Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Team

• Lead, coach, and develop the retail sales team together with buyers, category managers, and analysts to achieve service, growth, and profitability goals across retail accounts and non-food categories.

• Train and develop high-performing talent across both the retail sales and category management functions, including succession planning for key roles.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for retail and non-foods initiatives in leadership and cross-functional meetings.

Customer

• Build and strengthen relationships with national and regional retail chains, and lead retail business reviews and key customer agreement negotiations.

• Develop and manage supplier relationships across non-food categories, negotiating vendor pricing, terms, and service agreements to secure favorable outcomes.

• Collaborate with marketing, category management, and operations to deliver retail programs, support customer needs, and grow share across key accounts.

Strategy

• Develop and implement growth strategies across retail accounts and non-food product lines, aligning with company goals and market trends.

• Manage pricing, promotions, and product mix, along with procurement activity and inventory levels, to optimize profitability, competitiveness, and product availability.

• Analyze sales data, consumer trends, margin, and market data to adjust strategy, guide assortment and pricing decisions, and maximize performance.

• Oversee new product sourcing, supplier onboarding, and category expansion initiatives across non-food lines.

• Monitor industry trends and competitor activity across both retail and non-foods to identify new growth opportunities.

Qualifications and Educational Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Supply Chain Management, or a related field; MBA a plus.

• 10+ years of experience spanning retail sales, account management, category management, procurement, or merchandising — preferably within CPG, foodservice, or distribution industries.

• Proven ability to build and maintain large retail customer relationships while leading cross-functional projects and driving category performance.

• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills, with demonstrated negotiation and vendor/customer management experience.

• Excellent communication, leadership, and negotiation skills.

Preferred Skills

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and CRM systems; ERP and data analysis tool experience preferred.

• Bilingual (English/Spanish) preferred.