Director of Sales, Circle-K/Central-West – Driving Business Growth and Partnership Excellence at blithequark

Are you a seasoned sales leader with a passion for driving business growth and building strong partnerships? Do you thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment where innovation and teamwork come together to achieve exceptional results? If so, we invite you to join blithequark as our Director of Sales, Circle-K/Central-West. In this pivotal role, you will lead a cross-functional team to deliver business results across assigned customers, leveraging your expertise in sales, customer development, and system leadership to drive success.About blithequarkblithequark is a leading company in the beverage industry, with a portfolio of iconic and innovative brands that include bolthires, Simply, Fairlife, and Topo Chico. Our company is committed to refreshing the world and making a difference, and we take pride in our inclusive culture that values growth, learning, and collaboration. With a rich history spanning over 130 years, we continue to thrive and evolve, driven by our purpose and a growth mindset. Job SummaryAs our Director of Sales, Circle-K/Central-West, you will be responsible for leading a team of sales account executives to deliver business results across assigned customers, including Circle-K HQ and regional CR chains across the West and Central United States.You will drive processes and execution of annual plans, negotiate annual agreements, and provide subject matter expertise to resolve complex customer issues. Your expertise in sales, customer development, and system leadership will be essential in achieving our business objectives and building strong partnerships with our customers. Responsibilities* Customer Development+ Strategic leader responsible for the oversight of the Circle-K HQ customer relationship on behalf of blithequark. + Deliver results through the management of four (4) regional sales account executives, who lead various large/small regional CR chains across the West and Central United States.+ Drive processes and execution of annual plans across assigned customers and bottlers, delivering key business and financial metrics, including topline results (Revenue, volume, Share) and key financial metrics (trade spend and T&E budgets). + Partner with Sr. Management and cross-functional team members to build Annual Plans to achieve both short-term and long-term business objectives. + Lead annual negotiations ensuring an optimized partnership agreement is in place that supports overall organizational priorities.+ Collaborative leader of a cross-functional team responsible for the development and implementation of overall customer selling stories, while providing key insights to deliver all key execution metrics (Assortment, Shelving, Pricing, Merchandising, and Innovation). + Oversee the on-going account updates and performance reporting against key metrics and problem-solve plan gaps and bring forward recommendations to deliver on required business objectives. + Develop and leverage top-level external relationships at major accounts to optimize blithequark positioning in the market.* System Leadership+ Participate in all system routines as needed (CCLT, Customer core Teams) to provide customer updates, including annual plan targets and elements, and on-going customer performance updates and action plans to deliver annual plans. + Work closely with bolthires sales teams to maximize mutual goals, results, and execution. + Build and leverage relationships with both blithequark teams and Bottlers and Legacy distributors to ensure alignment and focus on delivering key customer objectives.* Cross-Functional Communication and Collaboration+ Provides on-going updates on customer plan results and opportunities to blithequark management. + Participate in key cross-functional routines to provide on-going plan updates and ensure flawless execution of customer programs and initiatives. + Provide customer input to annual plans, including all Marketing, Commercial, and Innovation plans. * Organizational Development+ Fully leverage all cross-functional resources to deliver best-in-class capabilities to customers, including selling stories, consumer and customer marketing, and insights, and revenue growth management plans.+ Coach and mentor team, providing subject matter expertise on customer needs, ensuring the team is supported and the required resources are in place to support overall business priorities. + Manage to annual T&E budget for department, ensuring alignment with internal financial objectives. Requirements* Education: Bachelor's degree required* Experience: 8+ years direct sales experience in CPG, with a track record of successfully selling into multiple national and regional channel customers* Skills:+ Account Management+ Business Development+ Communication+ Consultative Sales Management+ Customer Relationship Management (CRM)+ Decision Making+ Leadership+ Marketing+ National Account Sales+ Negotiation+ Pitch Presentations+ Sales+ Sales Management+ Sales Process* Travel: Position requires substantial travel (+50%)* Valid Driver's License: Must hold and maintain a valid driver's license and be able to drive long distances* Motor Vehicle Records: Must satisfy Company standards per Driving PolicyWhat We Can Offer* Iconic & Innovative Brands:Our portfolio represents over 250 products with some of the most popular brands in the world, including bolthires, Simply, Fairlife, and Topo Chico.* Expansive & Diverse Customers: We work with a diversified group of customers, ranging from retail and grocery outlets to theme parks, movie theaters, restaurants, and many more each day. * CompetitiveCompensation: Base pay offered may vary depending on geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, with a pay range of $141,000 - $165,200. * Annual Incentive Reference Value Percentage: 30* Benefits: A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position, is offered.Our Purpose and Growth CultureWe are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what's possible, and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors - curious, empowered, inclusive, and agile - and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years.Equal Opportunity EmployerWe are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state, or local protected class. If you are a motivated and results-driven sales leader with a passion for building strong partnerships and driving business growth, we invite you to apply for this exciting opportunity.Please visit our website to and at blithequark.