Director Strategic Accounts - Kroger (DIAGEO)

About the job

Job Description

Title: Director National Accounts - Kroger

Location – Cincinnati, Ohio

About Diageo

With over 200 brands sold in nearly 180 countries, we’re the world’s leading premium drinks company. Every day, over 30,000 dedicated people come together at Diageo to create the magic behind our much-loved brands. Join us and you’ll collaborate, explore, and innovate. Challenge and be challenged. Together with passionate people from all over the world, you’ll build brands consumers love.

We value each other and celebrate different perspectives. In our inclusive culture, you’ll have the backing you need to test new ideas and learn from them. Harness your passion and desire to grow as you make your mark. Let’s unlock a brighter, more exciting future together.

About The Function

Our Sales team love building relationships, connecting with customers to sell our much-loved brands in new and vibrant markets where they can thrive. They help sell our iconic brands across 180 countries every year.

We’re operating across different markets, channels, and areas of expertise. Using your curiosity and passion, you’ll make the most of consumer insight and digital platforms, reaching new customers, markets, and celebrations to help us achieve our growth potential. We’ll support your learning and growth as you develop your career with us and work with people across our business to realise your fullest potential.

About The Role

The National Sales Director of Kroger provides strategic leadership and drives the overall business performance within one of our most critical customers, Kroger. This pivotal role involves not only enhancing our partnership with Kroger but also spearheading initiatives that contribute to long-term growth and profitability. The Director leads a high-performing team of three National Account Managers (East, West and Central), ensuring alignment with the company's objectives and the achievement of high-reaching sales, market share, and market engagement.

The Director will collaborate cross-functionally with key stakeholders, both internally and externally, to develop and complete strategies that optimize in-store execution, promotional effectiveness, and e-commerce growth. This role requires a forward-thinking leader capable of fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and collaboration, while ensuring the team remains agile and responsive to the evolving needs of the markets and this important customer.

Role Responsibilities

• Oversee a Diageo RSV of $240M, ensuring our portfolio's strength and market competitiveness.
• Provide leadership and strategic direction to ensure robust market growth and effective strategic plan execution across all accounts in service of delivering our annual dNSV, profit, and share goals.
• Enhance the performance of Diageo brands within Kroger through the execution of priority sales drivers, including promotion, distribution, and visibility.
• Spearhead comprehensive strategic planning for designated accounts/channels, crafting innovative strategies that leverage market insights and competitive analysis to drive revenue growth and solidify our market position.
• Manage a team of 3 National Account Managers, provide coaching, mentorship/leadership.
• Build positive relationships with distributor teams, local market teams, and category development teams. Develop customer team routines and cadence with the markets.
  
  

Key Outputs

• Achieve Performance Goals: Successfully attain AOP and performance targets, including financial, volume, and share objectives.
• Build Strong Customer Relationships: Cultivate robust relationships with each customer, integrating Diageo effectively into their buying, merchandising, marketing, operations, and executive teams.
• Develop and execute annual business plans for Kroger, aligning Diageo's growth objectives and opportunities while prioritizing initiatives accordingly.
• Communicate Effectively: Develop, sell-out, and communicate quarterly programming plans, assortment reviews, innovation opportunities, and customer-specific initiatives to support annual business plans.
• Lead Cross-Functional Collaboration: Facilitate communication across cross-functional teams, including Shopper Marketing, Category Development, Sales, Revenue Management, and Distributor partners, to ensure alignment and execution of customer initiatives.
• Collaborate with the Diageo Business Development (BD) team, Chain Development Director, and Distributor partners to ensure perfect execution of customer initiatives.
• Assess Opportunities and Risks: Lead opportunity and risk assessment processes throughout the year to enable course correction as needed to achieve AOP.
• Handle internal processes for forecasting, promotional planning, and M&E in alignment with agreed plans, demonstrating fiscal discipline.
• Adhere to Compliance Policies: Uphold a strong commitment to Diageo's internal compliance policies in all aspects of the role.
• Negotiate and implement annual Joint Business Plans with customers to drive mutual growth and success.
  
  

Experience / Skills Required

• 10 years of robust sales/customer management experience. This should include considerable exposure to regional or national account customers across multiple sub-channels such as liquor, club, grocery, convenience, along with independent liquor. A strong background in Spirits and/or experience with a 3-tier route-to-market is needed.
• Leadership Experience: Consistent record in direct report management and coaching, demonstrating the ability to lead and develop high-performing teams.
• Travel Requirements: Extensive travel is necessary for effective team management, strategic account calls, and fostering local market and wholesaler collaboration.
• Distributor Network Experience: Familiarity with a diverse beverage alcohol distributor network covering Open, Control, and Franchise states is highly preferred.
• Skill Proficiency: Exceptional communication, negotiation, and fact-based selling skills are essential. Applicants should be adept at articulating and persuading in complex sales discussions.
• Analytical Abilities: Strong data analysis and management skills are required to effectively monitor and report on spirits trends and activities across divisions. Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and PowerBI is expected.
• Personal Attributes: Highly self-motivated and goal-oriented, with a demonstrated ability to get results and achieve targets.
  
  

Leadership and Dial Up Behaviors

Lean in to our “dial up behaviors” and core values

• Be externally curious
• Collaborate efficiently
• Experiment and learn
• Act decisively
  
  

Flexible Working Statement

Flexibility is key to our success. Talk to us about what flexibility means to you so that you’re supported to handle your wellbeing and balance your priorities from day one.

‍Rewards & Benefits Statement

We recognise and value performance, offering our people an impressive Rewards and Benefits package.Diversity Statement

Our purpose is to celebrate life, every day, everywhere. And creating an inclusive culture, where everyone feels valued and that they can belong, is a crucial part of this. We embrace diversity in the broadest possible sense. This means that you’ll be welcomed and celebrated for who you are just by being you. You’ll be part of and help build and champion an inclusive culture that celebrates people of different gender, ethnicity, ability, age, sexual orientation, social class, educational backgrounds, experiences, mindsets, and more.Our ambition is to create the best performing, most trusted and respected consumer products companies in the world. Join us and help transform our business as we take our brands to the next level and build new ones as part of shaping the next generation of celebrations for consumers around the world.If you require a reasonable adjustment, please ensure that you mention this information when you submit your application.Feel inspired? Then this may be the opportunity for you!

‍Worker Type

Regular

‍Primary Location:

Cincinnati

‍Additional Locations :

Job Posting Start Date

2025-03-04Salary Range

Minimum Salary

$144750

‍Maximum Salary

$241250

‍At Diageo certain roles are eligible for additional rewards, including annual incentive payment and stock awards. US-based employees are eligible for healthcare benefits, retirement benefits , short-term and long-term disability coverage, basic life insurance, wellness benefits and industry leading parental leave, among others. (Benefits/perks listed may vary depending on the nature of your employment with Diageo and the country where you work.) The salary range displayed is the salary range for the role’s primary location.

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