Eaton SAKS International Group Looking for Vice President of Business Development at Greater Toronto Area, Canada Full Time

The Opportunity:

VP Business Development: Private Label Foods!

*The role below has been written with purpose in line with our client’s needs, vision and goals. This role is not a step-up role or aspirational role. This brief has been written with reference to our client goals and competencies that are not matched will not be shortsighted for this critical brief.

The key purpose of this role is to scale up a thriving, aggressive, entrepreneurial business and support and advise the board in their quest for huge growth and success in their defined markets. This is not a role for someone not looking to be part of success story, or a person who is looking for work from home half of the week. This is a building role leading from the front supporting exceptional leaders.

Our client is looking for an experienced, self-directed private label sales executive with a bias for action approach, to own and drive commercial execution of our client portfolio of products. This leader will possess market leading business development acumen with superior relationships in the North American private label-based retail landscape.

A network and solid founded relationship with major US retailers and food service companies would be a huge advantage.

In addition, possess agile and critical thinking, strong analytical skills, and strong capabilities in leading the internal execution of activities required to get new listings and products to market while nurturing and maintaining strong and well-established customer relationships.

Mission of the Vice President BD Sales Individual Accountabilities

 As the growth quarterback, you will lead the commercial sales function, rallying the internal team to execute behind current and new customer opportunities.

 Be obsessed with overachieving sales and profit targets of the portfolio of products.

 Ensure detailed customer and financial insights to support superior decision making.

 Develop a robust customer pipeline by creating a road map of new retailer growth opportunities.  Own the customer RFP/bid process, ensuring accurate and detailed costing assumptions to deliver top line and quality gross profit for the company. Key Metrics

 New Customer Acquisition

 Sales growth

 Gross Profit

 Depth of a customer pipeline and total projected value of the revenue pipeline

 Project management (packaging, artwork, budget, deadlines, and milestones)

The key leadership profile/competencies for this role include.

1. Team Leadership  Successful track record of scaling and building a formal and informal team.  Set key performance standards for the commercial sales function and contribute to overall AEL team development.  Ability to get things done through others.  Coach, develop and mentor.

2. Support Strategy Development  Ability to provide strong leadership and communicate a vision, both internally and externally  Able to shift between details & larger picture to clearly articulate commercial strategy for growth; and  Organization integrator, “thinking and influencing” the leadership team at a new level of a broader organizational impact (bringing our vision and mission to life in our culture).  Ability dive deep where needed on relevant issues.  Sound conceptual and strategic awareness/capabilities.

3. Influencing and Collaboration  Builds strong relationships, ability to listen.  Effective at influencing others in a constructive and positive manner.  Ability to listen and integrate other’s points of view in strategy and key decision making.  Communicates with confidence, with a no ego.  Unafraid to challenge assumptions, demonstrate conviction,  Approaches things with and open mind

4. Results Orientation  Energized by new challenges and desire to create something special.  Instill a culture of accountability and distributed leadership.  Roll up the sleeves acumen that can also migrate between 40,00 feet and day to day.  Ability to make bold decisions and take others with them while doing so.  Ability to set functional sales stretch goals and implement process and systems to measure and deliver results.

Qualifications:

 Bachelor’s degree in business, or a related field.

 10-15 + year experience in managing a B2B or Private Label portfolio, selling into the North American retail market.

 Experience managing/participating in a well-defined Sales & Operations process.

 Exposure to privately owned business.

 Exposure operating across Canada and the US, leading the sales and or business development function.

 Ability to independently lead and co-ordinate multiple projects.

 Dealing with 3rd party logistics service providers, negotiation skills and establishing good working relationship.

 Negotiating deals with retailers

 Comfort rolling up their sleeves and being very hands-on as necessary, as well as the ability to delegate to their team and others.