TDMK-Associate, Sales

KeHE Distributors, LLC; Naperville (IL); On-site; USD 53,000 - 78,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health/Rx

Dental

Vision

FSA/HSA

Supplemental life insurance

401(k)

Paid time off

Paid sick time

Short term disability

Long term disability

Employee stock ownership (ESOP)

Holiday pay

Job summary

KeHE Distributors, LLC is seeking a Sales Associate in Naperville, IL to drive sales growth and expand our customer base. This full-time role emphasizes building relationships with executive-level customers, qualifying leads, and moving prospects through the sales pipeline to close deals.

You will onboard new customers, provide product training, support marketing campaigns, and coordinate with Logistics Account Managers to meet client needs.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Sales, or related field.
• 1+ years of experience in Sales, Marketing, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• Ability to travel by car, train, or airplane as required by the company.
• Excellent communication and negotiation abilities.

Responsibilities

• Builds and maintains relationships with executive-level customers to foster long-term partnerships.
• Moves prospects through the sales pipeline by qualifying leads and presenting.
• Negotiates terms and closes new sales deals to meet revenue targets.
• Onboards new customers and provides product training.
• Supports marketing campaigns and collaboration with Logistics Account Managers.

Skills

Food logistics

Pricing structures

Verbal & written communication

Negotiation

Customer service

Multitasking

MS Office

Sales targets

Travel required

Education

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

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Why Work for KeHE?

• Full-time
• Pay Range: $53,350.00/Yr. - $78,287.00/Yr.
• Shift Days: , Shift Time:
• Benefits on Day 1
  • Health/Rx
  • Dental
  • Vision
  • Flexible and health spending accounts (FSA/HSA)
  • Supplemental life insurance
  • 401(k)
  • Paid time off
  • Paid sick time
  • Short term & long term disability coverage (STD/LTD)
  • Employee stock ownership (ESOP)
  • Holiday pay for company designated holidays

Overview

At KeHE, we’re obsessed with creating solutions, unboxing potential, and serving others – and it all starts with you. As an employee-owned distributor of natural and organic, specialty, and fresh products, we’re committed to making a positive impact and scaling our success together. With a culture that fosters development and opportunity, you’ll be embarking on a career that’s moving forward. When you join KeHE, you’re becoming part of a team that is a force for good.

Primary Responsibilities

The Sales Associate is accountable for driving sales growth, identifying new market opportunities, and maintaining customer relationships. This role involves filling and moving prospects through the sales pipeline, assisting with negotiating, and closing sales, and onboarding new customers. As with all positions at KeHE Distributors, we expect that all actions will be consistent with KeHE’s Mission, Vision, and Values.

Essential Functions

DUTIES, TASKS AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Builds and maintains strong relationships with executive‑level customers to foster long‑term partnerships, drive sales conversations, and offer continuous improvement strategies.
• Moves prospects through the sales pipeline by effectively qualifying leads, conducting sales presentations, and addressing customer objections.
• Develops and maintains a thorough understanding of our products or services to effectively communicate value propositions to prospects.
• Utilizes sales software and tools to generate new leads and identify potential prospects in the target market.
• Research industry trends, market opportunities, and competitor activities to identify new leads and market segments.
• Presents new opportunities and projects to the Customer Development Manager (CDM) for evaluation and approval.
• Assists with negotiations of terms and closes new sales deals to meet revenue targets and objectives.
• Facilitate the onboarding process for new customers, ensuring a seamless transition and successful implementation of our products or services.
• Provide training and support to new customers to ensure they derive maximum value from their partnership with our company.
• Assist with marketing campaigns to grow sales through tradeshow attendance.
• Coordinate with Logistics Account Managers to ensure customer requirements are met, address issues promptly, and implement strategies for customer retention and growth.
• Other duties and projects as assigned.

Minimum Requirements, Qualifications, Additional Skills, Aptitude

SKILLS, KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

• Knowledge of food logistics and market trends.
• Understanding of rate structures and customer pricing.
• Ability to communicate effectively both verbal and written with various levels of management.
• Strong negotiation skills.
• Excellent customer service, presentation, and active listening skills.
• Ability to multitask, prioritize tasks, and work effectively in a fast‑paced environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
• Proven track record of meeting and exceeding sales targets and objectives.
• Ability to travel by car, train, or airplane as required by the company.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Sales, or related field.
• Minimum of 1+ years of experience in Sales, Marketing, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job.

Equal Employer Opportunity Statement

KeHE Distributors provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits all forms of discrimination and harassment on the basis of race, color, religion or faith, sex, gender, age, ancestry, national origin, mental or physical disability or medical condition, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, military or veteran status, genetic information, or any other category protected under federal, state, or local law. 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 as well as the administration of all Human Resources and Talent Acquisition processes.