Vice President, Grocery
Minneapolis, MN - USA
Department:
Job Summary
The Vice President of Grocery is a senior commercial leader responsible for the strategy retailer relationships and profitable growth of Link Snacks across the Grocery Dollar and Drug channels. This role owns driving top and bottom-line results for this important portfolio setting channel strategy leading joint business planning and building the team and capabilities required to win across the snacks front-end pet deli and shelf stable food categories.
The ideal candidate is a proven people leader with a strong track record of building retailer partnerships expanding distribution and share and delivering revenue and margin commitments. They bring deep knowledge of grocery (national regional & independent) value/dollar and drug channel dynamics and the ability to lead through both direct sales teams and broker networks. They will possess a strong financial acumen and fluency in Revenue Growth Management Category Management and forecasting.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
Channel Strategy & Leadership
- Own and lead the enterprise commercial strategy for the Grocery Dollar and Drug channels aligned to the Link Snacks growth agenda.
- Set annual and long-range channel plans that grow distribution velocity revenue gross margin and market share across all three channels.
- Define and continuously optimize the customer coverage model including direct headquarter selling and broker-managed grocery independents.
- Serve as the senior leader and escalation point for the channels most strategic retailers.
Customer & Account Management
- Lead top-to-top relationships with Grocery accounts (e.g. Kroger Publix Hy-Vee and regional chains) Dollar accounts (Dollar General Dollar Tree Family Dollar Five Below) and Drug accounts (CVS Walgreens).
- Own and grow the Grocery Independents business through effective broker management clear expectations and performance accountability.
- Ensure each account team develops and executes winning joint business plans that deliver mutual profitable growth.
- Represent Jack Links at customer top-to-tops industry events and category reviews.
P&L Ownership
- Own the channel P&L delivering annual gross sales net sales and gross margin commitments.
- Partner with RGM on pricing promotion mix and trade investment strategies tailored to grocery dollar and drug economics.
- Drive disciplined trade-spend management and ROIminimizing leakage while funding profitable growth.
- Partner with Sales Planning to deliver accurate forecasts each period and lead the sales inputs into S&OP and demand planning.
Joint Business Planning & Customer Strategy
- Lead the development of data-driven JBPs that integrate distribution pricing promotion merchandising and innovation.
- Partner with Category Management and Insights to build compelling retailer-specific selling stories.
- Champion new item launches and distribution expansion across all three channels.
- Collaborate with Sales Strategy to align brand innovation and shopper strategies with channel plans.
- Coordinate with the Private Label team where store-brand programs intersect shared customers presenting one aligned face to the retailer.
- Partner with the Digital Commerce team to build & execute strong retail media plans to drive digital penetration and share across key strategic retailers (e.g. Kroger).
Team Leadership & Capability Building
- Build lead and develop a high-performing sales organization spanning across account leaders and broker partners.
- Set clear goals coach for performance and build bench strength and succession across the team.
- Foster a culture of customer obsession analytical rigor accountability and continuous improvement.
- Perform other duties as assigned.
Qualifications :
Required Qualifications
- Bachelors degree in Business Marketing Finance or a related field.
- 12 years of progressive CPG sales experience including significant headquarter account management in Grocery Dollar and/or Drug channels.
- 5 years of people leadership including leading managers and/or multi-level sales teams.
- Demonstrated success owning a channel or customer P&L and delivering net sales and margin growth.
- Experience managing broker networks and both direct and indirect routes to market.
- Strong command of syndicated data (Nielsen/IRI/Circana) POS data and financial/JBP modeling.
- Proven ability to build executive-level retailer relationships and influence in a matrixed environment.
- Excellent communication negotiation and business storytelling skills.
- 50% travel
Preferred Qualifications
- MBA or advanced degree.
- 15 years of progressive CPG sales experience including significant headquarter account management in Grocery Dollar and/or Drug channels.
- Experience across all three channels (Grocery Dollar Drug) and with grocer independents / brokers.
- Snacking food front-end or center-store category experience.
- Familiarity with RGM principles and Trade Management systems.
Key Competencies
Channel & Customer Expertise: Deep understanding of grocery dollar and drug retailer dynamics and shopper behavior.
Commercial & P&L Acumen: Strong financial fluency and trade investment management.
Executive Relationship Building: Establishes trusted top-to-top partnerships that unlock mutual growth.
Strategic Leadership: Sets vision and translates it into executable channel and customer plans.
Team Leadership: Builds capability develops talent and leads through complexity and change.
Execution Excellence: Converts strategy into measurable distribution revenue and margin outcomes.
Influence & Collaboration: Aligns Sales Marketing Finance RGM and Supply Chain around shared goals.
Additional Information :
The pay range for this role is $260000.00k - $285000.00k (Annual). Actual wage will vary based on several factors including but not limited to external market data internal equity location and candidate skill set and experience. Base pay is just one component of Link Snacks Total Rewards package for Team Members. Other rewards may include annual incentive and program-specific awards. Link Snacks provides a variety of benefits to eligible Team Members including medical dental and vision benefits life and disability insurance 401k participation paid holidays and paid time off.
WORK ENVIRONMENT
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team Member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. The work environment is an office setting with varying degrees of temperature and noise levels. The vast amount of work is conducted in a climate-controlled office. Travel may be required.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an Team Member to be successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
While performing the duties of this job the Team Member is regularly required to sit use hands and fingers handle or feel and talk or hear. The Team Member is occasionally required to stand walk and reach with hands and arms. The Team Member must occasionally lift and/or more up to 10 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision.
Equal Employment Opportunity Employer
Link Snacks is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race color religion sex sexual orientation and gender identity national origin disability status protected veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.
E-VERIFY:
Link Snacks is a participant in the federal E-Verify program to confirm the identity and employment authorization of all newly hired employees. For information about the E-Verify program please visit: your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines
Remote Work :
Yes
Employment Type :
Full-time
About Company
At Jack Link’s, we feed the journey. We take pride in rolling up our sleeves and getting things done together. Fueled by creativity, passion, and a commitment to doing things the right way, we tackle the hard stuff first and focus on real progress, bold moves, and no excuses. We creat ... View more