Director of Grocery, Drug, & Mass

INCPG; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Axcel Recruiting Incorporated is seeking a Director of Grocery, Drug, & Mass to drive revenue growth across Grocery, Drug, and Mass channels for its brands. The leader will manage five direct reports and oversee forecasting, trade management, and joint business planning with top retailers.

The role requires a strong track record in CPG sales leadership, strategic thinking, and ability to collaborate with Marketing, Finance, and Supply Chain to meet sales objectives.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree; MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 10 years of progressive sales experience in the CPG industry.
• Demonstrated success in managing large retail accounts, such as Kroger, with a focus on driving profitable growth.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the sales strategy across Grocery, Mass, and Drug channels for all brands.
• Lead, mentor, and manage a team of five direct reports, setting objectives and ensuring accountability.
• Oversee the channel’s P&L, driving profitable growth and achieving sales targets.
• Develop and manage sales forecasts to support demand planning and production.
• Lead joint business planning processes and Top-to-Top meetings with key customers.
• Collaborate cross-functionally to align volume and financial projections.
• Optimize trade spending to maximize ROI and ensure adherence to trade policies.
• Partner with Finance to deliver budgeted margins while improving trade effectiveness.
• Guide contract negotiations, including pricing and promotional agreements.

Skills

Sales leadership

Strategic thinking

Negotiation

Cross-functional collaboration

Executive presence

Budget management

Education

Bachelor’s degree

MBA or advanced degree preferred

Job description

Director of Grocery, Drug, & Mass will develop and implement strategies to drive profitable revenue growth across the channels, which includes Strategic Mass, Grocery, Convenience, and Dollar retailers for the company’s brands. The ideal candidate will have significant experience in sales leadership with a history of delivering results in the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry. This role calls for a strategic leader adept at managing key accounts across multiple channels, driving category expansion, and collaborating closely with cross-functional teams including Marketing, Finance, and Supply Chain. Leading a team of five direct reports, this individual will oversee forecasting, trade management, joint business planning (JBP), and the development of strong retail partnerships to meet or exceed sales objectives.

Ideal Candidate Channel/Account Experience: Grocery, Drug, Convenience, Club, and Mass.

What will your day look like?

Sales Leadership: Develop and execute the sales strategy across the Grocery, Mass, & Drug channels for all brands.

Lead, mentor, and manage a team of five direct reports, setting objectives and ensuring accountability.

Oversee the channel’s P&L, driving profitable growth and achieving sales targets.

Forecasting & Planning

Develop and manage sales forecasts to support accurate demand planning and production.

Lead joint business planning processes and Top-to-Top meetings with key customers, aligning strategic goals with retailer priorities.

Collaborate cross-functionally to align volume and financial projections.

Trade Management

Optimize trade spending to maximize ROI and ensure adherence to trade policies.

Partner with the finance team to deliver budgeted margins while improving trade effectiveness.

Guide contract negotiations, including pricing and promotional agreements.

Joint Business Planning (JBP)

Work with key accounts to create and execute Joint Business Plans aligned with mutual goals.

Foster relationships with account decision-makers to promote category growth.

Continuously refine business plans to address market trends and customer needs.

Stay informed on market trends, competitive dynamics, and customer insights to shape sales strategies.

Provide thought leadership on category trends to influence innovation and in-store execution.

Use data-driven insights to uncover growth opportunities in target categories.

Partner with Marketing, Category Management, Supply Chain, and Finance to align on go-to-market strategies.

Ensure seamless communication and collaboration between the sales team and cross-functional stakeholders.

Oversee the annual sales plan development and execution.

Monitor performance metrics and adjust strategies to achieve goals.

Qualifications

Entrepreneurial mindset with a track record of calculated risk-taking and new business development.

Strong strategic thinking and problem-solving abilities.

Excellent leadership and team management skills.

Proven ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams effectively.

Executive presence with the ability to articulate vision and strategies to senior leadership.

Strong results orientation with accountability for team success.

Superior negotiation and communication skills.

Financial acumen and budget management expertise.

Ability to establish and maintain strong customer relationships.

Experiences that will support your success:

Bachelor’s degree; MBA or equivalent advanced degree preferred.

Minimum of 10 years of progressive sales experience in the CPG industry.

Demonstrated success in managing large retail accounts, such as Kroger, with a focus on driving profitable growth.