- Exciting opportunity in a rewarding role with Nature's Path - 2016 Financial Post's Ten Best Companies to work for in Canada!
- Be a part of a values-based organization with a mission to leave the earth better than we found it.
- Fantastic work atmosphere and supportive team members.
About Nature's Path
Nature’s Path is a sustainably-driven, deliciously-healthy organic food company that believes in "leaving the earth better than we found it". At Nature’s Path, we believe in the idea that you can come to work, and help make the world a better place in the same day. Nature’s Path has received numerous awards such as the Greenest Employer award, BC’s Top Employers award, and Financial Post’s Ten Best Companies to work for in Canada!
As a family-run, privately-owned company with locations in Canada and the U.S., our company was founded with strong entrepreneurial spirit and mission to leave the Earth better than we found it, which has become part of everything we do. Since our establishment in 1985, we have expanded to employ a team of over 600 employees in U.S. and Canada! Our company’s innovative brands include Nature’s Path, Love Crunch, Envirokidz and Que Pasa.
Our goal is to be a trusted name for quality organic foods in every home– socially responsible, environmentally sustainable and financially viable. We believe that everyone should have access to delicious food that is both good for people and the planet. If you share our vision, please explore our opportunities and take the path to a new and exciting career! Visit Nature’s Path online at www.naturespath.com, join us on Facebook and follow us on Twitter.
About The Opportunity
Nature’s Path has a newly created position for a National Account Manager – Whole Foods (US). Reporting to the AVP, Natural Channel this is an incredible opportunity to lead a huge growth opportunity for Natures Path, developing the Whole Foods account.
As the NAM, Whole Foods you will develop and capitalize on the strengths of a cross functional team consisting of the Category Development and Strategy & Operations departments. You will manage all Wholefoods outlets and their affiliated banners in order to increase market share, brand awareness and company revenues. You will manage a business with total revenues exceeding +$21 million annually and the according financial responsibilities to ensure profitable growth targets are achieved annually.
You take customer centricity and sales seriously, but want to have fun at work with the Natures Path team! You value integrity and you take ownership and show initiative in everything you do and are performance driven. You not only love the culture, but contribute to it. Health and Wellness is not something you read about, but something you live.
The NAM, Whole Foods plans, influences and directs the activities of a cross functional team to maintain and improve sales strategies and achieve volume, profit, share & category growth objectives. This position is responsible for understanding Whole Foods’ key objectives and strategies, and implementing a collaborative business plan to develop long-term, mutually-beneficial relationships, becoming an extension of Whole Foods strategic business plan. The NAM, Whole Foods serves as a leader, establishing the future of Nature’s Path through go-to-market strategies, business processes, and other market-based initiatives.
Critical outcomes for this role include:
- Lead the Natures Path Whole Foods sales team in the successful attainment of company volume, profit, sales & market share objectives on all products sold through Whole Foods.
- Promote and maintain a positive rapport with Whole Foods to maximize potential opportunities, identify customer needs and further develop key initiatives.
- Identify opportunities for mutual profitability with Whole Foods.
- Provide high-level communication to executive team regarding opportunities for growth.
- Create strategic business plans to drive profitable volume and establish specific sales objectives.
- Develop, execute and evaluate sales promotion plans, utilization of market development funds and merchandising ideas while ensuring execution, review and tracking of all plans and programs.
- Develop outlet level execution strategy that coincides with the HQ booked promotional calendar (in partnership with Natural Channel Team Leader Retail Execution)
- Accurately forecast customer volume based on acquired customer and industry knowledge.
- Analyze results achieved against objectives and initiate action to optimize performance.
- Manage resources to grow Whole Foods and develop a reoccurring pipeline of revenue.
- Work cross-functionally to develop partnerships with other key disciplines to ensure that company resources are focused to maximize marketplace opportunities.
- Development of a strategic partnership with UNFI executive team overseeing the Whole Foods business.
- Ensure timely notice of key market events, price changes, new product introductions, competitive activity, and potential problems / opportunities.
- Instill a positive work environment for team members to become a more productive team.
Success in this role will require:
Primary Requirements:
- Progressive sales management experience at a national level within the consumer products industry, preferably with Whole Foods and in the Natural Food Channel.
- Excellent transformational leadership abilities and knowledge to create a win-win situation with Wholefoods and Natures Path.
- Strong, well-established, professional relationships with senior level executives within Wholefoods.
- Strong analytical skills and the capability to create & articulate fact based sales opportunities.
- Exceptional sales skills including negotiation, account management, account penetration, strategic selling, category management, and leading edge sales strategies.
- Demonstrated track record of achieving tough, demanding goals.
- Strong strategic and tactical skills and an ability to solve problems and set priorities.
- Excellent communication and listening skills with the ability to adjust style to effectively interact with external customers and internal staff.
- Team leader with demonstrated success inspiring and leading business initiatives.
- Ability to translate strategy into actionable plans.
- Strong record of hiring, managing and promoting top performers.
- Ability to communicate effectively with cross-functional teams.
- Four-year undergraduate degree in Business Administration, Marketing or related field.
Skills and Qualifications
- 10+ years of successful account management experience working with key/strategic accounts/distributors and their executive teams within the US Natural Food or Grocery Channel, e.g. Whole Foods, Sprouts, Kroger, Publix, HEB etc…
- High Sense of Urgency, Agile, Competitive, Motivator & Calculated Risk Taker
- Experience in a hybrid distribution models of direct, DSD & third party
- Strong knowledge of UNFI and their strategic partnerships with Wholefoods
- Proven Experience leading high performing teams
- Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing or Business preferred. Equivalent experience considered
- Thrives in an environment of adversity and has successfully led change management
- Have a proven track record of positive sales results and territory management
- Demonstrated strategic thinking, creativity, ability to solve problems, team work and getting work done through others
- Consultative selling, Category Analytics, Negotiation and presentation skills are critical
- Possess a valid Driver’s License.
- High level of experience with Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook is required
- Professional Sales training and/or equivalent experience is preferred
- Possess a valid passport and able to travel 6-10 days per month throughout US and quarterly into Vancouver Canada.
Nature’s Path “Must-Have’s”
- You have an unrelenting desire to be successful and chase down growth
- You have a sense of humour and passion for health and wellness
- You love to have fun, but take your responsibilities seriously
- You have a high sense of urgency and act with speed and agility
- You are comfortable being uncomfortable and thrive in adverse situation
Upon joining Nature's Path, you will become part of a vibrant team that contributes to bringing healthy, organic food to the world in a sustainable way. At Nature’s Path, we follow 5 core competencies and, as a result, strive to build a culture that is: performance driven, always improving, team focused, honourable and respectful, and sustainably and socially conscious.
We thank all applicants for their interest in Nature’s Path Foods; candidates selected for an interview will be contacted by Nature’s Path.
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