Sales Manager, Distribution

About the role

• Expand business through distribution for the gourmet market in Japan. Transform and develop market strategies together and align with the distributors. Manage overall distribution business by setting goals and targets and measuring key performance indicators. Proactively develop market opportunities and visit end-users to develop and joint plan segment-focused commercial programs. Guide and train distribution sales force and wholesalers with brands,and products and provide relevant technical support. Monitor sales data and keep current with current market trends and customer needs.
• Forecast and lead the supply chain to satisfy the market demand. Be the main contact within the company for distributors to take full responsibility for managing and coordinating distribution business interactions and transactions professionally. Proactively prospect for new opportunities expanding existing distribution business. Increase end-user engagement to the next level.

Key responsibilities include

• Proactively set sales targets and negotiate with the distributor, develop market strategies together and align with the distributors
• Manage overall distribution business by setting goals and targets and measuring key performance indicators through a joint business plan.
• Manage, progress and improve Joint business plan. Plan and review commercial programs with the distributors monthly, quarterly and annual. Prioritize and schedule own activities and ensure constant follow-up on commercial goals and achievements to meet and exceed sales and margin targets.
• Monitor sales data, measure secondary sales data and follow up with relevant programs; incentives, sales promotions, wholesalers’ support and technical support monthly 
• Deep dive secondary/sub distribution and implement solutions and actions of each segment; the value proposition for the target audience of the priority segments, perform promotions and incentives distributors with secondary sales data and comprehensive segment plan.
• Implement a commercial program to prioritize segments; increase distribution points and lead the program at the point of sales.
• Develop and build positive working relationships with key stakeholders on not only distributors but also secondary/sub-distributors or indirect customers/end-users, including, buying, technical, NPD, R&D and supply chain departments, recognize and communicate with key decision-makers
• Identify, research, and contact prospective customers and build positive relationships that will generate future sales and repeat business in the relevant segments and networks
• Pursue sales leads; visit existing and new customers; assess customer needs and suggest appropriate products and services; respond to customer inquiries; negotiate prices and delivery times within limits of authority; and conclude sales orders to meet revenue targets
• Be strategic on market development; co-develop indirect customers of new channels with distributors, proactively search new opportunities, leverage distributors’ salesforce to track customer activities and manage opportunity pipelines
• Share sales leads, customer feedback, critical trends and evolutions and information on competitor activity to appropriate contacts within the organization so that relevant departments can respond to changing market conditions and customer demands and take action based on this
• Develop a strong network of contacts within the company - Marketing, Sourcing, Finance, Product development and Supply Chain -  in order to support day-to-day business and prevent issues for the customer
• Prepare annual, quarterly and monthly sales forecasts and budgets; monitor sales volume and margin against forecasts to managers, and supply chains and identify problems and provide solutions
• Keep up to date with current market trends and customer needs and provide relevant training and technical support
• Manage product portfolio and launch new products and innovations to the market with close cooperation with local marketing
• Lead and cooperate commercial plan together with local marketing in pull and push, end-user engagement; understand end-users and plan relevant services; technical support, collaborations, associations
• Actively use and plan the technical aspects of the organization’s academy, brands, products and services; technical support, marketing campaigns and sales promotions; and sales techniques, procedures and standards to achieve sales targets

About you

• At least 5+ years of  proven sales experience in food ingredients distribution or food service with proven ability to manage distributors
• Knowledge of the Chocolate/Gourmet ingredient industry is a plus
• Strong communication skills (oral and written).
• Capability to involve the team to move projects forward.
• Decision-making and interpersonal skills with an ability to influence
• Commercially astute with strong business sense and excellent problem-solving / analytical skills
• Be advanced use of MS Office (Excel, Word, PowerPoint).
• Excellent language skills: Fluent in Japanese - Proficiency in English required
• Hypothesis building/verification skills
• Travel requirements: Domestic / International Travel Required occasionally