Sales Consultant-Center Store

Overview

Job Overview:
This position is responsible for the development, coordination, and selling activities within the territory to ensure ongoing sales growth for assigned categories/brands and UNFI customers. This role will be responsible for managing assigned categories/brands growth while achieving sales and gross margin targets. This role will collaborate with Region Sales on the development and growth of assigned categories/brands within their assigned accounts.

What does it mean to be part of the Sales Team?

Whether it’s overseeing center store, this team manages and drives a category for the organization. A role in category merchandising involves business planning, financial analysis, pricing, participating in the review of assortment, shelf management, advertising promotions, negotiations with suppliers, and sourcing. A 100% unique approach, proven to increase sales and profitability. It’s having the right assortment of products based on your customers’ demographics and lifestyle.

Solid category strategies. Better customer satisfaction. More efficiency.

Strategic Sales Development & Account Results:

Works independently with customers and Region Sales to support current sales base, educate and suggestive sells to deliver profitable sales at retail and wholesale. Skilled in joint business planning with customers focused on distribution, shelf, merchandising, and pricing elements to deliver short and long-term objectives of both the customer and UNFI.

• Responsible for the sales, profits, and vendor funds within their assigned accounts.
• Owns and identifies customer needs and owns/drives opportunities of programs to increase and develop new business in accounts.
• Partners and collaborates with the Region Sales team as an expert in programs, categories, and brands for assigned accounts.
• Collaborate with Region Sales in conducting annual business reviews and joint business plans with assigned accounts.
• Establishes selling and program and objectives for accounts.
• Develops, manages, and sustains strong working relationships with internal and external constituents to drive overall sales growth and profitability of the categories/brands in assigned accounts.
• Monitors progress/performance to ensure expected outcomes are achieved.
• Manages and leads customer sales meetings/calls as needed/necessary to provide expertise to drive program adoption.
• Establishes and maintains a regular schedule of sales calls on assigned accounts.
• Sells in early adoption of new items and programs to assigned accounts.
• Participate in in-person UNFI and industry events/shows as needed to drive category sales and meet with customers/suppliers.
• Performs other job duties as assigned/required.

Collaborates across boundaries to partner and drive results

• Initiates and acts on business opportunities.
• Collaborate with Region Sales to align on sales expectations and business initiatives.
• Monitors the changing environment and competition to be sensitive to region and retailer needs; this includes maintaining a strong working relationship with region retailers.
• Owns and develops plans to achieve delivered objectives/budget/results.

Communications:
Serves as a communication link between assigned accounts and UNFI:

• Represent UNFI as a subject expert for assigned categories/brands with customers.
• Works collaboratively with Region Sales.
• Share insights and feedback with the region promotion team.
• Attends and participates in sales meetings, region sales, and customer events.
• Good judgment is required for this position as there may be times when direct supervision may not be immediately available.

Education/

Certifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree Preferred, or equivalent experience and training.

Experience:

• (5) Five years of related experience is required.
• Center Store category/brand experience preferred.

Skills/Abilities:

• Strong strategic, planning, and organizational skills are essential.
• Ability to work with an array of products and services.
• Familiar with grocery retail and wholesale operations.
• Must have strong relationship-building and customer service skills.
• Analytical and problem-solving skills, experience in taking…