an exempt sales position the hours are often longer and more irregular than the regular day.
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.