Bunzl Distribution NA is hiring: Area Sales Director - Grocery (Atlanta) in Lith

Area Sales Director – Grocery (Atlanta) – Bunzl Distribution NA As the Area Sales Director for Bunzl’s Grocery Southeast team, you will be the bridge between the field and corporate leadership. You will have direct leadership of 2‑3 sales managers and indirect leadership of 15‑20 sales representatives. In this role you will develop, direct, and oversee the strategy for all sales activities carried out by your sales leaders and field sales team. This Atlanta‑based role covers Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, and Florida and reports to the East Grocery Regional Vice President (RVP). Responsibilities Direct people leadership of 2‑3 Sales Managers and indirect leadership of 15‑20 field sales representatives Lead a culture of continuous people development, teamwork, customer focus, and strong sales results Accountable for the continuous daily pursuit of major prospective customers and new business development efforts Lead regular team and cross‑functional meetings to facilitate discussion and the sharing of innovative ideas and best practices related to growing sales revenue and margin Collaborate on major account activities with assigned representatives to increase/maintain volume and product penetration Communicate all customer feedback to leadership on product feedback and any future opportunities Responsible for day‑to‑day sales activity and achievement of revenue goals through the delivery of sales pipelines, forecasts, and pricing Review and monitor weekly and monthly forecasts Manage and execute sales processes and procedures Prepare sales revenue and expense budgets Be an agent for change, demonstrate the ability to manage the successful and smooth transition from current to desired culture, practices, structure, and overall organizational environment Manage sales teams through CRM data and dashboards to evaluate team performance and maximize group sales effectiveness Implement directives as outlined from leadership Proactively develop a world‑class sales force through recruiting, selecting and growing exceptional sales talent, managing / coaching employee performance, motivating, and holding employees accountable Facilitate leadership development within team, identify and foster future leaders to support business succession plans Drive alignment, define performance measurement, and develop long‑term development plan with sales managers and teams Develop business plans with new and existing accounts Requirements Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred (High School diploma/GED plus equivalent additional experience required) Minimum of 5+ years of sales leadership experience with a proven success selling in competitive markets 2+ years experience in a senior‑level leadership role, ideally leader of leaders is preferred Substantial experience successfully managing and supporting challenging sales cycles, building yearly plans for a business and delivering on revenue, margin, and cost targets on a consistent basis Grocery, foodservice, and/or distribution experience is preferred Excellent organizational and project management skills, including the ability to execute multiple strategic initiatives autonomously Ability to effectively communicate with business leadership, field sales organization and other internal and external stakeholders directly and in a presentation setting Strong knowledge of project management and negotiation tactics Strong leadership skills with the ability to articulate ideas in a way that resonates with various audiences Select, delegate, direct, motivate and train staff Strong user level proficiency in MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, CRM (Microsoft Dynamics) and ability to learn new applications Travel is required throughout the region. Expectation is to be in person with each Sales Manager as needed or required but no less than monthly Flexibility to frequently travel throughout the continental U.S. Bunzl is a global leader in the Cleaning & Hygiene, Food Processing, Grocery, Health Care, Non‑Food Retail, and Safety industries. We have grown both organically and through acquisitions to sales in excess of $10 billion. Bunzl North America is headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, and serves all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada and parts of the Caribbean and Mexico. With more than 5,000 employees and 400,000 plus supplies, Bunzl is regarded as a leading supplier in North America. Bunzl Distribution offers competitive salaries, a comfortable work environment, and a full range of benefits including a 401(k) with a company match. Bunzl Distribution has a tradition of commitment to equal employment opportunity. It is the established policy to attract and retain the best qualified people without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex/gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, age, disability or veteran status as provided by law. Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities #J-18808-Ljbffr