**Unlock Your Potential as a Key Leader in arenaflex's Customer Sales Team**
Are you a results-driven sales professional with a passion for building strong relationships with customers and driving business growth? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where innovation and teamwork are essential? If so, we invite you to join arenaflex's Customer Sales team as a Director, Customer Sales - Kroger East.
**About arenaflex**
arenaflex is a leading company in the industry, known for its entrepreneurial culture and commitment to innovation. As a key player in the market, we're always looking for talented individuals who share our passion for excellence and our drive to succeed. Our team is dedicated to delivering exceptional results and exceeding customer expectations, and we're looking for a Director, Customer Sales - Kroger East to join our ranks.
**The Role**
As a Director, Customer Sales - Kroger East, you'll be responsible for leading the arenaflex business in collaboration with region sales and bottler teams to deliver business results across assigned territory. You'll work closely with our cross-functional teams to develop and implement annual plans, negotiate agreements with customers, and drive business growth through strategic planning and execution.
**Key Responsibilities**
* **Customer Development**
+ Strategic leader responsible for the oversight of the Kroger divisional relationship and bottler network in the East territory on behalf of arenaflex.
+ Drive processes and execution of annual plans across assigned customers and bottlers, delivering key business and financial metrics, including topline results (Revenue, volume, Share) and key financial metrics (trade spend and T&E budgets).
+ Partner with Sr. Management and cross-functional team members to build Annual Plans to achieve both short-term and long-term business objectives.
+ Lead bottler and division plans, ensuring an optimized partnership agreement is in place that supports overall organizational priorities.
+ Collaborative leader of our bottler teams responsible for the development and implementation of division customer selling stories, while providing key insights to deliver all key execution metrics (Assortment, Shelving, Pricing, Merchandising, and Innovation).
+ Oversee the on-going account updates and performance reporting against key metrics and problem-solve plan gaps and brings forward recommendations to deliver on required business objectives.
+ Strong data & insights knowledge and skills to assist in storytelling-type selling.
* **System Leadership**
+ Participate in all system routines as needed (CCLT, Customer core Teams) to provide customer updates, including annual plan targets and elements, and on-going customer performance updates and action plans to deliver annual plans.
+ Work closely with arenaflex sales teams to maximize mutual goals, results, and execution.
+ Build and leverage relationships with both arenaflex teams and Bottlers to ensure alignment and focus on delivering key customer objectives.
* **Cross-Functional Communication and Collaboration**
+ Provides on-going updates on customer plan results and opportunities to arenaflex management.
+ Participate in key cross-functional routines to provide on-going plan updates and ensure flawless execution of customer programs and initiatives.
+ Provide customer input to annual plans, including all Marketing, Commercial, and Innovation plans.
* **Organizational Development**
+ Fully leverage all cross-functional resources to deliver best-in-class capabilities to customers, including selling stories, consumer and customer marketing, and insights, and revenue growth management plans.
+ Manage to annual T&E budget for department, ensuring alignment with internal financial objectives.
**Requirements**
* **Education**
+ Bachelor's Degree or relevant experience required
* **Experience**
+ 8 years direct sales experience in the CPG industry, with a track record of successfully selling into multiple national and regional channel customers required
+ Eastern US location in Kroger market required
+ Recent Kroger experience preferred
+ DSD beverage background preferred
* **Skills**
+ Self-motivated and highly organized with a strong desire to produce results with an entrepreneurial spirit to succeed
+ Ability to quickly assess the needs of the business, develop an action plan, and manage the required change
+ Effective intermingle with a wide variety of business professionals
+ Passion for building brands, new products, and long-term growth
+ Verifiable list of current contacts with appropriate buyers & divisional managers
+ Solid computer skills in Outlook, PowerPoint, Excel, and Word
+ Strong understanding and analytical skills in understanding of Nielsen/IRI syndicated data
+ Position requires substantial travel (40-50% of time in Kroger East territory) by car and plane, including both local and neighboring geographic territories
+ Must hold and maintain a valid driver's license and be able to drive long distances
+ Motor Vehicle Records must satisfy Company standards per Driving Policy
**What We Offer**
* **Competitive Salary**
* **Opportunities for Career Growth and Development**
* **Collaborative and Dynamic Work Environment**
* **Recognition and Rewards for Excellence**
* **Comprehensive Benefits Package**
**How to Apply**
If you're a motivated individual with a passion for sales and customer development, we encourage you to apply now! Please submit your application, including your resume and a cover letter, to [insert contact information]. We can't wait to review your application and discuss this exciting opportunity with you.