Sales Manager

Midwest Startups; Michigan; On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Three weeks vacation and sick time

SIMPLE IRA with 3% company match

Per diem

Relocation assistance

Employee discounts

Job summary

Vollwerth and Co in Hancock, Michigan is seeking a Sales Manager to lead and develop our sales team, grow profitable revenue and margins, and strengthen customer relationships across grocery, retail, wholesale, distributor, and foodservice channels.

Regular regional travel and occasional overnight travel are required. You will personally lead major opportunities, build a robust pipeline, and drive new business while coordinating with production, purchasing, and finance to meet targets.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or related field or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of progressive sales experience, including 2+ years leading sales professionals.
• Experience in food manufacturing or related sectors preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the sales team with clear revenue, margin, activity, and territory goals.
• Build a qualified pipeline across grocery, retail, wholesale, distributor, and foodservice channels.
• Personally lead major opportunities, bids, presentations, and new business development efforts.
• Manage key customer relationships, account plans, and retention/growth strategies.
• Review quotes, pricing, discounts, and terms within authority.
• Evaluate profitability and prepare forecasts and performance reports.
• Coordinate product launches and major orders with cross-functional teams.
• Maintain product and market knowledge and manage the sales budget and events.

Skills

Leadership

Sales management

Communication

Negotiation

Analytical thinking

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

CRM systems

Microsoft Office

Job description

Vollwerth and Co is seeking a Sales Manager based in Hancock, Michigan to lead and develop our sales team, grow profitable revenue and margins, strengthen customer relationships, and drive new business across retail, wholesale, distributor, foodservice, and other channels. Regular regional travel and occasional overnight travel are required.

What We Offer

• $60,000 – 90,000 base salary plus bonus, based on experience.
• Three weeks of vacation plus sick time accrued at six hours per month.
• SIMPLE IRA with a 3% company match.
• Per diem, relocation assistance, and employee discounts.

What You Will Do

• Lead, coach, and develop the sales team while setting clear expectations for revenue, margin, activity, territory, and account performance.
• Build a qualified pipeline across grocery, retail, wholesale, distributor, foodservice, convenience, specialty, and institutional channels.
• Personally lead major opportunities, bids, presentations, plant visits, negotiations, and new-business development efforts.
• Manage key customer relationships and account plans focused on retention, growth, pricing, promotions, service expectations, and new opportunities.
• Recommend pricing and review quotes, bids, contracts, discounts, rebates, promotions, and special terms within approved authority.
• Evaluate customer and account profitability and prepare forecasts, performance reports, and corrective action plans.
• Coordinate product launches, promotions, seasonal demand, and major orders with production, purchasing, inventory, quality, customer service, logistics, and finance.
• Maintain strong product and market knowledge, set customer-service standards, and manage the sales budget, trade shows, customer events, and distributor meetings.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, food-industry management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 5+ years of progressive sales experience, including at least 2 years leading sales professionals.
• Food manufacturing, meat, refrigerated foods, consumer packaged goods, grocery, wholesale distribution, or foodservice experience is preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading sales teams, developing customers, winning new business, negotiating agreements, and delivering profitable growth.
• Working knowledge of pricing, margins, trade spending, forecasting, territory management, account planning, performance analysis, CRM systems, and Microsoft Office.
• Strong communication, presentation, coaching, analytical, organizational, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills, with the ability to travel regularly and meet applicable driving and insurability requirements.

Location & Travel

This is a full-time position based in Hancock, Michigan. Regular regional travel and occasional overnight travel may be required. The role also includes time in customer, vehicle, warehouse, and food-manufacturing environments.

About Vollwerth and Co

Founded in 1915 in Hancock, Michigan, Vollwerth and Co is a multigenerational family business producing high-quality sausage from fresh ingredients and traditional recipes for customers throughout Michigan and Wisconsin. Vollwerth and Co is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants are considered without regard to any status protected by applicable law.