Sales Strategy Manager

Hormel Foods; Orange (CA); On-site; USD 112,000 - 156,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical benefits

401(k) with employer match

Stock purchase plan

Paid time off

Relocation assistance

Job summary

Hormel Foods Corporation in Orange, CA is seeking a National Category Sales Manager to lead the strategic plan and drive growth for MegaMex sauces, aligning Marketing, Sales, and cross‑functional partners to win at key accounts.

The role focuses on developing annual plans, optimizing trade spend, and delivering sustainable profitability, with travel up to 10%. Relocation support to Orange, CA may be offered.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 4+ years of Sales/Marketing/Sales Strategy experience.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Pattern of initiative.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a diverse team environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Applicants must not now, or at any time in the future, require sponsorship for a work visa.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States for any employer.

Responsibilities

• Owns and champions the national strategy, performance, and long-term growth agenda for the assigned sauces categories and brands.
• Leads the strategic planning process by partnering with marketing to develop and execute brand strategies that deliver sustainable top‑line growth, market share gains, and profitability objectives.
• Develops and manages annual operating/sales plans (AOP), volume targets, and trade investment strategies, ensuring alignment across customers, channels, and organizational growth priorities while maximizing return on investment.
• Serves as the primary commercial leader and connector between the Retail Sales organization and MegaMex cross‑functional partners, driving alignment among Retail Leadership, Field Sales, Revenue Growth Management, Brand Analytics, Marketing, and Sales Strategy teams.
• Partners closely with Sales leadership and customer teams to translate brand strategies into winning customer plans, support high‑impact customer negotiations, and unlock growth opportunities across key retail accounts.
• Optimizes trade investment and resource allocation to drive profitable growth, improve investment effectiveness, and achieve financial and brand performance objectives.
• Leads forecasting and business planning activities for volume, net sales, trade spend, and gross margin across the assigned portfolio. Actively influence the Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process by identifying risks, opportunities, and actions necessary to deliver business commitments and 18‑month volume projections.
• Creates and deploys insight‑driven, field‑ready selling solutions that translate category, shopper, and consumer insights into actionable growth strategies. Equips field teams with compelling category visions, selling stories, and growth platforms that strengthen customer partnerships and accelerate category leadership.
• Monitors business performance and proactively identifies opportunities and risks, recommending strategic actions that improve execution, strengthen customer engagement, and deliver against annual operating objectives.

Skills

Strong analytical skills

Pattern of initiative

Interpersonal skills

Team collaboration

Written and verbal communication

Independent work

Leadership

Visa sponsorship not required

Authorized to work in US

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience

Job description

NATIONAL CATEGORY SALES MANAGER – RETAIL SALES – MEGAMEX CORPORATE OFFICE (ORANGE, CA)

HORMEL FOODS CORPORATION

To save time applying, Hormel Foods does not offer sponsorship of job applicants for employment-based visas for this position at this time.

ABOUT HORMEL FOODS

Hormel Foods Corporation, based in Austin, Minnesota, is a global branded food company with approximately $12 billion in annual revenue across more than 80 countries worldwide. Its brands include Planters®, Skippy®, SPAM®, Hormel® Natural Choice®, Applegate®, Wholly®, Hormel® Black Label®, Columbus®, Jennie-O® and more than 30 other beloved brands. The company is a member of the S&P 500 Index and the S&P 500 Dividend Aristocrats, was named one of the best companies to work for by U.S. News & World Report, one of America’s most responsible companies by Newsweek, recognized by TIME magazine as one of the World’s Best Companies, and has received numerous other awards and accolades for its corporate responsibility and community service efforts. For more information, visit www.hormelfoods.com.

SUMMARY:

This position will report to the Director – Category Sales – MegaMex and will be accountable for leading the commercial strategy and business performance of the assigned brand portfolios, delivering sustainable sales growth, profitability, and market share gains through strategic planning, cross-functional leadership, and customer-focused execution. Additionally, as part of the MegaMex Long Range Plan (LRP), this role is responsible for advancing Herdez, one of the organizations three Mega Brands, through winning customer strategies, profitable growth, and market expansion to strengthen MegaMex’s long‑term growth platform.

Responsibilities

This role is accountable for developing and executing the strategic business plan required to deliver sales, profitability, market share, and growth objectives across the assigned sauces portfolio. The National Category Sales Manager (NCSM) serves as the business leader and strategic connector between Marketing, Sales, Revenue Growth Management, Supply Chain, Finance, and Field Sales Strategy to accelerate category and brand growth.

• Owns and champions the national strategy, performance, and long-term growth agenda for the assigned sauces categories and brands.
• Leads the strategic planning process by partnering with marketing to develop and execute brand strategies that deliver sustainable top‑line growth, market share gains, and profitability objectives. Leverage expertise in consumer trends, category dynamics, customer and shopper insights, and competitive intelligence to influence business decisions.
• Develops and manages annual operating/sales plans (AOP), volume targets, and trade investment strategies, ensuring alignment across customers, channels, and organizational growth priorities while maximizing return on investment.
• Serves as the primary commercial leader and connector between the Retail Sales organization and MegaMex cross‑functional partners, driving alignment among Retail Leadership, Field Sales, Revenue Growth Management, Brand Analytics, Marketing, and Sales Strategy teams.
• Partners closely with Sales leadership and customer teams to translate brand strategies into winning customer plans, support high‑impact customer negotiations, and unlock growth opportunities across key retail accounts.
• Optimizes trade investment and resource allocation to drive profitable growth, improve investment effectiveness, and achieve financial and brand performance objectives.
• Leads forecasting and business planning activities for volume, net sales, trade spend, and gross margin across the assigned portfolio. Actively influence the Integrated Business Planning (IBP) process by identifying risks, opportunities, and actions necessary to deliver business commitments and 18‑month volume projections.
• Creates and deploys insight‑driven, field‑ready selling solutions that translate category, shopper, and consumer insights into actionable growth strategies. Equips field teams with compelling category visions, selling stories, and growth platforms that strengthen customer partnerships and accelerate category leadership.
• Monitors business performance and proactively identifies opportunities and risks, recommending strategic actions that improve execution, strengthen customer engagement, and deliver against annual operating objectives.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Required

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 4+ years of Sales/Marketing/Sales Strategy experience.
• Strong analytical skills.
• Pattern of initiative.
• Highly developed interpersonal skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a diverse team environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to work independently.
• Strong leadership skills.
• Applicants must not now, or at any time in the future, require sponsorship for a work visa.
• Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States for any employer.

Preferred

• National Category Sales Manager or similar experience.
• 5+ years of Sales/Marketing/Sales Strategy experience.

LOCATION: MegaMex Corporate Office, Orange CA.

A comprehensive relocation package to the Orange, CA area may be offered, if required.

At Hormel Foods, base pay is one part of our total compensation package and is determined within a range. The base hiring pay range for the National Category Sales Manager role is between $111,550 – $156,175 per year, and your actual base pay within that range will depend upon a variety of factors including, but not limited to, job‑related knowledge, skill set, level of experience, and geographic market location.

BENEFITS: Other components of Hormel Foods’ total compensation package includes comprehensive medical, dental and vision coverage, discretionary annual merit increases, 401(k) with employer match, stock purchase plan, paid time off, free two‑year community/technical college tuition for children of employees, and more.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS: 10% of the time

At Hormel we invite difference and diversity in all aspects. We offer a space of support, understanding, and community. We are committed to the journey! Learn more about our progress here: https://www.hormelfoods.com/about/diversity-and-inclusion/

Hormel Foods provides equal employment opportunities to applicants and employees without regard to race; color; sex; gender identity; sexual orientation; religious practices and observances; national origin; pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions; status as a protected veteran or spouse/family member of a protected veteran; or disability.