VP of Sales

Job Summary

The Vice President of Sales for the Consumer Products - Food and Beverage division is responsible for leading the sales strategy, operations, and performance across all customer channels and markets. This executive position will oversee sales teams, manage key customer relationships, and ensure the organization meets its revenue and profitability goals. The VP of Sales will play a critical role in driving the growth of the brand and increasing market share while maintaining long-term customer satisfaction and loyalty.

Ideal candidate will live in the New England area, preferably, MA, NH, or ME

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Strategic Sales Leadership:

• Develop and execute the company's sales strategy, ensuring alignment with overall business goals and objectives.
• Lead the sales team to meet and exceed revenue and growth targets in both existing and new markets.
• Identify new business opportunities, including new customers, market segments, and potential partnerships.
• Monitor market trends, customer insights, and competitive landscape to adjust sales strategies accordingly.
• Ensure continuous improvement in sales processes, sales forecasting, and territory management.

Team Management & Development:

• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of regional and national sales managers, account executives, and sales support personnel.
• Provide training, coaching, and development opportunities to build a high-performance sales team.
• Set clear sales targets and performance metrics for the sales team and provide regular feedback.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and results-driven performance.

Customer & Market Relationship Management:

• Build and nurture strong relationships with key customers, distributors, and partners in the food and beverage industry, leading core processes to deliver growth solutions (Annual Planning/JBP, Category/Shopper Insights)
• Serve as the lead negotiator in major contracts and high-profile deals.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with national and regional retailers, wholesalers, foodservice operators, and other strategic partners.
• Understand customer needs and translate them into actionable sales strategies to enhance satisfaction and retention.

Sales Operations & Reporting:

• Oversee the sales budgeting, forecasting, and reporting processes to ensure accurate and timely financial reporting and performance analysis.
• Ensure that the sales team has access to the resources, tools, and technologies needed to succeed, including CRM systems, sales enablement tools, and training materials.
• Monitor and analyze sales performance metrics (KPIs) to evaluate effectiveness and identify areas for improvement (Power BI, Circana, TMS)
• Report on sales performance to the CEO and senior leadership team on a regular basis.

Collaboration with Other Departments:

• Work closely with the marketing, product development, and supply chain teams to ensure alignment of sales and marketing strategies.
• Collaborate with finance and operations teams to optimize pricing strategies, margins, and product availability.
• Participate in product innovation and development, providing input based on customer feedback and sales data.

P&L Management:

• Manage the sales division's budget and ensure that sales activities are cost-effective while maximizing profitability.
• Optimize sales strategies to balance volume and profitability, ensuring strong margins and sustained growth.

Market Expansion:

• Drive the expansion of the company's presence in both domestic and international markets, focusing on identifying new distribution channels and partnerships.
• Explore new business models, such as direct-to-consumer, e-commerce, and subscription-based services in the food and beverage sector.

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field required. MBA or advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10-15 years of progressive experience in sales leadership roles, including experience as a Senior Director or Vice President of Sales in consumer products, food, or beverage industries.
• Demonstrated success in leading sales teams to achieve and exceed targets in a fast-paced, competitive environment
• Deep knowledge of the food and beverage industry, including trends, consumer behavior, and retailer/distributor dynamics.
• Proven experience in managing national and regional accounts, as well as developing strong strategic partnerships.
• Track record of managing P&L, budgeting, and forecasting
• Proficient in CRM software, Microsoft Office Suite and data analysis tool

Skills and Competencies:

• Demonstrates expertise in leading organizational sales strategy, high-stakes negotiations, and P&L/category management to drive business growth and competitive positioning.
• Leverages analytics, systems, and project management to align sales initiatives with broader business objectives and improve performance.
• Shapes and evolves business models, anticipates market shifts, and drives innovation in sales and product strategies to enhance competitive positioning and growth.
• Leverages deep business, product, and industry knowledge-including dairy and commodity markets-to influence high-stakes decisions, guide strategy, and shape industry best practices
• Demonstrates courageous, emotionally intelligent, and authentic leadership that builds trust, fosters accountability, and inspires high-performing, adaptable teams.
• Applies critical thinking, business acumen, and a strategic mindset to drive scalable solutions, manage ambiguity, and lead through change and crisis with resilience.
• Builds strong relationships through active listening, impactful communication, conflict resolution, and influence-both internally and externally.
• Embodies a winning mindset, energy, humility, and a commitment to continuous learning, motivating others and thriving in competitive, fast-paced environments.
• Leads with attention to detail, time management, meeting facilitation, and problem-solving to ensure consistent delivery of high-impact results.

Other:

• Willingness to travel as needed.
• Ability to work from home office when not traveling.
• Must have valid driver's license and reliable transportation