*Hybrid or Remote working*
WHAT DO WE NEED?
For 10 years, we’ve been selling delicious veg-forward frozen goodness to loyal consumers all over the globe. We’ve been trading across the USA since 2019 and, building on impressive year-on-year growth, we’ve set some ambitious targets for this market. So, we need YOU, an experienced CPG sales professional, to get us into thousands more freezer doors.
Luckily, you’ll be armed with a delicious and innovative product range, world-class marketing expertise, and an in-house data & insights team. You’ll also be working alongside a Gang of dedicated and talented Rooters to help you make it happen.
This adventure is not for the faint-hearted, or for those travelling in cruise control, but, hey, you’ve been looking for a chance to do great work (not just easy work) with the right company… right?
WHO ARE WE?
Strong Roots has achieved impressive success to date: we’re in pretty much all the major Ireland & UK retailers, where we’re much-loved by our loyal consumers, and have gained sizeable listings across the USA. Further afield, we’re in freezer aisles throughout France, Australia and numerous other countries, and have now entered the world of food service in Ireland and the UK! 💪
As a very proud member of the B Corp community, we’re here to deliver on our “Good Made Easy” promise by selling delicious, frozen plant-based food that’s designed for busy lives, and we’re on track to becoming a globally renowned brand. In April 2024, we were acquired in full by McCain Foods, in order to massively accelerate and scale this ambition. We’ll continue to operate as an independent business unit but are now supported by one of the world’s biggest and most impressive food brands. Nice!
We’re a multi-award-winning FMCG company who intends to stay that way. We’re at global scale-up stage, so you’ll play a crucial part in helping us to gain ground on a global level and increasing our sales by 10x in the next 5 years.
The Gang comprises 60 people, from 11 nationalities, across 3 international locations (Dublin HQ, London, New York), with more than half of our employees identifying as female (including at management and senior leadership level). We value and welcome diversity in all its forms (whether visible or invisible), so we’re most definitely an equal opportunities employer. Let us know if we can do anything to facilitate your application, selection, or employment experience.
That B Corp status we mentioned? That proves that we look after our people and always have an eye on how to help you thrive and feel like you truly belong here.
WHAT WILL YOU BE DOING?
If you’re based in the NYC area, you’ll work on a hybrid basis, with 2 days’ attendance per week in our Manhattan office. If you’re further afield, you’ll work remote and will need easy access to a major airport. The majority of the company is based in Eastern or Central US time zones as well as cross functional partners in Ireland/UK, so time zone flexibility will be necessary on occasion.
You’ll need to be comfortable with traveling up to 30% of the time (give or take), including overnight.
Reporting to our Director of Sales (Conventional/Mass/Club), USA, you’ll make a positive Company-wide impact by:
Bringing a challenger brand approach to closing new Regional account business creatively and efficiently.
Growing current Regional account business by focusing on velocity & door growth & increases in average # of items (leveraging both relationships & data).
Managing relationships with brokers to ensure Strong Roots is in front of the customer with very strong selling stories.
Partnering with the Director of Sales to advocate for Regional Accounts within and across the business, with heavy involvement in crafting and executing the right strategy, ensuring we not only maximize sales, but also identify and develop strategic and lasting partnerships.
Collaboratively delivering on the Sales Operating Plan, growing distribution and TDPs aligned with plan goals, and with the right commercials and sales mix.
Managing & evaluating trade spend & sales OPEX for Regional accounts to ensure we continue to improve performance efficiently.
Working closely with the Marketing and Category colleagues to analyze consumer and market trends and then using these insights to form winning strategies and tactics to optimize performance and accelerate our journey to becoming the Category thought-leaders.
Partnering with Supply Chain, Product and Finance teams to help generate accurate forecasts and inventory levels and ensure transparent sharing of salient information in all directions; you care about, and own, the numbers like it’s your own business.
Planning for and participating in buyer meetings, trade shows, trade events and major sales events, including travel up to 30% of the time.
Standing out internally by inspiring and collaborating with the wider Strong Roots team to become a high performer in the business.
HOW WILL YOU STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD?
That’s easy. It’s because, in addition to having your own transport and a full, clean driver’s license, you:
Bring 5+ years of proven sales performance in the food & beverage industry, ideally with both mid-size and challenger brands in the CPG space.
Have deep experience in conventional grocery, working with such retailers as Wegmans, Ahold, Giant Eagle, Raleys, SaveMart, Wakefern, Hy Vee, etc.
Have experience working with the distributor model (UNFI/KeHe, etc) and how their go-to-market strategies affect the retail landscape.
Experience working with National and/or Regional brokers, include setting goals, monitoring performance and collaborating to achieve success.
Consistently meet/exceed sales targets
Display excellent communication and presentation skills in a range of situations, with internal and external stakeholders.
Can get the best out of Excel and PowerPoint (Trade Planning software experience is a plus).
Are excellent at building relationships with key accounts at every level from the key decision maker to the head buyer, to deliver both short-term and long-term success.
Comfortably negotiate with customers to find the “win-win” in addition to resolving conflicts in a professional and efficient manner.
Understand how to interpret market trends, competition, and customer needs, including experience working with syndicated data (SPINS, Circana, Nielsen, etc).
Possess an understanding of how pricing, trade and marketing affect both company and retailer profitability.
Have a sense of urgency in a fast-paced environment while focusing on the priorities.
Balance massive self-confidence with humility and a growth-mindset.
Care about doing the right things, right, and having a positive impact through your work.
We take our culture VERY seriously (though never ourselves!). You’ll contribute positively to it because it’s clear that you’re an exemplar of our Winning Behaviors:
We’re GOOD PEOPLE: Sound people being solid team-mates.
Doing GOOD WORK: Winning performance driving lasting growth.
FOR GOOD: Conscious behaviour ensuring positive impact.
WHAT ARE WE OFFERING?
You’ve laid the groundwork to make yourself a valuable asset, and we’re ready to treat you as such. You’ll receive a competitive salary package (which includes both a short and long-term incentive plan), but you’ll also enjoy a range of benefits that includes 15 days PTO (on top of 14 paid Federal days off), a 401k (employee-only contribution) $1,000 Wellness Wonga, Medical insurance (we’ll pay 100% of the premium, with optional Vision & Dental insurance), 12 weeks full maternity pay, 2 weeks paid paternity leave, matched charity donations, paid community service, and more (“Like what?”, you ask? How about a paid half-day every Friday in June, July, and August!?).
On top of all that, you’ll be part of something big that’s going to get a lot bigger, FAST.
READY TO JOIN THE GANG?
Still reading? Feeling excited? Good! You might be the perfect fit.
We believe that food can be better, and we set out in 2015 to revolutionize the frozen food industry. We’re already making that happen, but we have massive ambitions and much more to do! You’ll need to move fast, work hard, and collaborate closely with your fellow Rooters who are all-in and here to win.
Let’s do this, together. 💪🌱❄
