Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. UNFI is a leading distributor in the grocery and natural foods industry, and they are seeking a Commodity Sales & Sourcing Manager for Meat. The role involves developing and managing relationships, executing sales strategies, and ensuring superior customer service while managing market conditions and supplier performance.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for meeting or exceeding established targets for sales, category growth, and gross margin within assigned commodity responsibilities
• Monitor current and anticipated future market price ceilings and floors for all assigned commodities
• Provide Sales, Replenishment, and Customers with information on product availability, quality, and market price promptly
• Negotiate pricing on all needs within commodity responsibilities and manage supplier performance
• Suggest substitutions to Sales, Replenishment, and Customers for unavailable or otherwise unacceptable products
• Respond to customer inquiries and ensure that customer comments, problems, complaints, and requests are resolved and/or forwarded to an appropriate individual(s) in an appropriate and timely manner; escalate, as necessary
• Negotiate commodity programs with customers to secure long-term sales
• Negotiate credit requests and problem arrivals per policy, monitor history and report results
• Facilitate customer meetings and presentations
• Find and develop commodity sales opportunities by identifying market changes and establishing grower relationships to secure volume in collaboration with division replenishment and sales teams
• Collaborate with business partners in the supply chain to establish sourcing forecasting and planning
• Provide timely responses to questions and offer solutions to deal with problems
• Facilitate grower settlement presentations and negotiate final grower returns
• Continuous review and development of supplier relationships through regular communications and supplier visits
• Communicate with suppliers to facilitate compliance requirements for supplier approval, organic certification, and food safety
• Identify, qualify, and make phone solicitations to facilitate meetings with potential new suppliers and evaluate supply opportunities
• Manage grower performance by ensuring suppliers clearly understand expectations and meet/exceed UNFI expectations for agreed-upon volume, logistics scheduling, and quality
• Collaborate with internal UNFI teams within Transportation, Replenishment, and Accounts Payable teams to ensure timely grower payments
• Attend and actively participate in trade shows and execute follow-up as needed
• Collaborate with the Sales team in developing strategies and tactics to grow revenue
• Review and understand technology trends and improvements within assigned commodity responsibilities to drive best-in-class alignments with key suppliers
• Review and compile relevant industry data to understand trends and make category recommendations to drive performance
• Collaborate with Replenishment and Transportation to move rejected products
• Collaborate with the Grower settlement department to close open trouble and price–after-sale files
• Conduct Grower visits regularly to identify best practices within the Grower network
• Perform all duties and responsibilities by HACCP and Safe Quality Food (SQF) policies and procedures, as appropriate for location
• Follow all policies and procedures outlined in the UNFI Recall Plan
• Performs other duties as assigned

Skills

• Associates degree in relevant field
• 3 years minimum of produce sales, purchasing, and/or produce category management experience preferred; organic experience a plus
• Ability to conceptualize markets and anticipate changes
• Ability to effectively close sales
• Capable of thriving in a dynamic, sales-driven team environment
• Able to develop and maintain effective, positive internal and external working relationships with a diverse group of individuals
• Ability to be comfortable in a highly open, dynamic, and collaborative work environment
• Reliable and highly motivated team player
• Strong organizational skills with ability to multi-task and work effectively in a fast-paced environment under pressure
• Ability to set priorities and meet deadlines while accomplishing team objectives
• Ability to work independently and exercise good judgement
• Proven customer service standards of excellence and related philosophy
• Proactive with excellent follow-through
• Possess good communication skills, both verbal and written. Deal effectively with a wide variety of people both in person and over the telephone
• Strong computer skills including MS Excel, Word, Access, PowerPoint, and Outlook
• Competent to learn and adapt to new computer applications, system upgrades and other technology
• Good judgment is required for this position as there may be times when direct supervision may not be immediately available
• 3 years minimum of produce sales, purchasing, and/or produce category management experience preferred; organic experience a plus

Benefits

• Paid Time Off
• Sick Time
• Paid holidays and parental leave
• 401K Program
• Medical, dental, vision, life, and accidental death/dismemberment insurance
• Short-term and long-term disability insurance program
• Flexible Spending Account and/or Health Savings Account

Company Overview