VP Foodservice National Accounts Sales

Overview

We kindly request that recruitment agencies and staffing firms refrain from submitting unsolicited resumes to our company. Any resumes sent without a prior agreement and access to proper submittal into the ATS will be considered the property of T. Marzetti, and we reserve the right to contact those candidates without any obligation to pay a fee.

The VP Foodservice National Account Sales reports to the President, Foodservice, and leads a team of 3 Directors and supporting national account managers covering a portfolio of sales >$300 million (primarily custom products) in the sauces and dressing category.  This role will develop and lead sales strategies to maintain the existing base and acquire new customers to deliver top line growth that is margin accretive.  

The VP will be responsible for developing the national account sales strategy and sales plan (5 year and annual), in partnership with marketing, to support the overall business strategy and be accountable for National Account channel sales and profit. The role requires a builder: a builder of sales operations and management process, a proven developer of people, and customer relationships.  

The ideal candidate will bring a general manager mindset and leadership experience on a National Account sales team focused on custom products calling on the top fifty chains. Excellence in customer planning, and leading cross functional teams to support customer plans, skilled at insights-based solution selling, and team member development are critical capabilities.  

Responsibilities

• Channel Leadership:  

• Overall responsibility for the sales channel for planned volume & margin, from strategy development to plan execution and management. Cross functional partner support: Pricing and Marketing.  

• Collaboration & Cross Functional Coordination:  

• Establish a best practice to organize, manage and facilitate customer business development teams, to include Culinary/Technical R&D, Marketing, Quality Assurance, Customer Service, Supply Chain, Logistics and Operations to maximize account goals and objectives. Utilize product commercialization process to support new product development. Establish a tool for sales opportunity management, build strategic plans, track, forecast and communicate internally on customer prospects and closure. 

• Sales Growth & Revenue Generation, Strategic Planning:  

• Develop the approach and lead the team in the execution of actionable (long and short term) business plans in conjunction with individual account margin performance. Maximize results inside RFP/Contract management with Strategic Pricing team with an emphasis on multiyear operator agreements. Support strategic company initiatives. 

• Identify, analyze, and monitor new/emerging accounts (per product mix and potential) with a focus on the accounts of the future while carefully managing internal resources and expense against potential returns. 

• Customer Engagement and satisfaction:  

• Develop, expand, and promote key Top to Top level Operator relationships penetrating customers at all key functions & levels. 

• Build process for management & execution of information flow with customer and internal partners for efficiency and to maintain pricing and margin integrity that meets total company guidelines. 

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing or a related field (MBA preferred). 

• 10 years of experience of successful Top 100 Chains Foodservice large account management, including managing food product customization.  

• Seasoned leader who has led NA teams and has strong industry reputation and relationships.  

• Sales process experience: sales planning and funnel management, customer segmentation, large account management planning, and negotiation excellence. 

• Strategic thinker with execution excellence and P&L experience/GM mindset. 

• Strong developer of talent.  

• Ability to travel up to 50% required.