Regional Client Manager

The Affinity Group; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

The Affinity Group is seeking a Region Client Manager to drive regional sales and marketing execution for assigned clients. You will serve as the primary contact for regional sales managers and partner with market leaders to implement trimester plans, track performance, and adjust strategies accordingly.

You will collaborate with enablement and marketing teams to ensure accurate CRM data, timely trimester plans, and locally tailored market goals.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or college education preferred.
• Experience working with Foodservice Distributors.
• Ability to execute and follow through a sales plan.
• Positive, professional, proactive attitude.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Proficient in Power BI and Excel for data analysis.

Responsibilities

• Provide a single point of contact across each assigned Client’s region and build an excellent rapport with key personnel at the clients.
• Collaborate with region market leaders to execute client-specific sales plans including segment focus and initiatives to hit sales budgets.
• Communicate sales strategies and objectives to the respective sales teams.
• Coordinate with the sales enablement team to ensure CRM data, trimester plans, and local market goals are delivered.
• Provide connectivity between client regional managers, internal leads and segment/culinary leads via regular check-ins.
• Analyze monthly client sales reports with region management and determine corrective actions.
• Participate in distributor and food-related trade shows and internal sales meetings.
• Monitor sales data, trends, and results; communicate findings across the region.
• Execute foresight to adapt sales plans to evolving environments and headwinds.
• Assist local market leaders with data, insights, trends, and industry updates.
• Work with clients regionally to develop sound sales and marketing strategies.
• Train and provide product knowledge to regional sales teams.
• Provide competitive insights to clients for pricing and product considerations.
• Share local market intelligence on pricing, availability, contracts, promotions, and new product launches.

Skills

Power BI

Excel

CRM systems

Communication skills

Relationship building

Sales planning

Team collaboration

Analytical skills

Driver's license

Education

College degree or higher

Tools

CRM system

Job description

BROAD FUNCTION AND SCOPE OF THE POSITION:

The Affinity Group Region Client Manager is responsible for regional execution of sales and marketing strategies for assigned clients and is the primary contact for the regional sales manager at the corresponding clients. With knowledge of the assigned clients’ plans and objectives, the region client manager facilitates activities of the collective group of local market leaders who in turn manage market specific sales objectives and local market execution via effective trimester planning and specific follow-through.

PRINCIPAL CONTINUING RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE POSITION IN ORDER OF IMPORTANCE:

1. Provide a single point of contact across each assigned Client’s respective region and build an excellent rapport and mutually valued business relationship with key personnel at the corresponding clients.
2. Work in conjunction with region market leaders to execute client-specific sales plans including segment focus, innovation plans, and other initiatives to achieve sales budgets/goals.
3. Communicate sales strategies and objectives to the respective sales teams.
4. Collaborate with the sales enablement team to ensure delivery of accurate CRM, sales data, trimester plans, and local prescriptive market goals across the region.
5. Provide connectivity between client’s regional managers, internal market leads and segment/culinary leads through regular check-in’s.
6. Analyze and review monthly client sales reports with region management and determine the necessary course of corrective action as needed.
7. Participate or provide input for various distributor and food related trade shows as well as internal sales meetings.
8. In conjunction with the sales enablement department follow and monitor sales data, trends, and results; communicate accordingly and as necessary across the region.
9. Execute foresight to alter and change sales plans based on evolving business environments and industry headwinds.
10. Assist local market leaders in offering data, insights, trends, and industry updates to the sales team.
11. Work closely with the assigned clients at the region/local level to develop sound sales and marketing strategies for their respective markets.
12. Train and provide product knowledge to the region sales teams.
13. Provide competitive insights to assigned clients for pricing and product considerations.
14. Provide local market intelligence to include competitive pricing, availability, customer contracts, promotions, service challenges, and new product launches.

The successful candidates must possess the following Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• College or University preferred
• Experience working with Foodservice Distributors
• Ability to execute and follow through a sales plan.
• A positive, professional, and proactive attitude.
• Strong communication skills.
• Adept at building trust and credibility
• Business planning and organizational skills
• Works well with teams and has strong motivational skills
• Strong problem solving and client planning skills
• Using the trimester planning process and CRM system
• Relevant analytical skills and effective with Power BI, Excel spreadsheets, and other such tools.
• Must have a valid driver’s license and a car

Physical Requirements/Working Conditions:

• Candidate must be able to perform the essential functions of the job.
• Work may be performed in an office, warehouse or restaurant environment.
• Stand for extended periods of time, walk, bend, stoop, or climb.
• May have possible exposure to dust and may require the ability to lift and/or push up to 50 pounds.
• Flexible work hours to accommodate demands of position (some weekends included)
• May require travel up to 30% of the time within territory and overnights may be required.

The Affinity Group is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We do not discriminate based upon race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.