Director of Retail Sales

Adecco; Port Washington (WI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life Insurance

401K and PTO

Job summary

Adecco is seeking an experienced Director of Retail Sales to drive growth in the FMCG sector. The role focuses on developing and executing retail strategies, managing key accounts, and expanding market presence with strategic partnerships.

The candidate will lead a hands-on sales team, engage in commercial negotiations, and collaborate with cross-functional teams to launch new products and initiatives.

Qualifications

• Minimum 7+ years in FMCG or consumer products sales.
• Direct selling to major retailers and managing large accounts.
• Proven ability to develop new retail customers, products and opportunities.
• Experience in creating and executing retail sales strategies with measurable growth.
• Experience coaching and developing sales teams.
• Strong understanding of consumer products, channels, pricing and promotions.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive retail sales strategy focused on growth and profitability.
• Personally manage relationships with major retail customers as primary commercial contact.
• Identify, pursue and secure new retail customers, products, categories and partnerships.
• Lead strategic account plans, forecasts, budgets and growth initiatives.
• Oversee promotions, product positioning, pricing strategies and broker networks.
• Recruit, mentor and develop a high-performing sales team.

Skills

Retail sales

Major retailers

Leadership

Strategic negotiations

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Marketing/Business/Economics

Job description

- Outside Sales and Management experience is required -

You will be responsible for developing and executing the company's retail sales strategy, managing key retail accounts, identifying new business opportunities, and driving profitable revenue growth. The position requires a strong background in selling directly to major retailers, developing new products and customer programs, and building long‑term strategic partnerships.

Location: Port Washington, Wisconsin

Job Type: Full-Time (On‑site for the initial training with extensive travel required for the position)

Schedule: Monday thru Friday (hours may fluctuate based on business)

Salary: Based on experience and background

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, 401K and PTO

Travel: Travel is required - potentially up to 50%

Education: Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business, Economics, or equivalent experience in a Senior Sales Management role

*Please Note: This is a Business‑2‑Business sales (Director of Retail Sales) position. You will be guiding, directing, building, supporting, and working with your team to drive their sales while building your book of business. This is not an Operations Manager or Logistics Manager position.

Position Overview -

We are seeking an experienced, results‑driven Director of Retail Sales to lead retail sales growth, develop strategic customer relationships, and expand market presence within the Fast‑Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG) industry.

This individual will be responsible for developing and executing the company's retail sales strategy, managing key retail accounts, identifying new business opportunities, and driving profitable revenue growth. The position requires a strong background in selling directly to major retailers, developing new products and customer programs, and building long‑term strategic partnerships.

The ideal candidate is both a strategic thinker and a hands‑on sales leader who has personally managed significant retail accounts, understands the complexities of the retail marketplace, and can successfully lead a sales team while remaining actively involved in customer development and commercial execution.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive retail sales strategy focused on revenue growth, market expansion, customer acquisition, and profitability.
• Personally manage and strengthen relationships with major retail customers, serving as a primary commercial contact for key accounts.
• Identify, pursue, and secure new retail customers, product opportunities, categories, and strategic business partnerships.
• Drive profitable sales growth through strategic account management, pricing initiatives, margin optimization, and effective commercial negotiations.
• Lead the development and execution of strategic account plans, customer forecasts, sales budgets, and growth initiatives.
• Identify opportunities for new product development, commercialization, and expansion within existing and prospective retail accounts.
• Oversee retail promotional programs, product positioning, pricing strategies, and customer‑specific initiatives.
• Manage and develop broker relationships and distribution partnerships to support retail sales objectives.
• Recruit, lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing sales team while establishing clear performance expectations and accountability.
• Monitor retail market trends, competitive activity, customer needs, and emerging opportunities to identify areas for continued growth.
• Collaborate closely with Operations, Finance, Project Management, Quality, and other internal departments to ensure successful execution of customer programs and new product launches.
• Oversee sales forecasting, pipeline development, account performance, and gross margin objectives.
• Maintain an active role in customer engagement, business development, and strategic negotiations.

Qualifications & Experience

• Minimum of 7+ years of progressive sales experience within the fast‑moving consumer goods (FMCG) or consumer products industry.
• Demonstrated experience selling directly to major retailers and personally managing significant retail accounts.
• Proven track record of developing new retail customers, products, categories, and business opportunities.
• Successful experience developing and implementing retail sales strategies that deliver measurable revenue and profitability growth.
• Previous experience managing, coaching, and developing sales professionals.
• Strong understanding of consumer products, retail distribution channels, e‑commerce, broker networks, product commercialization, pricing strategies, margins, and retail promotional programs.
• Demonstrated expertise in strategic account planning, commercial negotiations, forecasting, and margin management.
• Ability to build strong customer relationships and influence key decision‑makers within major retail organizations.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to identify growth opportunities and translate them into actionable sales strategies.
• Proven ability to work cross‑functionally and coordinate complex customer initiatives from initial development through commercialization and execution.
• Excellent leadership, communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship‑building skills.

Ideal Candidate Profile

This search is specifically targeting a hands‑on retail sales professional with substantial direct‑to‑retail experience in the FMCG or consumer products industry.

Candidates should have personally managed major retail accounts and be able to demonstrate their involvement in customer relationships, account growth, commercial negotiations, product launches, and strategic business development.

Experience in general B2B sales, distribution sales, or business development alone will not be sufficient. The successful candidate must understand how to sell directly to retailers, manage complex retail partnerships, and drive profitable growth within established retail channels.

This is a working leadership position that requires someone who can develop the overall sales strategy while remaining directly involved in managing customers, securing new business, and developing the sales organization.

We are an equal opportunity employer:

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status.