Vice President Small Format (Drug, Dollar, Convenience, Emerging Retail)

Vice President Small Format (Drug, Dollar, Convenience, Emerging Retail)

Location: Hershey, PA or Dallas, TX

*This role can be remote (near a major airport) or in Hershey, PA or Dallas, TX. Travel is required.

It's an exciting time at The Hershey Company! Our strategy calls for winning in new occasions while growing our seasonal dominance, expanding our portfolio (e.g., sweets, value products) to meet evolving consumer needs, winning with top customers (e.g., WMT) by investing in both our take home and instant consumable businesses, and driving value through optimized packs, omni channel, and digital. Winning in such a dynamic environment requires exceptional linkage to strategy/priorities, clear prioritization and resource allocation, and superior execution across key commercial teams and function. The successful VP Sales, Small Format primary objective is to drive revenue & market share growth by developing and implementing effective sales and commercial strategies in Small Format Stores. The VP Sales of this $2.4B business will ensure delivery of sales commercial plans by leading the execution of our strategy. This leader is responsible for continuing to elevate our customer experience satisfaction, maximize customer retention and fostering growth while ensuring the sales team meets its goals. This role is critical in shaping the company's sales transformation and digitalization focus on optimizing sales processes and maximizing revenue generation aligning efforts with our business priorities.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Customer & Channels Management

• Experience with multiple channels and customers. Develop strong relationships with key customers, partners, and stakeholders, serving as a trusted advisor and strategic partner. Actively engage with customers to understand their unique needs, challenges, and goals, and proactively identify opportunities. Drive gross to net sales across diverse channels and customers in Convenience Stores including Strategic Drug Channels.
• Customer-Centric Approach: Embed a customer-centric philosophy into the Convenience, Drug & Dollar organization, prioritizing the delivery of exceptional customer experiences at every touchpoint. Empower sales representatives to anticipate customer needs, address concerns proactively, and exceed expectations.
• Problem Solving: Implement processes for capturing and addressing customer feedback and escalations in a timely and effective manner. Act as a liaison between customers and internal stakeholders, facilitating resolution of issues and ensuring that customers feel heard, valued, and supported.
• Ability to create, execute and overachieve a customer strategy. Use market research, industry insights, and customer feedback to prepare comprehensive sales strategies tailored to the Enterprise Goals and market. This involves identifying key growth opportunities, outlining specific plans, collaborate with executive leadership to establish achievable sales targets that align with the company's overall plans. Break down targets into OKRs (annual, quarterly, and monthly goals), adjusting as necessary based on market dynamics and performance trends.

Commercial Operator Mindset

• Strong cross-functional understanding in the CPG industry, including Commercial (Sales, Marketing), Finance, Demand & Supply Chain.
• Proven ability to lead the Commercial Strategy in Convenience and Drug store channels while delivering enterprise goals. Ability to oversee field sales operations, optimizing distribution strategies, and fostering strong relationships with key stakeholders to ensure sustained market leadership and business success. Capable to create a clear and compelling vision for the future and align the sales strategy with the overall business objectives. Deep understanding of market dynamics, customer behavior, and competitive landscape to anticipate trends and identify opportunities. Expertise in developing long-term plans that balance immediate needs with future growth objectives.

P&L Management

• Experience with direct and indirect customers/channels, understanding the nuances impacting the P&L and preparing action plans and strategies to close opportunities gaps.
• P&L management knowledge and understanding to generate total shareholder return.

Analytical Acumen

• Simplification and digitization. Leverage sales tools and technologies to automate repetitive tasks, streamline administrative processes, and empower sales representatives to focus on high-value activities such as prospecting, relationship-building, and deliver commercial goals.
• Leverage data analytics to understand sales trends and customer behavior. Strong data acumen to understand customer behaviors, areas for improvement, and predict future needs. Make informed decisions on a variety of fronts, including customer support optimization and innovation.
• Experience translating business assessments, trends, and insights into actionable solutions to optimize sales strategies. Setting and achieving sales targets, optimizing sales processes, managing customer relationships and key accounts, while analyzing sales performance and market trends.

Leadership and Management

• Team Leadership and Motivation: Lead by example, setting a high standard of performance, professionalism, and integrity for the sales team. Foster a culture of improvement and accountability, where team members feel empowered to take ownership of their roles and contribute to success.
• Talent Development: Invest in recruiting sales talent with diverse backgrounds, ensuring a well-rounded team capable of addressing various market challenges. Provide ongoing sales training and mentorship programs.
• Collaborative Culture: Cultivate a positive and collaborative sales culture characterized by open communication, mutual respect, and a shared commitment. Celebrate successes, acknowledge achievements, and foster a sense of teamwork among sales team members.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Modern Sales leader with rotations through Large and Small Format, Retail, and preferable Strategic Customer, and Category/Insights/Data roles.
• Deep expertise across Tier 1 CPG/food industries and strong knowledge connecting consumer needs to innovative solutions to create value and unlock new opportunities
• Strong Relationship across Customers and well known for ability to negotiate and behave.
• Track record of Organic and Inorganic Growth using data analytics to drive innovation.
• Proven ability to lead, develop, and successfully execute the Commercial Strategy to deliver Enterprise Goals.
• Experience in sales transformation, channel strategies, Convenience & Drug development, and negotiations.
• Advanced analytical capabilities to identify opportunities, solve problems, propose ideas, and measure impact. Comfortable with analytical tools and visualization of data.
• Understanding of multi category portfolio, category, and brand strategies, with a demonstrated ability to build Customer perspective into company Strategy.
• Talent developer known for building high-performing teams/culture and upskilling new critical organizational capabilities that will help us to win in the market.
• Possess skills and capabilities as Potential successor for Chief Customer Officer role.
• Proven history of driving end to end delivery of multiple complex Sales projects.
• Exceptional communications skills (verbal and written), executive presence, and cross functional leadership (including influencing/leading without position authority)
• Known for mature self-awareness and self-emotional control.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE LEVEL

• Master's degree in business, Commercial or a related field
• Minimum 10 years of experience leading Sales functions including Small Format Channel.

KEY RELATIONSHIPS

Reports to: Chief Customer Officer

Direct Reports:

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  • Sr. Director Dollar Channel
  • Sr. Director Convenience
  • Director Drug
  • Director Alternate and Emerging Channels
  • Sr. Manager McLane
  
  
  
  

Other key relationships:

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  • Cross-functional functions. Category Leadership, Marketing, Innovation, Platforms, Growth, Supply Chain, and Finance
  • Enterprise Strategy team
  • Key external customer executives and their admins
  • Key external partners
  
  
  
  

IDEAL CANDIDATE

• Top MBA school graduate. Customer success certifications preferable.
• Proven experience having a Successful career in Small Format Channels
• Sustained Top Talent at a tier 1 CPG company (e.g., P&G, Pepsi/FL, Mondelez, Kraft Heinz, MARS Wrigley, etc.)
• Deep understanding of Strategic Customer and Category/Insights/Data Roles.
• 10+ years of experience leading a customer-facing department with proven strategic planning skills, revenue goal achievements, and experience implementing or overseeing a customer-first approach.
• Understanding of modern playbook for Customer Success
• Strong communication skills and the ability to transform customer narratives and point of view into strategies for customer success and business growth.
• Excellent Executive presence. Comfortable providing updates to the US President and EC Members on sales performance, key initiatives, and Customer insights, enabling informed decision-making and strategic planning.
• Serve as a brand ambassador and spokesperson for the company at industry events, conferences, and networking forums.
• Strong analytical and goal-oriented mindset. Ambition to overachieve goals and propose new ideas.
• Business development knowledge and experience growing a business.
• Ability to learn new software tools and gain a deep understanding of data analytics.

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