Regional Sales Manager-Midwest

About The Group

From a small store in Turin to a large, internationally recognized group: we are present in 90 countries around the world, with over 5,000 employees and 30 companies, managed directly and indirectly by the Luigi Lavazza Spa parent company, which distribute and market our products and coffee machines. In addition to Lavazza, the following brands are also part of our Group: Carte Noire, Merrild, Kicking Horse, Eraclea and Whittington tea.

Joining Lavazza means doing business with passion, knowing that the impact of our work goes beyond the quality of the production chain. We are a big family and are constantly looking for new talents who share our values and can enrich our team. We combine competitiveness with social and environmental responsibility as we create superior quality products available for consumption both at home and out of home, and distributed through all channels: Retail, Foodservice, Office Coffee Service (OCS), and Vending. Our strong, diversified presence enables us to offer consumers and clients perfectly suited solutions, for any occasion and time of day.

Job Overview

Lavazza North America is embarking on a growth plan to substantially expand our market share in the Americas. As part of this growth plan, a large focus will be on our Office Coffee Sales channel, optimizing our relationships with key distributors. Along with offering a best-in-class range of solutions for the market, Lavazza is expanding our Sales team into new territories to best support this strategic business initiative.

At Lavazza North America, the Regional Sales Manager is an individual contributor role that works with a team of other Regional Sales Managers and National Account Managers reporting to the Director of National Accounts. The Regional Sales Manager for the Office Coffee Service channel is responsible for maintaining and growing the availability of Lavazza products within an assigned territory. The role must drive improvements in “customer site” conditions, while delivering assigned goals and objectives.

Location: Chicago, IL (Remote Role)

Job Responsibilities

• Develop annual business plans for customers maximizing business opportunities, driving profitable growth, growing shares, and managing to company objectives
• Utilize knowledge of your geography, relationships with key contacts, and business insight tools to gain access to potential new customers presenting and gaining new distribution.
• Monitor and report on market strength, distributor performance and financial viability.
• Develop contingency plan in conjunction with finance team.
• Establish sales territories, budgets, goals, risk profiles, and objectives for each assigned customer.
• Collaboratively work to identify and penetrate regional customers “cold calling” and promoting company products.
• Identify and penetrate customer pipeline, via lead generation, professional networking, and distributor partnerships.
• Regular in market presence working with distributor partners to execute activities that deliver against plan key performance indicators.
• Ensure all distributor and customer Accounts Receivables are within company guidelines and monitor/verify its performance against the identified targets.
• Provide input and feedback to cross functional teams such as Marketing, Research & Development, Finance, Customer Service, and Demand Planning.
• Perform effective time and resource management while in market and within assigned budgets.
• Proficient with Customer Relations Management “CRM” applications such as Salesforce and PowerBi.

Job Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management or related field.
• 2 years of experience in the selling in the Food and Beverage industry preferred.
• 2 years managing trade funds and budgets.
• 2 years of experience performing direct customer facing selling.
• Experience working in a distributor environment preferred.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, high standing and abilities to manage relationships with business partners.
• Effective sales management and solution selling skills.
• Presentation Effectiveness: Ability to define business opportunities, gather supportive data, organize information, create, and present information to effectively influence key stakeholders.
• Strong Planning Skills: Ability to forecast, prioritize multiple projects and activities.
• Cross Functional Effectiveness: Strong understanding of effected stakeholders, impacts and outcomes, and appropriates communication strategies.
• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Ability to stand for extended periods of time.
• Travel required up to 75% of time.

Benefits/Perks

• Competitive Medical, Vision, Dental Benefits
• 401K Package
• Employee Assistance Program
• Ability to be barista certified
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Performance Development Plans
• Employee Discounts
• Summer Friday’s (Memorial Day Weekend – Labor Day Weekend)
• Free coffee, anytime!

Lavazza is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. Lavazza prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type and affords equal employment opportunities without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, pregnancy, age, national origin, disability status, genetic information, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.