Education Sales Representative

Gordon Food Service; Taunton (MA); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Gordon Food Service is seeking an Education Specialist to support education segment customers and grow profitable sales. You will travel across a large multi-state territory, manage customer relationships, apply profitability models, and deliver consultative services such as menu engineering and HACCP training.

Responsibilities include coordinating education events, developing business plans, and using GFS tools to improve customer operations and profitability.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma plus 3–5 years in sales or food business or practices & preparation.
• 1–3 years in education industry preferred.
• Degree in Business, Sales or Marketing related preferred.
• Must maintain a valid state driver’s license and safe driving record per policy.
• Must complete Education Specialist curriculum within 2 years of employment.

Responsibilities

• Communicate the GFS story and service education customers effectively.
• Travel across a large multi-state territory to call on customers and growth opportunities.
• Manage customer relationships including credits, growth, and profitability.
• Apply pricing models to negotiate customer agreements.
• Demonstrate products and discuss applications using samples and marketing materials.
• Create and deliver business plans based on customer needs and objectives.
• Deliver consultative services such as menu engineering and HACCP training.
• Review customer results and establish sales performance goals monthly.
• Establish credit terms and assist with receivables collection.
• Identify customer buying patterns and needs to drive operations profitability.
• Promote GFS+ and related solutions; plan segment shows and events.
• Collaborate with brokers to align GFS products.

Skills

Customer relations

Negotiation

Strategic planning

Time management

Team selling

Education

High School Diploma

Degree in Business/Sales/Marketing (preferred)

Tools

GFS sales software

Google Apps

Job description

Welcome to Gordon Food Service! We are excited that you are thinking about opportunities with us, and we have an amazing story to share. See below for a quick glance of who we are and the impact you could have on the food service industry. There's a seat at our table for you...

Position Summary

Supports order and delivery interaction between education segment customers and Gordon Food Service (GFS). Seeks growth opportunities in existing customers and brings new customers to GFS. Provide business-consulting services to strengthen customer relationships and grow profitable sales. Represent GFS products and services for assigned territory and accounts. Manage customer business relationships to include accounts receivable, credits, lost business, growth, deployment of GFS resources, and average order size/profitability. Promote and use e-commerce technology.

What You Will Do

• Effectively express and service the GFS story.
• Travel through large geographic, mult-state territory to call on existing and prospective customers to maintain, seek growth opportunities, and increase profitable sales volume.
• Manage customer business relationship including credits, lost business, growth, deployment of GFS resources, and average order size/profitability.
• Utilize and apply customer profitability and pricing models to negotiate customer agreements.
• Oversee or coordinate the demonstration or presentation of products and discuss applications, using samples or marketing materials emphasizing salable features based on price or value to benefit customer’s business operations.
• Create and deliver business plan based on customer needs, goals, and objectives.
• Direct and deliver consultative services such as menu engineering, wait staff and HAACP training. Consult with customers and network resources to fulfill operations and profitability needs.
• Conduct Education Specialist personal results analysis and planning at customer level.
• Receive, discuss, and/or verify order information with customers using appropriate method on a monthly basis to include customer credits to identify and establish sales performance goals.
• Establish credit terms via established parameters and manage the collection of receivables using multiple methods to include electronic, mail and personal pickup of payments.
• Identify competition, customer purchasing patterns, perform customer sales history analysis, and observe and gather data to determine the needs of customer operations.
• Endorse and promote GFS+, GFS Experience, and other technical solutions.
• Develop and oversee customer segment shows and participate in customer events.
• Collaborates with brokers to establish GFS products.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

What You Bring To The Table

• Remain current on federal regulations relating to child nutrition.
• Exhibits critical thinking to builds strategic alliances.
• Understands customer predictive profitability models.
• Plan and execute education events.
• Supports division USDA commodity processes and manage entitlement.
• Share ideas openly and contributes towards a healthy team environment.
• Collaborates with sales and marketing to manage education items.
• Strong time and territory management related organizational skills.
• Understands procurement methods related to the education segment.
• Collaborates and offers direction to the broker-vendor network.
• Detailed working knowledge of Gordon Food Service business applications.
• Plans effectively to achieve key education segment business metrics.
• Team selling with Inside Sales
• Collaboration with Marketing for Product rationalization
• Government Commodities
• Demonstrate a high level working knowledge of GFS tools and technology.

Equipment / Tools / Technology

• Smart phone, computer and tablet technology.
• Audio and video conference call equipment and technology.
• Google Apps (Gmail, Calendar, Drive, Sites, Docs, Sheets, Slides, etc…)
• GFS sales software

Education & Minimum Experience Requirements

• High School Diploma (or equivalent) plus 3 to 5 years of experience in sales or food business or practices & preparation.
• 1 to 3 yrs of experience in education industry preferred
• Degree in Business, Sales or Marketing related preferred
• Must maintain a valid state driver’s license and safe driving record per GFS policy.
• Must complete the Education Specialist curriculum within 2 years of employment.

BE PART OF AN AMAZING CULTURE WHERE WHAT MATTERS TO YOU, MATTERS TO US!

Gordon Food Service values our customers and understands that their success is largely dependent upon their workforce. To demonstrate our commitment to our partnership, we will require any candidate who works for a Gordon Food Service customer to provide a letter of support from their management if they are selected for the interview process.

Equal Employment Opportunity is a matter of policy at Gordon Food Service, Inc. and we are committed to a work environment in which all individuals are treated with respect and dignity.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, status as a protected veteran, or status as a qualified individual with disability. If you require reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process due to a disability, please submit your request to [e-mail] and use the words "Accommodation Request" in your subject line.

All Gordon Food Service locations are tobacco-free.

Gordon Food Service is a drug-free workplace and conducts pre-employment drug tests.