Sales Manager

The CPG by MPG; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous health benefits

Unlimited paid time off

401K and bonuses

Job summary

A retail solutions company in Minneapolis is seeking a Sales Manager to drive client growth through exceptional communication and relationship building. The ideal candidate will have 3-5 years of retail or CPG experience, preferably with Target. Responsibilities include developing sales strategies, managing Account Managers, and analyzing sales data. This hybrid role offers a competitive salary and comprehensive benefits, along with unlimited paid time off.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years experience in Retail, CPG, Account Management, or Sales.
• Experience working with Private Label/Owned Brands.
• Target experience strongly preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement effective sales strategies.
• Prepare and analyze operational and financial sales reports.
• Manage and coach Account Managers.

Skills

Exceptional communication

Problem-solving skills

Sales strategy development

Interpersonal skills

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

The Creative Partners Group (The CPG), by MPG, is a comprehensive retail solutions company. The CPG represents established and emerging brands across all categories of merchandise and provides acclaimed services that build brands and businesses. This is a hybrid role requiring a location of Minneapolis, MN.

CPG is part of Market Performance Group (MPG), a leading end-to-end, strategy & services omnichannel commerce agency focused on creating the best PATH FORWARD — from market strategy to in-market reality — for today’s fastest-growing consumer packaged goods (CPG) manufacturers. Over the years, we’ve built a strong reputation as a trusted partner and valuable resource to a broad range of companies, from Fortune 500 to Private Equity, in categories that include health & wellness, food & beverage, home and hardlines. We revel in the opportunity to guide our clients on their path forward, building and activating strategies that ensure success. Everything we do is driven by our unrelenting commitment to leverage our deep operational experience, unparalleled omnichannel expertise, and industry relationships to drive performance in today’s dynamic omnichannel marketplace.

At MPG, we value our people and their contributions; they are critical to building the MPG Brand. Our leadership team has significant experience driving topline revenue and bottom-line profit, having held senior operating roles at leading CPG manufacturers and retailers. Our highly regarded, seasoned team of 400+ strategy and commercialization professionals brings strong operational experience and a collaborative approach. All team members are singularly focused on providing clients with pragmatic, real-world market approaches, built on the strong consumer, category and marketplace insights needed to create sustainable, profitable brand growth.

Position Overview

You will excel as a Sales Manager if you are able to provide the best service to our clients through exceptional communication, top-notch problem-solving skills, and the ability to drive current business growth as well as identify and develop new relationships to drive growth.

Key Responsibilities

Sales Strategy & Leadership

• Develop and implement effective sales strategies to drive growth and achieve business objectives.
• Prepare and analyze operational and financial sales reports for the department.
• Oversee the management, coaching, and career development of Account Managers.
• Coordinate cross-selling opportunities and joint marketing initiatives to maximize exposure and profitability.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with vendors and retail partners to support mutual business goals.
• Foster a positive, collaborative, and high-performing work environment.
• Contribute ideas and best practices to improve sales volume, expand distribution, and increase market share.
• Exhibit mastery of sales processes and Account Management practices (e.g., line review timelines, pricing challenges, shipping challenges).
• Independently manage key accounts end-to-end, while supporting conflict resolution in partnership with leadership.

Account Management & Execution

• Analyze sales data on a weekly basis and provide highlights, concerns, and trends to Vendor Partners.
• Proactively identify sales trends and new business opportunities for Vendor Partners.
• Manage collaborative forecasting, budgeting, and performance tracking for new items, temporary price cuts (TPCs), and special events.
• Monitor inventory positions, track purchase orders, and confirm on-time, complete shipments.
• Participate in weekly and/or monthly meetings with Target Buyers and Inventory Analysts to review business opportunities and concerns.
• Provide meeting recaps to Vendor Partners and the Target team, outlining key takeaways, action items, and next steps.
• Oversee item setup and ongoing maintenance for Vendor Partners.
• Research and resolve chargebacks and accounts payable issues on behalf of Vendor Partners.
• Support packaging and quality processes for Target’s Owned Brand vendors.
• Maintain ownership of assigned business areas, contributing directly to key decisions and initiatives.

Core Competencies

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks, projects, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Excellent interpersonal, presentation, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Intellectual curiosity with the ability to ask thoughtful questions, propose solutions, and drive continuous improvement.

Required Experience And Education

• Has retail experience, with Target experience strongly preferred.
• Influences strategic outcomes and drives growth.
• Polished, and persistent in their approach to opportunities.
• Thrives in an environment where uncertainty means opportunity.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills, including the ability to lead through influence and work collaborate.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills, including proficiency presenting to and influencing both internal and external audiences.
• Minimum 3-5 years progressive experience in Retail, CPG, Account Management, and/or Sales, with Target experience preferred.
• Proven experience in developing and achieving sales goals.
• Experience working with Private Label/Owned Brands.
• Willingness to travel occasionally

Why You’ll Succeed

• You’re a strategic thinker who enjoys uncovering insights from data and translating them into business action.
• You have a passion for working with data tools and analyzing trends to drive market success.
• You thrive in collaborative environments and are skilled at managing multiple projects without sacrificing attention to detail.
• You’re driven by challenges and enjoy finding solutions that help improve business performance and client satisfaction.

MPG offers a generous package of health benefits, including medical, dental, vision, STD/LTD, paid maternity/paternity leave and life insurance. Our compensation program provides market industry base salary, bonuses, and 401K. In addition to paid holidays, we reward an employee’s extra efforts through unlimited paid time off.

Diversity and Inclusion

MPG provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

We are committed to ensuring that Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEI&B) are at the foundation of our culture. Through DEI&B, we embrace the beauty in all of the unique qualities of our employees, communities and clients. MPG’s DEI&B efforts empower us to collectively reach our full potential. by fueling innovation, connection, and growth. We recognize the value of having a diverse and engaged team. We are an organization driven by PEOPLE. Our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging was born from our core values. We believe that by leveraging the unique perspectives and experiences of our employees, MPG can unlock more comprehensive, innovative, and long-standing results for both our client and retailer partners. As our journey continues to evolve, we have made intentional commitments to further champion DEI&B. The foundation of our pledge starts with our promise to each other, our clients, and the community.