Director of Sales - Costco

J&J Snack Foods; Tacoma (WA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

J&J Snack Foods is seeking a Director of Sales based in the Seattle-area to drive growth with Costco across multiple product lines. You will own strategic plans, manage broker partnerships, and lead cross-functional teams to deliver revenue, profitability, and market share gains.

You will report to the Vice President Sales - Strategic Accounts and oversee P&L, pricing, negotiations, and large national accounts. This role emphasizes leadership and strategic execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business or related field required; MBA preferred.
• 7–10+ years of progressive sales experience in CPG, foodservice or related industries.
• Proven experience managing large club retail accounts, preferably Costco.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic business plans across Costco to drive revenue and market share.
• Build and manage direct and broker-led customer relationships with cross-functional partners.
• Maintain full P&L accountability and align pricing, contracts, and investments to targets.
• Lead account forecasting and coordinate with Demand Planning and Supply Chain.
• Navigate Costco’s buying structure and manage item-approval and new-item cycles.
• Drive growth through store formats like club and Costco Business Center, including private label opportunities.
• Ensure compliance with supplier requirements, audits, and cold-chain standards.

Skills

Strategic selling

Key account management

Leadership

Negotiation

Data analysis

CPG industry knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business

MBA preferred

Job description

This position is ideally based in Seattle/Issaquah.

Position Summary

The Director of Sales is responsible for developing and executing strategic business plans across Costco to drive revenue, profitability, distribution, and market share growth across multiple product categories. This role proactively identifies growth opportunities, builds strategic customer partnerships, and drives cross-functional collaboration across key customer departments, including Culinary/R&D, Purchasing (Branded & Private Label), Marketing and Store Operations.

The Director of Sales manages both direct and broker-led customer relationships and maintains full profit and loss (P&L) accountability, ensuring achievement of sales and financial objectives while contributing to the organization's overall business performance.

This position reports directly to the Vice President Sales -Strategic Accounts at J&J Snack Foods.

Essential Functions

• Customer Partnerships: Build and strengthen relationships with key decision-makers and cross-functional stakeholders to align business objectives and identify strategic growth opportunities
• Business Development & Growth: Identify opportunities to expand product distribution, introduce innovation, optimize product mix, and drive incremental sales across assigned accounts
• Strategic Account Management: Develop and execute short & long-term business plans for assigned key national accounts to drive revenue, profitability, distribution, and market share growth
• Financial Performance: Maintain account-level P&L accountability, including pricing strategies, contract negotiations, customer investments, and achievement of sales and profitability targets
• Sales Forecasting & Execution: Lead account forecasting and collaborate with Demand Planning, Supply Chain, and Customer Service to ensure operational alignment and execution against customer commitments
• Cross-Functional Leadership: Partner with internal and external stakeholders to resolve business challenges, improve service levels, and execute strategic customer initiatives
• Club Channel Execution: Develop and execute strategies suited to Costco's limited-SKU, high-velocity warehouse model, including item rotation, "treasure hunt" items, display-ready packaging, and price-per-unit competitiveness that delivers member value while protecting margin
• Program & Item Management: Plan and manage warehouse-wide and regional items, seasonal and event programs, demos and roadshows, Costco Business Center and Costco.com (e-commerce) opportunities, and Kirkland Signature or private label opportunities
• Buying Office Relationships: Manage relationships across Costco's national and regional buying structure, including the Issaquah headquarters buying office, and navigate the item-approval, new-item, and cost and price change cycles
• Supplier Compliance & Quality: Ensure compliance with Costco supplier requirements, including food safety and quality audits (e.g., SQF/GFSI), EDI and routing requirements, vendor code of conduct, product recall and traceability procedures, and cold-chain and temperature-verification standards for frozen products
• Supply & Service Performance: Own Costco service metrics, including fill rate and on-time/in-full (OTIF) delivery, coordinate with depots and distribution, and lead recovery plans for out-of-stocks or service failures

Core Competencies

• Strategic & Results-Oriented: Strong business acumen, strategic thinking, and a demonstrated drive to achieve results and exceed business objectives
• Customer-Focused: Ability to build strong customer relationships while aligning customer needs with organizational goals and strategies
• Leadership & Collaboration: Positive, team-oriented leader with a competitive mindset, strong interpersonal skills, and a commitment to developing others
• Communication & Influence: Exceptional written and verbal communication, presentation, and negotiation skills
• Problem-Solving & Adaptability: Innovative and resourceful thinker with the ability to navigate challenges, manage competing priorities, and adapt to changing business needs
• Organization & Execution: Highly organized, self-motivated professional with strong time management skills, initiative, and accountability for results

Required Skills

• Proficient in Microsoft Office, data analysis, and presenting business performance to leadership
• Strong leadership, communication, presentation, and negotiation skills
• Ability to develop and execute strategic business plans while managing day-to-day priorities
• Proven Sales experience managing key national accounts, building strategic partnerships, and driving sales growth across the full product portfolio
• Strong understanding of CPG and Foodservice sales, merchandising, and customer growth strategies
• Ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive business results
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify opportunities and develop customer solutions

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field required; MBA preferred
• 7–10+ years of progressive sales experience in CPG, Foodservice, food manufacturing, or related industries, including key national account & broker management
• Proven experience managing large club retail accounts, preferably Costco
• Working knowledge of Costco's buying-office structure and item-approval, new-item, and cost and price