At our Company, we grow People, Brands, and Businesses! We’re on the hunt for a savvy sales leader who lives and breathes beauty to join our JLB Sales & Account Management team. If you’re obsessed with products, trends, and what’s next—and you know how to turn that passion into smart, strategic growth—this role is for you. As our new Director of Sales - Beauty, you’ll lead a strong portfolio of brands and work hand-in-hand with Target to drive incremental growth across their booming beauty business. Based in Minneapolis,MN our organization is a go-to resource for brands looking to scale—and we’re just getting started.

The Role:

 As Director of Sales - Beauty, you are directly responsible for identifying and pursuing new business and clients within assigned Division that will grow the business, and operating as the division/industry expert, reporting to the Vice President of Sales who oversees entire Target Pyramids. Additionally, you will deepen and enhance relationships across the current portfolio of vendor partners and Target Merchant Team.  You will oversee and mentor a team of sales professionals (Sales Leads, Account Managers and Account Specialists), providing guidance, training, and support to achieve and exceed sales, revenue, and profitability targets.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee all business planning and sales-related activities on behalf of our brand partners at Target.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with our client base and strive to achieve both their goals and the goals of Target.
• Actively manage, grow and scale your assigned client portfolio through assortment expansions, merchandising, displays, pricing and more
• Build strong connections with key Buying & Planning leaders at Target to understand business focus, strategy, and key initiatives.
• With support from Trend & Insights + Intelligence, own the identification, soliciting and sourcing of new business and whitespace opportunities, attending industry events & trade shows as needed
• Dive Deep into data, constantly analyzing performance, leveraging competitive market data, and unearthing opportunities for growth and improvement
• Coach, Develop and Train a team of Sales Leads, Account Managers and Specialists, and ensure outstanding operational excellence on behalf of your clients
• Constantly ideate with and bring new initiatives and opportunities to Target
• Coach our brand partners on thriving in a complex and ever-changing retail landscape
• Collaborate with cross functional teams to raise the value of JLB, our clients, and each other.
• Drive financial performance by building annual strategic category plans to achieve annual sales/revenue and margin goals
• Negotiate client relationship, scope of work and commission/fee structure
• Contract Management, including initiating, negotiating, executing, and renewing
• Coach and train team to have a strong financial acumen foundation

What You’ll Bring:

• 10+ years of Sales/Account Management Experience (required), preferably in the Beauty & Personal Care industry
• 10+ years of item level forecasting Experience (required)
• 7+ years of previous experience working with Target’s corporate offices (preferred)
• 5+ years of mentoring and people leadership experience (required)
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel (required)
• Self-starter
• Ability to communicate through story-telling
• Problem solving and navigating ambiguous situations

 What we offer:

• Full-Time Benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, Life)
• 401(k) with company match
• Training and Career Development
• Generous Paid Time-Off 

Job Will Remain Open Until Filled

The Company is one of North America’s leading sales and marketing agencies specializing in outsourced sales, merchandising, category management and marketing services to manufacturers, suppliers and producers of food products and consumer packaged goods. The Company services a variety of trade channels including grocery, mass merchandise, specialty, convenience, drug, dollar, club, hardware, consumer electronics and home centers. We bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers, providing consumers access to the best products available in the marketplace today.

Position Summary

Responsible for the overall management of assigned market(s). Title of Director Sales (vs. Sales Manager) is awarded based on a combination of the market’s volume, number of customers and associated complexity, and the market’s strategic importance. The position is responsible for achieving the market’s Profit and Loss (“P&L”) targets, generating new business opportunities, and managing the business unit operations. It is a pivotal role in the management of the team members responsible for achieving client deliverables related to each client’s budget and bonus objectives.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Achieve P&L targets:  Manage business unit resources to deliver EBITDA* objective. [* Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation, and Amortization]
• Drive revenue growth:  Identify revenue opportunities and align business unit resources to gain those new revenue opportunities.
• Client Management:  Work with the BDM to organize business unit team to retain and grow all client relationships. In conjunction with the BDM, ensure that a plan is in place with each client to achieve client Key Performance Indicators (“KPIs”) to create “raving fans”.
• Customer Relationships:  Work with all roles that have direct customer responsibility to build and nurture strong customer relationships at the mid to senior level of the organization; help sales associates establish a pattern of regular communication and business reviews to create “raving fans” of our customers.
• Team Leadership:  Manage and lead staffing priorities so that workload balancing/utilization is maximized. Engage associates so that they are a part of the ongoing solution. Set and communicate clear expectations.
• People Development:  Manage talent to meet future business needs by identifying high potential(s) within the team, create and implement individual development plans for high potential(s), identify a successor, and effectively manage associates who are not satisfactorily achieving the Company, client, and/or customer performance/business objectives.
• Forecasting: Ability to anticipate future market changes so that resources can be adjusted accordingly; this includes planning for new revenue growth as well as customer shifts/consolidations.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Direct Reports

Hires, retains, trains, coaches, guides, directs, and develops direct reports using company-wide processes, tools and resources

Indirect Reports

May delegate work of others and provide guidance, direction and mentoring to indirect reports

Travel and/or Driving Requirements   

Travel and driving are essential duties or functions of this job.

Travel up to 50% 

Minimum Qualifications

Education Level: (Required) Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience

Field of Study/Area of Experience:  Sales

- 10+ years of experience in sales, consumer packaged goods, and/or food brokerage organization or equivalent

- 5 years successfully managing a P&L, budgeting and forecasting, and managing client expectations either personally or through a team

- 5 years previous experience with managing direct reports

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Conflict management skills
• Well-organized, detail-oriented, and able to handle a fast-paced work environment
• Good interpersonal skills
• Ability to make oral presentations
• Team building Skills
• Decision making skills
• Extensive understanding of the CPG industry
• Ability to work effectively with management
• Flexible and adaptable, able to change and alter according to changes in projects or business environment
• Excellent written communication and verbal communication skills
• Strong computer skills including proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Access, Outlook, and web-browsers
• Ability to complete multiple duties with accuracy shifting from one to another with frequent interruptions and competing deadlines
• Ability to exercise sound judgment
• Ability to direct, lead, coach, and develop people
• Ability to research and analyze data effectively         
• Demonstrated ability to provide cross-functional leadership

Environmental & Physical Requirements

Office / Sedentary Requirements

Incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of the job.  Work is performed primarily in an office environment. Typically requires the ability to sit for extended periods of time (66%+ each day), ability to hear the telephone, ability to enter data on a computer and may also require the ability to lift up to 10 pounds.  

Additional Information Regarding The Company Job Duties and Job Descriptions

Job duties include additional responsibilities as assigned by one’s supervisor or other manager related to the position/department. This job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. The Company reserves the right at any time with or without notice to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer job position or assign additional job responsibilities, subject to applicable law.  The Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable a qualified applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of associates so classified.

The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity in all employment practices without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental disability, or any other category protected by law. As part of this commitment, the Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable an applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.