Private Label Sales Lead

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Position Overview

The Leadership role, Private Label Sales is primarily responsible for leading the overall strategic direction of the Gehl Foods growing line of private label food/beverage products and for delivering aggressive sales, volume and profit targets in this segment. This position is a key member of the Gehl Foods leadership team reporting directly to the Vice President, Business Development. Experience with Walmart and Sam's business will be a requirement for this role.

Job Responsibilities

• Leads efforts to increase Gehl Foods' competitive advantage in the private label space through innovative new product development ideas using industry trends, consumer insights data and partnering with R&D leadership.
• Provides the VP, Business Development with regular assessments of ongoing opportunities and risk assessment to ensure the Company is properly positioned in the market for growth while mitigating risk.
• Partners with other Gehl Foods' sales segment leaders to drive new product growth through 4P selling across all segments and to create efficiencies where possible.
• Leads private label's product life cycle from concept to creation to delivery on the shelf helping customers achieve their stated category and brand objectives.
• Building strategic 3-year growth plans, while securing longer term partnerships in our beverage and food businesses.
• Lead and elevate relationships with cross functional customer teams, while teaming up with Gehl cross functional leaders.
• Cultivate and lead effective internal and external relationships to integrate cross-functional efforts and resolve issues throughout the development process from conceptualization to final execution.
• Responsible for significant contract negotiations ensuring an appropriate balance between customer relationships and profit expectations is achieved.
• Acts as the primary sales interface on the private label segment with finance, internal operations and production planning teams to ensure accurate forecasting and demand planning.
• Establishes growth guidelines and financial objectives for private label that align with the organization's overall business plan and assist in achieving growth agenda.
• Reconciles growth progress to targets and identifies focus of product and sales efforts.
• Leads, manages and develops team by ensuring objectives are clearly outlined and key performance indicators are measurable and regularly communicated.
• Contributes to the organization's growth agenda as a key member of the Sales and Marketing leadership team.
• Engages in significant travel to key customer accounts to build and maintain strong relationships.
• Ensures required competencies to carry out above listed job functions affecting product legality, safety and quality are met in accordance with the Quality Policy and the Global Food Safety Initiative (GHSI) standard.
• Ensures compliance with corporate/plant safety standards and with applicable regulatory requirements while following the Company's Good Manufacturing Practices.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or similar field.
• 15 years of progressive management/leadership experience in sales, marketing and business development in a consumer food and beverage company.
• Proven experience managing significant private label retail business with the food, drug, mass merchant and club channels.
• Proven experience driving profitable growth and demonstration of established relationships with both retailers and distributors.
• Proven experience using industry trends and consumer insights to drive innovative new private label product opportunities.
• Highly skilled in negotiations with strong business acumen.
• Ability to inspire and lead a team.
• Strong customer focus with excellent time management and organizational skills while managing multiple projects.
• Seasoned cross-functional communicator with a solid business ethic.
• Ability to think independently with the confidence to offer an alternative point of view within a highly collegial and collaborative environment.
• Ability to travel up to 30%.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office products.

Preferred Qualifications

• MBA
• Project management of new product commercialization in a fast-paced environment