Sales Manager

About the Role

Vollwerth and Co is seeking a Sales Manager based in Hancock, Michigan to lead and develop our sales team, grow profitable revenue and margins, strengthen customer relationships, and drive new business across retail, wholesale, distributor, foodservice, and other channels. Regular regional travel and occasional overnight travel are required.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach, and develop the sales team while setting clear expectations for revenue, margin, activity, territory, and account performance.
• Build a qualified pipeline across grocery, retail, wholesale, distributor, foodservice, convenience, specialty, and institutional channels.
• Personally lead major opportunities, bids, presentations, plant visits, negotiations, and new-business development efforts.
• Manage key customer relationships and account plans focused on retention, growth, pricing, promotions, service expectations, and new opportunities.
• Recommend pricing and review quotes, bids, contracts, discounts, rebates, promotions, and special terms within approved authority.
• Evaluate customer and account profitability and prepare forecasts, performance reports, and corrective action plans.
• Coordinate product launches, promotions, seasonal demand, and major orders with production, purchasing, inventory, quality, customer service, logistics, and finance.
• Maintain strong product and market knowledge, set customer-service standards, and manage the sales budget, trade shows, customer events, and distributor meetings.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, food-industry management, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• 5+ years of progressive sales experience, including at least 2 years leading sales professionals.
• Food manufacturing, meat, refrigerated foods, consumer packaged goods, grocery, wholesale distribution, or foodservice experience is preferred.
• Demonstrated success leading sales teams, developing customers, winning new business, negotiating agreements, and delivering profitable growth.
• Working knowledge of pricing, margins, trade spending, forecasting, territory management, account planning, performance analysis, CRM systems, and Microsoft Office.
• Strong communication, presentation, coaching, analytical, organizational, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills, with the ability to travel regularly and meet applicable driving and insurability requirements.

Pay

$60,000 – 90,000 base salary plus bonus, based on experience.

Benefits

• Three weeks of vacation plus sick time accrued at six hours per month.
• SIMPLE IRA with a 3% company match.
• Per diem, relocation assistance, and employee discounts.

Schedule & Travel

This is a full-time position based in Hancock, Michigan. Regular regional travel and occasional overnight travel may be required. The role also includes time in customer, vehicle, warehouse, and food-manufacturing environments.

About the Company

Founded in 1915 in Hancock, Michigan, Vollwerth and Co is a multigenerational family business producing high-quality sausage from fresh ingredients and traditional recipes for customers throughout Michigan and Wisconsin.