Specialist, Regional Fresh

KeHE Regional Fresh Specialist

At KeHE, we're obsessed with creating solutions, unboxing potential, and serving others – and it all starts with you. As an employee-owned distributor of natural and organic, specialty, and fresh products, we're committed to making a positive impact and scaling our success together. With a culture that fosters development and opportunity, you'll be embarking on a career that's moving forward. When you join KeHE, you're becoming part of a team that is a force for good.

Primary Responsibilities

The Regional Fresh Specialist is the bridge between our fresh suppliers, broker partners, Territory Sales Representatives, and key independent customers in the region. This role will be on the front lines of driving growth in our Fresh category—by introducing high-potential new items, ensuring smooth launches into distribution centers (DCs), and supporting flawless execution in the field.

You'll thrive in this role if you're a natural relationship-builder, an influencer who can align teams without direct authority, and a strategic thinker who uses data to identify opportunities and unlock category growth. At KeHE, we define "fresh" as the perimeter areas of the grocery store—excluding produce. This includes Specialty Cheese, Bakery, Meat, Seafood, and Bulk departments. We are passionate about fresh and driving sales for customers, suppliers & KeHE. As with all positions at KeHE Distributors, we expect that all actions will be consistent with KeHE's Mission, Vision, and Values.

Essential Functions

DUTIES, TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Own Fresh category growth goals such as partnering with sales teams to meet or exceed annual YOY Fresh POD growth targets and using sales analytics to identify sales opportunities and recommend high-impact items.
• Manage the process from supplier pitch through DC placement and field execution.
• Track new item performance, gaps, share insights, and adjust plans for success.
• Serve as primary contact for Fresh suppliers in your territory, ensuring mutual success.
• Build trust and collaboration with brokers, Territory Sales Representatives, and internal teams (Category Management, Supply Chain, Promotions/Sales Enablement).
• Represent Fresh at selling shows, providing pre-, during-, and post-event support to hit sales goals and drive incremental sales.
• Address service, inventory, or execution challenges quickly to protect customer relationships.
• Other duties and projects as assigned.

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated success in driving sales growth and managing customer relationships.
• Ability to effectively manage a wide variety of projects simultaneously and often with time conflicting pressures.
• Ability to multi-task in a very fast-paced business environment.
• Natural, specialty and/or fresh product knowledge with ability to recognize brands and trends.
• Project management, attention to detail, and organizational skills.
• Demonstrated thought leadership and creativity skills.
• Demonstrated strength in oral and written communication skills.
• Willingness to take initiative on projects with minimal supervision.
• Proficiency with MS Office, primarily Excel and PowerPoint.
• Willingness to travel (40-50%). Including overnights.

Minimum Requirements, Qualifications, Additional Skills, Aptitude

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• High school diploma or GED required; Bachelor's degree or equivalent preferred.
• 2 years' experience in account management, key account sales, fresh category experience, or customer success—preferably in fresh grocery categories (produce, deli, bakery, dairy, meat/seafood). Some of our successful RFS's have gained their experience in the field being cheese mongers, food service sales, CPG training specialists, Procurement, F&B management.
• Experience in merchandising and assortment analysis preferred.
• Experience with visualization tools, such as PowerBI, a plus.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

• These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.

Equal Employer Opportunity Statement: KeHE Distributors provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion or faith, sex, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training as well as the administration of all Human Resources and Talent Acquisition processes.