Head of Sales

Want a career with purpose? Join a team driven by purpose, creating better food, value, and relationships across an entire global ecosystem.

About Custom Culinary®

From our humble beginnings over 70 years ago, Custom Culinary® has focused on a singular mission: to provide foodservice and food processing professionals with true, real, and authentic flavor solutions. This passion could not be more relevant today. Virtually everyone has become a foodie, and we couldn’t be happier about it.

At Custom Culinary®, staying true to the authenticity of flavor and the integrity of ingredients is in our DNA. We are a culinary-centric organization on a mission to help you create offerings that stand out and meet the exacting standards of today’s guests. We enthusiastically embrace the importance of global and regional influences, local sourcing, and cleaner ingredient statements.

We are unwavering in our commitment to delivering incredible taste, texture, and other sensory qualities in our bases, sauces, gravies, and flavoring systems. We aspire to help you take your offerings to remarkable new heights. And above all, we believe in being true to the food.

Purpose of the Position

The Vice President of Sales is responsible for developing and executing strategic sales plans and activities for the Custom Culinary® Business unit. This role is crucial for driving business growth and contributing to overall customer satisfaction. The VP of Sales serves on the Custom Culinary® Business Unit Leadership Team.

 Major Duties & Responsibilities

• Serve as a member of the Custom Culinary® leadership team, developing and executing strategies and operating plans aligned with Griffith Foods' Long Range Strategic Plans.
• Be a steward of the Griffith Purpose and Values in all external and internal actions.
• Develop and execute annual sales and strategic business plans to drive profitability and increase market share within targeted segments.
• Communicate and align strategic business plans with Marketing, Product Development, Finance, and Supply Chain peers to maximize resources and drive profitability.
• Achieve planned revenue, operating profit, working capital, and related objectives.
• Lead the development and execution of the Sales Infrastructure; manage the overall Sales talent management process, including development plans for sales personnel and organizational design adjustments.
• Lead in the development and execution of pricing strategies and contribution margin improvement across all segments.
• Manage the sales process using targeted BI and Sales tools (CRM), including sales financial management, sales training, account plan development/execution, and segment performance management.
• Build, develop, and manage the overall sales teams, including direct management of Segment Sales Leads and indirect management of team and brokers.
• Develop and maintain strong customer relationships through top-level contact with current and potential new customers.
• Evaluate existing and new customers to identify business opportunities and strategies.
• Support in organizing and managing complex sales presentations, proposals, RFPs, contracts, and negotiations.
• Serve as the sales leader on the crisis management team during crises, managing direct communication and activities to meet customer needs.
• Manage and ensure the achievement of the overall Sales function annual budget.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Product Development, Finance, and Supply Chain to ensure segments effectively manage their performance using tools (P&L, Scorecard, BI).
• Manage customer forecasting and ensure processes are in place to manage inventory, new product commercialization, and product elimination.
• Develop strategies to manage AR, terms, and inventory.
• Ensure the sales team acts in accordance with company ethics, values, and purpose, executing appraisals, performance reviews, and disciplinary actions as needed.
• Collaborate with other BU Sales / Commercial leads across the Griffith organization.
• Availability for domestic (minimum 40%) and occasional international travel.

Requirements and Qualifications:

Education:

• Minimum: BA/BS in Business, Marketing, or a related discipline.
• Preferred: MBA.

Experience:

• Minimum: 10-15+ years of progressive experience in sales team leadership roles in the food industry with a track record of achieving and exceeding sales targets.
• Preferred: Experience in Away-From-Home Sales, leading teams selling directly to large operators and via distributors, Group Purchasing Organizations, and Management Companies at HQ level.

Functional Knowledge:

• 10-15+ years of experience in consultative sales and sales management roles, with at least 5 years leading a Sales function.
• Strong financial and analytical skills with the ability to develop plans to meet targeted goals.
• Experience representing the company at high-level industry events, conferences, and trade shows.

Business Expertise:

• Deep understanding of the away-from-home food industry, market trends, and competitive landscape.
• Experience in building and maintaining top-level customer relationships and understanding their needs.

Physical Requirements

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand and walk. The employee is required to taste or smell. The employee will be required to use industrial and residential cooking appliances and analytical equipment. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision.

EOE – Vet/Disability EEO Notice of Rights