Sales Director, Kroger

About the role

The Sales Director, Kroger plays a critical leadership role within Ferrero's North America Grocery business. Kroger is the largest Grocery retailer in the U.S. marketplace and a valued Platinum Ferrero customer. The business requires strong commercial leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and a focus on delivering sustainable growth and mutually beneficial business results.

Based in Cincinnati, OH, this role leads Ferrero's commercial strategy and customer engagement with Kroger while providing day-to-day leadership and coordination of the local cross-functional team supporting the account. The Sales Director is accountable for developing and executing customer growth strategies, fostering strong executive-level relationships, and delivering sustainable business results across Ferrero's portfolio of iconic brands. This role is hybrid and will require in-office presence in the local Cincinnati office.

Responsibilities

• Customer Leadership & Strategy
  • Lead Ferrero's commercial relationship with Kroger.
  • Develop & execute multi-year account strategies driving sustainable sales, share, & profit growth.
  • Serve as the primary commercial leader and subject matter expert for the Kroger business.
  • Lead both internal and customer-facing Joint Business Planning (JBP) processes and long-range innovation planning with a 3 to 5-year growth horizon.
  • Identify new opportunities across assortment, pricing, promotion, innovation, eCommerce, and omnichannel growth.
• Customer Relationship Management
  • Build and maintain strong relationships with Kroger executives, merchants, category leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders.
  • Engage regularly with senior customer leadership, including Director and V.P. level contacts, to strengthen strategic partnerships and drive mutual business objectives.
  • Represent Ferrero in key customer meetings, executive reviews, and collaborative business planning initiatives.
  • Manage senior-level broker relationships aligning with customer & business priorities.
• Cross-Functional Leadership
  • Provide day-to-day leadership and coordination of the Cincinnati-based cross-functional team in the local Ferrero office supporting the Kroger business.
  • Foster strong collaboration across Category Management, Shopper Marketing, Sales Operations, Forecasting, Supply Chain, Finance, Revenue Growth Management, eCommerce, and Broker partners.
  • Align resources, priorities, and execution plans to deliver customer objectives and company growth targets.
  • Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team focused on accountability, collaboration, and business results.
• Commercial Execution & Business Management
  • Deliver annual volume, revenue, profitability, and trade investment objectives for the Kroger account.
  • Translate customer and category strategies into actionable distribution, shelving, pricing, merchandising, and promotional plans.
  • Monitor and deliver key performance indicators (KPIs) across customer, financial, and operational metrics.
  • Maintain accurate customer forecasting and business planning processes.
  • Ensure effective management of trade spending and investment optimization.
• Internal Influence & Leadership
  • Partner with brand, marketing, category, and commercial leaders to develop strategies that strengthen Ferrero's position within Kroger.
  • Influence enterprise-wide decision making through customer insights, market intelligence, and strategic recommendations.
  • Champion customer-focused growth opportunities and advocate for investment priorities that support long-term business success.
  • Promote a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across all functions supporting the account.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree required.
• 8-10+ years of progressive experience in Sales, Account Management, Category Management, or related commercial leadership roles within a consumer packaged goods (CPG) environment.
• Strong strategic thinking and commercial acumen with the ability to translate vision into execution.
• Proven ability to build credibility and influence at senior customer and internal leadership levels.
• Demonstrated success leading large national customer accounts and delivering sustainable business growth.
• Experience developing and executing strategic customer plans while managing complex, cross-functional business initiatives.

Preferred Qualifications

• Multi-channel retail experience preferred, including Grocery, Mass, Club, Value, Convenience, and eCommerce.
• MBA or advanced business degree preferred.

Pay

The base compensation range for this position is $167,000.00 - $210,000.00. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors permitted by law.

Benefits

In addition to base salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and other benefits. Discover our benefits here.