Director, Industrial Sales

About the Role

Provides oversight and strategic direction for the teams responsible for the development and execution of sales strategies both domestically and internationally for industrial commodity products. Shapes short and long-term industrial sales strategies, defining product mix, and ensuring effective implementation in the Industrial marketplace.

At Butterball, we exist to help people pass love on. As the most recognized name in turkey, the brand represents more than 60 years of cherished memories, providing quality, great tasting products that make meals something to celebrate every day. We proudly believe that life at Butterball means having a team who supports you, having the opportunity to grow personally and professionally, and making an impact on the health of others daily. Whether you choose to work at one of our five (5) manufacturing facilities in NC, AR, MO, farms in AR, NC, and KS, corporate office in NC, IL, or in the field, we believe we have an opportunity for everyone to succeed.

Responsibilities

• Oversees a function typically through the oversight of managers, providing strategic direction.
• Provides guidance, coaching, and support to ensure the department achieves business goals.
• Handles HR activities such as hiring, terminations, performance management, goal setting, team member development, and scheduling.
• Oversees the development of systems, policies, and procedures.
• Contributes to or is accountable for budget management for the function.
• Develops and implements strategic sales plans to achieve company sales targets and expand market share in the Industrial sector.
• Guides, mentors, and motivates the sales team to surpass performance goals and provide unparalleled customer service.
• Creates and maintains strong working relationships with essential partners to secure and expand business opportunities.
• Partners cross-functionally to evaluate costs, improve sales forecasting, enhance profit margins, and ensure exceptional service levels.
• Coordinates with Research & Development (R&D) and Marketing to deepen the sales team’s product knowledge, supporting successful product launches and ongoing availability.
• Utilizes industry data, in collaboration with Marketing and Category Insights teams, to inform strategic decision-making and improve business growth.
• Spearheads pricing strategy development for industrial products and programs, overseeing new product ideation, feasibility studies, packaging optimization, and support material development.
• Ensures effective integration and coordination of sales strategies with company-wide activities, promoting transparency and unity among different functions.
• Responsible for the integrity of sales data for the team, providing accurate and timely information for strategic decision-making.
• Stays abreast of meat protein markets through engagements with customers, traders, and brokers, sharing key insights with senior management and the sales team.
• Collaborates cross-functionally to identify growth opportunities for customers and products, devising strategic sales approaches.
• Monitors and facilitates the collection of receivables and deductions, maintaining targeted category balances.
• Assists in coordinating customer visits to processing facilities to showcase capabilities and foster relationships.

Requirements

• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
• 12+ years of relevant experience or the knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in the role.
• 5+ years of leadership experience or the knowledge, skills, and abilities to succeed in the role.

Skills

Butterball Core Competencies

• Safety First: We put safety first. The health, safety, and well-being of our people, products, and turkeys is everyone's responsibility.
• Integrity: We trust each other to do the right thing. We act with integrity and gain the confidence and trust of others through honesty, respect, and authenticity.
• Stewardship: We take care of what matters. We are accountable to our commitments and take responsibility for the well-being of our teams, quality, customers, business, brand, and communities.
• Enthusiastic Attitudes: We create a climate where everyone feels they belong and can be engaged, every day. Our people are enthusiastic and motivated to do their best and work together to make great things happen.
• Continuous Improvement: We are committed to continuous improvement. We challenge ourselves and our company to constantly learn, develop, grow, improve, and innovate.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Highly skilled in sales planning, forecasting, and execution.
• Thorough understanding of the entire sales cycle, particularly within the food service industry.
• Understanding of the competitive landscape, customer demographics, and emerging trends in the protein industry.
• Excellent written & verbal communication, presentation, negotiation, collaboration, and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and achieve desired outcomes across all levels.
• Proven ability to foster strong relationships with customers, brokers, and vendors.
• Skilled at analyzing sales performance data to formulate actionable recommendations related to pricing and distribution.
• Demonstrated success in developing and executing strategic plans to increase sales volume and margin growth.
• Strategic thinker with the proven ability to solve complex problems of a diverse scope.
• Strong time management skills with the ability to effectively guide multiple cross-functional initiatives simultaneously.
• Seasoned at creative thinking and providing flexibility in adapting sales approaches based on market changes, customer feedback, and new product developments.
• Proficient with Microsoft Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Outlook, etc.) and SAP or other ERP (enterprise resource planning) systems.

Preferred Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field or equivalent.
• Experience in people, program, or project leadership.
• Experience in food service, retail, and industrial value-added and commodity products.
• Experience in industries such as Manufacturing, Food Manufacturing, or Retail.

Physical Demands

While performing the duties of this job, the employee may be regularly required to stand, sit, talk, hear, reach, stoop, kneel, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer, telephone, keyboard, and occasionally lift up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, depth perception, color vision, and the ability to adjust focus.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in a climate-controlled office environment with the option to work remotely periodically. For remote work, the employee must have a dedicated workspace to safely set up and use assigned IT equipment, preferably free from distractions. The employee is responsible for ensuring adequate internet service is available when working remotely (the recommended minimum speed is 20mb download and 5mb upload). The noise level of the environment is usually moderate. Travel required up to 10% of the time.