Director of Sales

Central Garden & Pet; Bentonville (AR); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Insurance

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401k

Paid time off

Education assistance

Referral bonus

Parental leave

Online courses access

Employee discounts

Job summary

Central Garden & Pet is seeking a Director of Sales to drive revenue growth with Walmart, expanding category opportunities and strengthening customer relationships. You will lead account development, pursue new business opportunities, and partner cross-functionally to execute joint business plans aligned with Walmart’s priorities.

The role reports to the VP – Walmart Business Development and requires 7–10+ years in Walmart sales, with a strong CPG background and experience across store,

Qualifications

• 7–10+ years sales or BD experience calling on Walmart.
• CPG background preferred.
• Experience with category growth strategies and promotional execution.

Responsibilities

• Own and grow Walmart business with an account-specific growth strategy across channels.
• Lead negotiations for incremental distribution, shelf space, and promo support; manage forecasting and revenue delivery.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Insights, Supply Chain and Finance to ensure customer-ready execution.
• Present executive updates to leadership and the customer.
• Leverage data and shopper insights to identify growth levers and improve performance.

Skills

Walmart experience

Strategic negotiations

Data-driven decisions

Executive communication

Omnichannel retail

Retail partnerships

Tools

NielsenIQ

Circana/IRI

Walmart Luminate

Job description

The Director of Sales is responsible for driving revenue growth and strategic partnerships with Walmart, with a focus on expanding category opportunities, strengthening customer relationships, and delivering performance against commercial goals. This role leads account development efforts, identifies new business opportunities, and partners cross-functionally to execute joint business plans in support of Walmart’s priorities. This position reports to the Vice President – Walmart Business Development Team .

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Own and grow assigned Walmart business by developing and executing an account-specific growth strategy; identify and pursue new business opportunities across Walmart channels (Store, Ecommerce, Omni, Marketplace, Walmart Connect, etc.)
• Drive strategic negotiations and secure incremental distribution, shelf space, and promotional support; lead annual and quarterly business planning, including forecasting, pipeline management, and revenue delivery
• Build trusted-partner credibility through strong customer insight, proactive communication, and solution-oriented leadership
• Influence decision-makers by aligning company capabilities with Walmart goals and shopper needs
• Collaborate with internal teams (Marketing, Category Management, Insights, Supply Chain, Finance, Operations) to deliver customer-ready execution; partner with retailer media and insights teams to drive integrated plans (e.g., Walmart Connect activation)
• Translate customer opportunities into internal action plans and ensure follow-through on timelines, deliverables, and commitments
• Leverage syndicated data, Walmart reporting, and shopper insights to identify growth levers and improve performance; track key performance indicators (sales, share, distribution, promo effectiveness, ROAS where applicable)
• Present clear, executive-ready business updates to leadership and the customer

QUALIFICATIONS

• Solid understanding of Walmart’s operating model, merchandising strategies, and omnichannel environment
• Proven track record of driving growth, negotiating with major retailers, and delivering against sales targets
• High proficiency working with data and insights to build retailer-facing recommendations
• Excellent presentation, storytelling, and executive communication skills
• Familiarity with syndicated data tools and reporting (e.g., NielsenIQ, Circana/IRI, Scintilla/Walmart Luminate, etc.)
• Ability to work in a constant state of alertness and safe manner

MINIMUM EXPERIENCE & EDUCATION

• 7–10+ years of sales, business development, or account management experience calling on Walmart; experience partnering with Walmart Connect or retailer media ecosystems
• Consumer packaged goods (CPG) background strongly preferred
• Experience with category growth strategies, assortment planning, and promotional execution

BENEFITS PACKAGE & EMPLOYEE PROGRAMS

• Comprehensive Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Free Life and Disability Insurance
• Health and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• 401k with 3% company match and annual employer discretionary contribution
• Paid vacation, holidays, and sick time
• Employee Assistance Program
• Access to thousands of free online courses
• Discounts on cell phones, movie tickets, gym memberships, and more!
• Education Assistance (both college degrees and professional certifications)
• Referral Program with cash bonus
• Access to on-demand pay.
• Paid parental leave.

Central Garden & Pet Company (NASDAQ: CENT) (NASDAQ: CENTA) is a leading consumer goods company in the pet and garden industries. Guided by the belief that home is central to life, the Company's purpose is to proudly nurture happy and healthy homes. For over 45 years, its innovative and trusted solutions have helped lawns grow greener, gardens bloom bigger, pets live healthier, and communities grow stronger. Central is home to a diversified portfolio of market-leading brands including Amdro ®, Aqueon ®, Best Bully Sticks®, Cadet®, C&S®, Farnam ®, Ferry-Morse®, Kaytee®, Nylabone®, Pennington®, Sevin® and Zoёcon ®. With fiscal 2025 net sales of $3.1 billion, Central has strong manufacturing and logistics capabilities supported by a passionate, entrepreneurial growth culture. The Company is headquartered in Walnut Creek, California, and employs over 6,000 people, primarily across North America. Visit www.central.com to learn more.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other characteristic protected by law.