District Sales Manager

What We Offer: 

• Medical, Dental, Prescription Drug, and EFAP Benefits after 30 days of employment
• FULL flex benefits program
• Company matching RRSP
• Family culture 
• Advancement opportunities
• Profit Sharing
• 128 year, family owned and operated company history
   

Position Summary:

Provides development opportunities for the District Sales Rep (DSR). Oversees and provides direction to enhance relationships and growth opportunities with customers. Reports, analyzes and communicates data regarding the achievement of goals. Oversees and monitors training activities for direct reports and participates in Gordon Food Service and customer related activities.

Essential Functions:

• Provides development opportunities and mentoring to DSR’s and develop succession plan for area managed.  Collaborates with DSR to identify goals and objectives, provide regular and candid feedback through evaluations or coaching sessions, assigning responsibility for projects and other methods of “leading” people.
• Oversees development of business plans for territory and customers.  Assist with new account development and visit key customers to build relationships and to assist with the resolution of serious customer concerns.  Collaborate with operation teams to meet customer service expectations.
• Collaborates with Category Specialists and Customer Segment Leaders to meet the needs of the customers through the support of the Division’s sales and marketing plans.
• Reviews and analyzes weekly and monthly reports to drive sales, margin, manage accounts receivable, develop staff, and to identify problems and solutions.  Develop and submit periodic reports on area progress, and issues to direct supervisor.
• Conducts reviews of performance to plan and modify or realign where necessary to achieve plan.  Ensures that DSR skills meet requirements by providing and monitoring application effectiveness of training as detailed in the DSR Curriculum.  Provide ongoing DSR training with an emphasis on “in the car” ride-with programs.
• Maintains visibility with key customers, segments or associations.  Participates in food shows, regional customer events, customer segment shows and customer trips to headquarters.  Plans and facilitates either alone or in conjunction with sales managers periodic meetings or activities for the region and/or division managed.
• Oversees the development of targets for individual DSR and collaborate with direct supervisor to develop and meet goals that support the Region, Division and National goals and visions including sales, margin, new business and others as appropriate.  Regularly review goal results.
• Collaborates with direct supervisor to make expense recommendations for their team during the Annual Operating Planning process each year (and manages the markets AOP - Noncommercial only).
• Maintains knowledge of segment through industry magazines and local culinary organizations
• Demonstrates and deliver understanding of Foodservice Industry and operations
• Understands areas of customer focus, including Sales Building, Staffing, Profitability, and Compliance
• Interviews, hire, train, and retain sales staff.  Conducts performance monitoring of staff, initiating follow through with disciplinary action and termination in consultation with Human Resources when appropriate for the department.  Mentors, motivates, and develops staff and acts as a role model and resource to them.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge / Skills / Abilities:

• Excellent supervisory, customer service, problem solving, interpersonal, communication, and mentoring skills to represent the department, speak at minor functions, and resolve vendor problems.
• Must have excellent time management, administration, collaboration and organizational skills to understand and assist in developing relationships between sales, transportation, operations, administration and the customer.
• Must be able to develop, refine, communicate, and implement plans.
• Must have industry and segment knowledge and be able to analyze and interpret data.
• Must be a strategic thinker in order to build relationships, network, and link resources to plan and execute business practices and achieve business goals.
• Must possess an innovative spirit, ability to recognize opportunities that others overlook
• Must be able to develop profitability models and other analytical tools.
• Must be able to read and interpret complex documents and have very good mathematical aptitude.
• Must be able to work “exceptional” hours including evenings and weekends.
• Must possess good evaluation, feedback, and training skills.