Head of Bakery Sales; Director-level

GEA Group, founded in Germany in 1881, is a global leader in engineering solutions, serving industries such as food and beverage, pharma, dairy, and more. With over 18,000 employees worldwide and a strong U.S. presence since 1929, GEA combines the heritage of a well‑established company with the innovation of a forward‑thinking industry leader. At GEA, we’re not just building equipment, we’re building lasting careers with an average employee tenure range from 5 to over 11+ years, reflecting the strong culture, growth opportunities, and support we provide.

• Start strong – Medical, dental, and vision coverage begins on your first day

• Recharge and refresh – Enjoy 12 paid holidays
  , including a flexible floating holiday, and 136 hours of PTO to relax or explore

• Invest in your future – A 7% 401(k) employer match helps grow your retirement savings faster

• Keep learning – Take advantage of tuition reimbursement to further your education or skillset

• Live well – Our wellness incentive program rewards healthy habits

• Get support when you need it – Access to a confidential Employee Assistance Program for personal or professional guidance

• Save smart – Flexible Health Savings and Spending Accounts to manage out‑of‑pocket expenses

GEA Group's Food and Pharma Division is searching for a senior leader to head our Bakery Sub‑Division in North America! This role can be based anywhere within the US and will oversee the sales of our Bakery Machinery in the region.

• Seeks to understand each customer’s needs, challenges, and goals
  , identifying their alternatives to get these addressed and ensuring that every proposed solution addresses their pain points and creates clear value.

• Act as the primary steward of the customer experience within the assigned geography
  , coordinating equipment sales and service teams to consistently deliver on commitments and strengthen long‑term customer relationships while achieving GEA’s short‑term objectives.

• Engage directly with customers through hands‑on selling and frequent in‑person meetings
  , dedicating significant focus (60% of time) to strategic customers and Key Accounts to ensure they receive tailored support and proactive partnership. Nurture and grow customer relationships, ensuring existing customers feel supported and valued while expanding the customer base through regular visits, lead follow‑up, campaigns, and promotions in collaboration with R&C, Inside Sales & Support, and Marketing across the Bakery & EFT Business Units.

• Map the market with a customer‑first lens
  , identifying opportunities where GEA can help customers improve performance, and build a strong, customer‑validated project pipeline across key segments.

• Guide and coordinate day‑to‑day sales activities across all Bakery & EFT applications
  , ensuring a seamless customer journey from RFQ through installation & commissioning, and working closely with Technical Offer, Inside Sales & Support, and other key functions to deliver timely, high‑quality outcomes.

• Championing customer satisfaction and service excellence
  , addressing and resolving major issues with urgency and care while driving growth in the Service business through trust, responsiveness, and reliability.

• Develop customer‑aligned sales plans, budgets, and forecasts
  , ensuring cross‑functional alignment with Sales Area Management, Application Management, Project Management, Engineering, Procurement, Manufacturing, and Logistics to deliver on customer expectations.

• Maintain accurate and insightful CRM data to enhance market visibility

• Manage and support regional Agents (when applicable) to ensure they deliver a consistent, customer‑focused approach, meeting expectations for performance, compliance, and communication.

• Align pricing, discounts, and commercial terms with Business Units, the line Manager, Finance, and Legal to ensure transparency, fairness, and clarity for customers.

• Represent the Bakery & EFT Business Units in customer negotiations
  , ensuring agreements reflect customer needs while adhering to approved pricing and commercial frameworks.

• Contribute to strategy, business development, and R&D efforts by bringing forward customer…