Sales Lead – Wholesale & Institutional Accounts

Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative (WFHC); Waupaca (WI); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative (WFHC) seeks a relationship-driven Sales Lead to develop new business and grow assigned accounts across wholesale produce, foodservice, grocery, schools, universities, and other institutional markets. The role reports to the General Manager and offers a salary commensurate with experience plus commission.

Travel is available with WFHC-provided vehicle for authorized business trips; success relies on collaboration with procurement, warehouse, transportation, and

Qualifications

• Experience in business development, sales, or account management.
• Clear written and verbal communication, organization, and follow-through.
• Comfort with spreadsheets, sales reports, customer records, pricing, and gross-margin concepts.

Responsibilities

• Prospect, qualify, and secure new wholesale and institutional customers; maintain a sales pipeline.
• Grow existing accounts through new products, seasonal programs, and recurring purchases.
• Prepare proposals, forecasts, and pricing within approved margins.
• Coordinate availability, lead times, delivery requirements with internal teams before orders.
• Communicate order changes promptly and resolve concerns with customers.
• Monitor profitability, retention, and progress toward sales and gross-profit targets.
• Represent WFHC at meetings and industry events.

Skills

Relationship building

Sales

Account management

Communication

Organization

Tools

Spreadsheet software

Job description

Help grow regional food markets, strengthen customer relationships, and connect Wisconsin producers with wholesale and institutional buyers.

About the role

Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative (WFHC), a farmer-owned cooperative, seeks a relationship-driven Sales Lead to develop new business and grow assigned accounts across wholesale produce, foodservice, grocery, schools, universities, food banks, and other institutional markets. This role does not supervise employees. Success depends on customer development, profitable sales, excellent follow-through, and close collaboration with procurement, warehouse, transportation, and customer service teams.

Reports to:

General Manager

Compensation:

Salary commensurate with experience + commission

Travel:

WFHC vehicle available for authorized business travel

What you will do

• Prospect, qualify, and secure new wholesale and institutional customers; maintain an organized sales pipeline.
• Grow assigned existing accounts through new products, seasonal programs, and recurring purchasing relationships.
• Prepare proposals, sales forecasts, and pricing recommendations within approved margin and credit guidelines.
• Coordinate product availability, lead times, delivery requirements, and customer commitments with internal teams before confirming orders.
• Communicate order changes and customer needs promptly; resolve concerns collaboratively and follow through on commitments.
• Monitor customer profitability, retention, and progress toward agreed-upon sales and gross-profit targets.
• Represent WFHC at customer meetings, industry events, and regional business-development opportunities.

What we are looking for

• Experience in business development, sales, or account management with a record of building customer relationships.
• Clear written and verbal communication, organization, sound judgment, and reliable follow-through.
• Comfort with spreadsheets, sales reports, customer records, pricing, and gross-margin concepts.
• Ability to work independently while coordinating respectfully and effectively across departments.
• Valid driver's license and ability to travel regionally for business purposes.
• Preferred: experience in wholesale produce, food distribution, grocery, institutional foodservice, or regional agriculture.

How success is measured

• Profitable new-account sales and growth in assigned existing accounts.
• Customer retention, responsiveness, and repeat business.
• Accurate forecasts and commitments aligned with product availability, pricing, and delivery capacity.
• Effective coordination with WFHC colleagues and adherence to approved operational guidelines.

Compensation and opportunity

Salary commensurate with experience, plus commission. Commission eligibility, calculation, and payment terms will be established in a separate written commission plan. A company vehicle is available for authorized work-related travel. Additional benefits will be discussed during the hiring process.

Wisconsin Food Hub Cooperative is an equal opportunity employer.