Career Descriptions
- Finance Analyst
- Finance Manager
- District & Zone Manager
- New Product Developer
- Store Manager
- Human Resource Manager
- Labor Relations Manager
- Training & Development
- Account Manager
- Brand & Product Manager
- Category Manager
- Market Analyst
- Marketing Manager
- National Sales Manager
- Sales Manager
- Sales Representative
- Buyer/Merchandiser
- Purchasing Manager
- Logistics Manager
- Supply Chain Manager
Finance:
A financial analyst will be responsible for analyzing and creating payroll and operations expenses for unit locations, such as stores or warehouses. They will then be responsible for tracking and reporting unit performance, along with recommendations to improve profit margins. In addition, they will review vendor contracts for additional cost savings and compare performance of business units, recommending changes as needed. Requirements include a BA/BA degree with an emphasis in business, finance or accounting, 3-5 years experience in finance, retail experience. A graduate degrees is a plus.
A finance manager will work with senior management to develop financial
strategies to contribute to the organizational goals. They will be responsible
for analyzing and implementing changes based upon forecasting, trend
analysis, testing information and actual sales data and performance.
A finance manager will also oversee financial analysts and the accounting
department to ensure financial reporting is done using the current GAAP
and SEC guidelines. Additionally, a finance manager will be responsible
for conducting an ROI for existing and proposed initiatives. Requirements
include a BA/BS degree with an emphasis in finance or accounting, 5-7
years of experience in a finance department. A master’s degree
and retail experience are a plus.
General Management:
A District/Zone Manager juggles multiple tasks at once and is responsible for managing the various day-to-day business activities inside their zone; for example, sales and profit generation, personnel planning and administration, merchandising, controlling of theft and expenses, sales planning, store maintenance and appearance, new store opening and store closings. A college degree or equivalent retail management experience is essential. In addition, proven sales ability, effective leadership skills, excellent communication skills, strong motivational skills, solid analytical ability, effective problem solving ability, conflict resolution skills, merchandise presentation expertise, professional appearance and presentation are all preferred.
New Product Developers support food based initiatives from prototype creation through technical development and introduction scale up. New Product Developers actively participate in all phases of the new product development process out in the field, working closely with suppliers, management and development teams. These individuals will also consult and act as key resources for all food-based inquiries relating to new products developed, as well as lead food and technical product development efforts and initiatives; they will assist in the development of product vision and translate the vision and expectations into supplier produced prototypes. Also, New Product Developers create and maintain a strong working relationship with a wide range of global suppliers; build a broad awareness of vendors and their capabilities for raw ingredients, component and finished products; ensure product quality consistency and safety of new product production, writes working specifications and communicates with Supply Chain Management; directs the setup and food preparation for all product; consult and train International markets on the basic requirements and steps in product development; interact with Supply Chain Management, US Food scientists, technologists and chefs, Quality Assurance teams worldwide, and product development teams to facilitate new product development. These candidates may be skilled in Food Science, technology and/or food processing with a solid understanding of quality and safety principles and approaches, in addition to 5-10 years of food based experience in product development and excellent project management and people management skills. A minimum of a Bachelors Degree in Food Science, Food Technology or Food Processing and Engineering along with basic computer skills are needed.
A Store manager administers, coordinates, and implements all retail selling activities within the store. Store Managers staff, hire and maintain a completely qualified staff of full-time and part-time sales professionals, network and recruit to identify potential candidates for the store, utilize the interview guidelines and questions to qualify the candidates for the store, drive Sales and Profitability in their facility, close sales and drive the sales process in the store, ensure that all call back and follow-up procedures are followed on sales leads, and ensure that all sales training procedures are followed. Five years experience in operating various departments and management experience, along with a proven track record of growth in retail sales or a related sales field. Store Managers have an excellent knowledge of retail selling skills and strong sales ability, experience in recruiting and supervising a sales team, the ability to hire top quality, and are sales oriented team players, skilled and knowledgeable in corrective action procedures, detail oriented with strong organization and communication skills.
Human Resources:
Human Resource Managers coordinate various H.R. activities, such as policy development, compensation, employee relations, benefits, training, and employee services by performing the following duties. They write directives that advise department managers of company policy regarding Equal Employment Opportunities, compensation, and employee benefits, consults legal counsel to ensure that policies comply with federal and state law, develops and maintains a human resources system that meets top management information needs, studies legislation, court, and arbitration decisions to assess industry trends. Managers will review team member's performance, documents, and handles performance plan tracking, production and amendment of employment agreements, including initiation of the background checks, performs employee relations counseling for both employees and supervisors along with H.R. policy and procedure development. H.R. Managers have the ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with other management staff, employees, and the general public and to present facts and recommendations effectively in oral and written form.
A labor relations manager will work closely with employees, managers, contract groups and company lawyers to ensure that contract provisions are being executed correctly, as well as resolving employee grievances following the appropriate complaint resolution procedure. Knowledge of collective bargaining laws, regulations and procedures, as well as knowledge of human resource related laws, including discrimination and harassment laws, are essential. Additionally, this position will analyze current and proposed labor contracts from a financial perspective and recommend changes, based on a solid business case. Requirements include BA/BS degree, with emphasis in business or human resources preferred, 5-7 years experience in human resource related field, retail experience a plus.
Training and Development professionals often have both sales and training experience. An experienced training manager with a background in sales is able to help meet the revenue goals and customer service objectives by contributing their sales training and staff development expertise. These professionals create and present training materials for new employees, serve as a central expert and resource in the division's performance management process, and help prospect for sales talent. Superb communication and knowledge of training and development concepts for sales organization, the ability to interpret and synthesize market research data into a sales presentation format, sales management skills and sales experience, along with outstanding interpersonal skills, including collaboration and teamwork and a Bachelor's degree or equivalent preferred plus three-four years of training experience.
Marketing/Sales/Advertising:
Account Managers identify, target, and manage accounts of products/services through sales calls and client visits. In this profession, you will grow relationships and penetrate sales in selected commercial accounts and will serve as the primary contact for customers and prospects. Typically, Account Managers will call on about 8 account calls per day. Activities include face-to-face meetings in an office setting or store, constant business development, product demonstration, and sales process management. Account Managers also can be involved in organizing displays and participating in conventions. Responsibilities include developing Customer Action Plans, and analyzing data and results. Account Managers can work out of an office in their home, but many prefer the more traditional setting in a company. Individuals with a minimum of two years outside Sales experience and a four-year college degree, along with excellent communication and interpersonal skills, the ability to interface with a wide variety of people, and a truly professional approach are often most suited for this career.
Product managers are responsible for the marketing and development of a company's core product brands. Product managers are both strategic and tactical because they are responsible for positioning a product, assessing the competition, and thinking about the future of the product. In addition, they are in the field of developing appropriate promotional campaigns, talking to reps about what customers want and think along with doing the day-to-day sales tracking that's required for any major product category. Product and Brand Management professionals are excited about their ability to manage and strengthen brands and are at the vortex of company life because their decisions directly affect the success of a business. Consumer research, product development, package design, consumer communication and development of fact-based selling tools for the sales force are all facets of a career in Brand/Product Management. Three to five years of Marketing experience in a food company or other firm, and a four year degree in marketing is strongly. An MBA is preferred, but not required. The candidate must have strong written and oral communication skills, solid computer skills, such as Microsoft Office, and must be energetic and work well in a fast-paced and entrepreneurial environment.
A Category Manager is responsible for determining the proper selection, shelf placement, pricing, and promotion of items in assigned categories while obtaining the lowest cost available and managing the product mix. In addition, a Category Manager must negotiate with vendors to secure the lowest possible cost-of-goods and increase sales and profitability. The ultimate goal for the Category Manager is to assure that supplied retailers are competitively priced with the right item selection and promotional vehicles to increase retail sales while maintaining a high retail gross profit. B.S./B.A. or equivalent retail management or wholesale merchandising experience with strong analytical abilities, and leadership, negotiating and communication skills are essential.
A Market Analyst conducts customer, market, and competitive research utilizing a variety of primary and secondary resources. Market Analysts develop and present various research proposals, follow tracking systems for marketing functions, works closely with the product management and team, and interprets business objectives and needs by designing research studies and managing the marketing database. Analysts present research findings to groups internally and externally, as well. A Bachelor of Science in Business, Marketing or Statistics is required, and a strong analytical background, product management/ marketing experience, excellent organizational skills and project management capabilities, and oral/written communication skills are essential.
Marketing Managers develop, manage, and coordinate the marketing strategies for the business markets. This role encompasses overall management of the market and works with various marketing segments to ensure effective and appropriate delivery of marketing solutions to capitalize on businesses opportunities. These Managers focus on opportunity identification to drive segment development, in addition to managing the overall marketing initiatives. Joint accountability with Product, Marketing Analytics, and Management involves development of immediate and long-term marketing strategies for the Regional markets that assist in meeting the business objectives and management of activities and budgets. In addition, Marketing Managers work with business partners in order to facilitate the best outcome for regional customers and build the profile of the market to achieve a better positioning with customers. The ideal person will have 5-8 years work experience in Marketing or another Business capacity, along with a Business or Marketing Degree. Practical "hands on" marketing or planning distribution experience in the industry, skills in strategy development, relationship building/teamwork, planning & organizing along with a strong customer understanding.
National Sales Managers create and implement sales, identify new markets and establish a liaison with product development. In addition, these managers provide direction pertaining to the distributor and representative personnel and management of contract administration to maintain profit margins and track market conditions and trends, along with creating strategic marketing alliances with customers and competitors, developing new marketing plans to include identifying new prospects and execution of plans via advertising. A BA/BS degree in Business, Sales or Marketing required, and an MBA is preferred, in addition to ten years in management experience in a manufacturing environment within a domestic/ international environment, effective leadership, communication, organizational and multitasking skills required.
Sales Managers are responsible for the business goals of their sales reps, including business development, sales, gross profit contribution, and development of new contacts; business retention, increasing market share and business reviews. As a manager, demonstrated success in people management and development of staff members is also a critical success factor. The ideal candidate will have a degree in Business, Marketing, or equivalent, and will possess 2 to 5 years of successful proven sales experience in the service industry. In addition, the ability to create excellent customer and employee relationships, communicate well, and collaborate with the sales team.
Either directly or indirectly, selling goods and services keeps the economy in motion, because every item that someone owns is an item someone has bought and, therefore, someone has sold. Sales Representatives provide customers or clients with goods and services, thereby earning money for the company that produces those items. What varies is the seller's product, technique, income, and title. For example, people who sell for their livelihood may go by the name of account executive, broker, manufacturer's representative, or merchandiser. Establishing and maintaining a wide-reaching customer base is the salesperson's primary responsibility. Wages vary greatly in the world of sales. Base pay may be literally $0.00 per year for those confident enough to take a commission-only position. But salaries fall all along the income spectrum, and earnings at the high end can be in the six-figure range. Most sales positions offer a small base salary and pay a commission on each deal. Management positions generally command a reasonable base salary and don't earn commissions because managers usually aren't directly responsible for sales. Requirements for Sales positions vary, but most positions do require the candidates to have a four year degree.
Purchasing:
The individuals selected for this position will be responsible for managing and buying the merchandising programs for a select category of merchandise within an assigned category to achieve sales, gross margin, inventory and turnover goals. This is a buying position that reports to a senior Buyer, but also has buying responsibilities. Buyers and merchandisers establish a business strategy in conjunction for achieving goals for selected merchandise category, develop vendor relationships and negotiate turns that fit within financial parameters. Merchandisers work with Buyers and Product Development to prepare advertising plans and private label programs for select categories. Skills helpful to this career include a general working knowledge of PC, MIRS, ICI, CICS, PROFS and Microsoft Office. A minimum of a Bachelors Degree and two years experience as a Buyer, or Sr. Associate Buyer for a major retail organization is required. The candidate must have buying experience for a multiunit organization, strong negotiation skills, the ability to analyze financial reports and react accordingly, initiative to work independently with excellent follow-through, and the ability to prioritize and organize with close attention to detail and be a team player.
Purchasing Managers control inventory and planning, management of contract manufacturers, and purchasing terms and supply chain negotiation, including preparation and placement of purchase orders. This opportunity requires a BA/BS Degree in Business or 4 - 8 years of experience in manufacturing environment and demonstrated skills in supervision, communication, material sourcing and inventory management. The ideal Candidate will have a Bachelor's Degree, at least 5 years of experience in a manufacturing company; expertise in contract negotiations; strong supply chain management skills and a background in contract manufacturing management.
Supply/Logistics:
The "ideal candidate" will possess a strong background in Inventory and Logistics, will have a firm understanding of the food industry, and will have worked closely with Sales and Marketing developing new accounts, including contract management and negotiation. He/she will possess a unique ability to train personnel in inventory management and marketing. Managing and directing all inventory logistics programs for target accounts; assuming accountability for successful implementation of inventory management accounts; negotiating the level of inventory management service appropriate to the requirements of the customer; teaming-up with Operation Managers to negotiate contracts and monitor existing contracts for follow up, pricing adjustments and future growth. Requirements include a Bachelors, preferably in Supply and Logistics, along with five years in the management of Inventory and Logistics accounts. A history of establishing goals, objectives and minimum/maximum levels for customer inventory control is helpful, as well as experience in personnel training in inventory management and marketing, as well as account development, marketing, advertising and trade shows with a track record of strong contract negotiation skills.
Supply Chain Managers may design supplier selection processes, control quality or inventory projects, make or outsource decisions regarding manufacturing and transportation. These professionals also have leadership responsibilities within a market and provides leadership within a particular industry, technology or practice. They are also responsible for architecting solutions regarding their practice area and supporting those delivery teams and leading specific areas and services within a practice. In addition, they are heavily involved in creating and updating the methodologies that support the alignment of strategy to delivery.