Market Development Manager - Mainstream Retail (Eastern Canada)

ABOUT THE COMPANY

Founded in 1888, Lee Kum Kee, a Hong Kong-based global food company, specializes in creating condiments and sauces that promote Chinese cuisine worldwide. With more than 200 products to choose from, Lee Kum Kee takes the mystery out of cooking authentic and delicious Asian foods in the comfort of your kitchen. Lee Kum Kee is committed to providing authentic and innovative condiments and sauces featuring the highest quality ingredients. Armed with a unique management culture, stringent quality control, superb and innovative products, coupled with the century-long brand reputation, Lee Kum Kee has achieved unanimous recognition and won numerous prestigious awards. 

Lee Kum Kee (USA) Inc., a division of Lee Kum Kee International Holdings Ltd., has its headquarters and manufacturing facilities in Southern California with more than 300 employees. We are looking for the best and brightest talents to join our company and work together to bring the next level of success!

BENEFITS 

• Extended medical & health coverage: Medical, Dental & Vision
• Paid holidays
• Paid time off

POSITION SUMMARY

The Market Development Manager is accountable for market share, distribution, and penetration growth of the mainstream retail channel in Canada through managing and developing customer relationships (distributors, key accounts, brokers, retail and/or food service endpoints) in the assigned territories.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS

• Develop and implement strategic sales plans to meet annual corporate sales and profit targets.
• Review market analysis to determine customer needs, establish trade programs, and offer promotional activities. Understand syndicated data and consumption-based analytics from a topline perspective.
• Develop annual business plans while utilizing strategies and tactics to create win-win partnerships with customers.
• Develop, execute, and evaluate customized key account programs.
• Support the marketing team in developing customized programs, strategies, and tactical marketing/sales initiatives.
• Manage distributors and direct retail accounts to maintain relationships with all other customers and execute LKK plans to drive profitable and sustainable sales growth.
• Represent the Company at trade association meetings, food shows, tradeshows, etc. to promote products.
• Build rapport and collaborate effectively with the cross-functional team, including marketing, supply chain, and sales coordination teams.
• Deliver sales presentations to key clients in coordination with retail category/merchandising team to maintain relationships, negotiate, and close deals.
• Develop and evaluate new markets/territories through distribution channels to promote products.
• Responsible for providing customers with legal documents and certificates necessary to legally register LKK products to comply with local food regulations.
• Responsible for product and service development plans to meet market needs.
• Travel to assigned territories to meet with existing and potential customers to negotiate trade terms and discuss marketing plans to achieve sales targets.
• Monitor accounts receivable and sales transactions in a cross-functional role with Accounts & Finance, and Sales Operations.
• Monitor and evaluate competitor activity and products.
• Maximize store visits weekly and submit weekly visit reports along with store visit checklists.
• Analyze potential or existing problems and know how to correct them as proactively as possible through analytics of the accounts, knowledge of accounts, and the relationships built with the customer.
• Develop, implement, and evaluate trade and shopper marketing initiatives, based on insights.
• Business Planning/Financial accountability: Conduct sales analytics, using available insights to provide solutions to customer needs.
• Manage new product launches and expand distribution of LKK products.
• Forecast sales volume & trade dollars, maximize trade investments and efficiencies aligned to business objectives.
• Business and category analysis, develop & present category management solutions.
• Understand and execute marketing plan sales material; monitor trade activity execution.
• Evaluate customer-specific reports and standardized AC Nielsen/LDIA/IRI reports; handle expired and damaged products.
• Prepare quality business plans, budgets, presentations, and reports as required.
• Execute various sales and marketing projects, including management and administrative duties.
• Foster positive relationships with existing customers; explore and develop more business opportunities.  Timely handle customers’ inquiries. 
• Proactively execute operations to solve customer challenges, from the new product setup to on-time deliveries.
• Maximizing all sales opportunities through alignment.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

COMPETENCIES

• Problem Solving 
• Drive for Results 
• Managing & Measuring Work
• Building Effective Teams
• Motivating Others 

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES 

This job has no supervisory responsibilities.

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION, SKILLS and EXPERIENCE

• A Bachelor’s degree in Business or related discipline from an accredited university/college with a minimum of 5 years of experience in fast-moving consumer goods.
• A minimum 5 years’ experience in CPG/Retail Sales/Key account management, including Loblaw, Walmart, Sobeys, Costco, Metro, etc. 
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office suite: Word, Excel, Outlook & PowerPoint. 
• Ability to work independently in cross-functional teams to achieve established goals.
• Good understanding of AC Nielsen reports & experience in operating SAP.
• Strong analytical and negotiation skills.
• Strong business and financial acumen: business analytics skills, customer P&L agility, ability to plan, track and evaluate trade management.
• Ability to make recommendations for solutions based on information gathered and analyzed from the systems previously mentioned.
• Must be organized, dependable, punctual, professional, and ethical with an ability to multi-task and prioritize accordingly to meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to manage trade spending.
• Must possess a valid driver’s license and be insured as the position requires travel by automobile in the assigned territory.

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• This individual must possess excellent written and verbal communication and presentational skills in English.
• The individual will conduct presentations in large and small group settings.  

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

• The individual must be able to apply mathematical concepts to compute rates, discounts, percentages, and draw and interpret bar graphs. 
• Ability to define problems through data gathering and analysis, establish facts and draw valid conclusions. 
• The individual must be able to interpret an extensive variety of technical sales instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.  

PHYSICAL DEMANDS 

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• The individual must travel to meet business needs.
• While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to use hands and fingers to perform daily job functions (computer and office equipment use).
• The employee is required to stand, sit, kneel, and walk when performing essential job functions (visits to restaurants, customers).
• There is occasional lifting and the need to be able to lift 50 pounds.

WORK ENVIRONMENT 

• The noise level in the work environment is light to moderate.   
• The position is often in an office setting, traveling or at customer / user sites (restaurants, wholesalers, distributors, etc.).  
• The position requires extensive travel – more than 50% of the time this position is expected to be out of the office. 

It is Lee Kum Kee’s policy to seek and employ the most qualified persons in all jobs in a manner which will ensure equal employment opportunity as well as administer personnel actions in a manner as to not discriminate against any person on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability or protected veteran status. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.