Director of Sales

Company Overview

Westminster Pet Products caters to retailers across the United States offering high-quality pet supplies such as treats, chews, training pads, grooming items, toys, collars, and leashes. Their clientele spans diverse retail sectors including Grocery, Mass, Club, Farm & Ranch, E-commerce, and National Pet Specialty stores.

The company aims to be recognized as the leading pet supply provider in the U.S. by upholding values like integrity, efficiency, accountability, shared intelligence, and transparency.

Role Overview and Primary Responsibilities

The Director of Sales is tasked with driving profitable sales growth by expanding product distribution, enhancing product variety, fostering solid customer relationships, and executing tailored business plans in designated retail channels. The position involves leading sales efforts for assigned customers, coordinating with broker networks and direct accounts to ensure top-notch execution and earnings growth.

This role includes developing and implementing annual business strategies tailored to channel specifics such as Grocery, Farm & Ranch, and National Pet Specialty segments. Account management duties require maintaining frequent engagement with customers via market visits and broker/buyer meetings to deepen understanding and optimize product placement and sales.

The candidate will also oversee sales forecasting, promotional planning, manage large-scale promotional schedules, and allocate retail funding to maximize return on investments. Identifying opportunities to expand distribution and improve assortment is essential, as is analyzing sales data to strategize for growth and tackle underperforming accounts with corrective initiatives. Travel is required for meetings, product presentations, and trade shows. Participation in marketing and new product development processes aligned to channel demands is also expected.

Required Skills and Qualifications

The successful candidate will possess substantial experience in at least one retail channel such as Grocery, Farm & Ranch, or National Pet Specialty with a consistent record of securing new distribution and growing sales profitably. Strong capabilities in creating and meeting sales plans, P&L understanding, ROI analysis, and promotional budget management are fundamental.

Key attributes include strategic thinking, problem-solving, top-tier negotiation skills, and the ability to nurture positive internal and external relationships. The role demands excellent verbal and written communication skills and proficiency in presenting information to varying management levels.

Leadership Competencies and Performance Indicators

Critical leadership qualities include prioritizing workload, result orientation, problem-solving aptitude, analytical thinking, negotiation skills, business savvy, and organizational flexibility. The candidate must also demonstrate expertise in channel planning and excellence in execution.

Success will be measured by meeting sales and profit targets, forecast accuracy, achievement of sales goals per account, KPIs, effective key account management, and expanded brand and product presence.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in finance, marketing, business, or a related area.
• Minimum of seven years in sales, ideally within B2B settings in the pet care or consumer packaged goods industries.
• Proven success managing and growing national or regional retail accounts across relevant channels.
• Experience leveraging broker partnerships alongside direct customer relationships effectively.

Working Relationships and Physical Demands

The role interacts internally with Customer Service, Marketing, Sales Support, Finance/AR, and Logistics/Operations teams. Physically, the job involves extended periods sitting at a workstation and occasional lifting of up to 15 pounds. Frequent travel to customers and industry trade events is mandatory.