Remote Midwest Regional Sales Leader

Lucas James Talent Partners; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary and bonus

401(k) with company match

Paid vacation and holidays

Professional growth opportunities

Opportunity to represent Cento FineF

Growth-focused environment

Job summary

Cento Fine Foods is seeking an experienced Regional Sales Manager to accelerate Midwest growth remotely, with a Chicago-area preference. You will lead regional sales strategy, manage key retail and distributor partnerships, and expand distribution across grocery channels.

The role requires strong experience in CPG sales, major retailer relationships, and familiarity with KeHE networks. Collaboration with brokers, marketing, and supply chain is essential for driving revenue and market presence.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of CPG sales experience in food, beverage, grocery or specialty foods.
• Proven experience managing major retail accounts such as Kroger, Walmart, or similar national/regional chains.
• Experience working with grocery distributors; KeHE experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Manage and grow relationships with Kroger, Walmart, KeHE Distributors, and regional grocery accounts.
• Develop annual business plans, sales forecasts, promotional calendars, and account growth strategies.
• Conduct regular customer business reviews to identify opportunities for increased distribution, shelf placement, and sales growth.
• Negotiate pricing, promotional programs, contracts, trade terms, and merchandising opportunities.
• Build strong relationships with retail buyers, category managers, merchandising teams, and distributor representatives.
• Identify and secure new distribution opportunities within existing and prospective retail accounts.
• Lead new item presentations and product launches across grocery, specialty, natural, and ethnic food channels.
• Develop and execute strategies to achieve regional sales, profitability, and distribution objectives.
• Monitor competitive activity, category trends, and customer initiatives to identify growth opportunities.
• Collaborate with brokers and distributor sales teams to maximize market penetration and execution.
• Serve as a key contact for KeHE corporate and regional sales teams.
• Support distributor-led selling through product education, sales training, and customer presentations.
• Work with KeHE-serviced customers to support inventory management, execution, and sales performance.
• Participate in distributor trade shows, customer meetings, category reviews, and industry events.
• Analyze sales performance, market trends, syndicated data, and customer scorecards.
• Prepare and present forecasts, business reviews, and sales performance updates to customers and leadership.
• Partner with supply chain on demand forecasting to support growth while minimizing stockouts.

Skills

CPG sales

Major retail accounts

KeHE experience

Negotiation

Forecasting

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or related field

Tools

NielsenIQ

Circana/IRI

SPINS

Job description

Cento Fine Foods is seeking an experienced Regional Sales Manager to accelerate Midwest growth remotely, with a Chicago-area preference. You will lead regional sales strategy, manage key retail and distributor partnerships, and expand distribution across grocery channels.

The role requires strong experience in CPG sales, major retailer relationships, and familiarity with KeHE networks. Collaboration with brokers, marketing, and supply chain is essential for driving revenue and market presence.