Trade Spend Manager

Gellert Global Group is a leading importer of food products, comprising Atalanta Corporation, Camerican International, Finica, and Tipico Cheese Products. With over 100 years of experience in food importation, the combined revenue of GGG exceeds $1.7 billion.

The company provides strength in sourcing, insurance, finance, logistics, food safety, and information technology, serving various industries including retailers, distributors, food service chains, hotels, cruise lines, and food manufacturers.

Trade Spend Manager

As a Trade Spend Manager at Gellert Global Group, you will be responsible for driving sustainable income growth by optimizing gross margins across customers and partners. You will oversee the entire trade promotion lifecycle, from budgeting and allocation to promotion planning, execution, reconciliation, and evaluation, primarily for foodservice.

Key Responsibilities

• Trade Promotion Lifecycle Management: Lead all stages of trade promotions, ensuring alignment with company objectives and financial goals.
• Promotion Effectiveness & ROI: Conduct post-promotion analytics to evaluate and determine promotional effectiveness, efficiency, and ROI, making data-driven recommendations for optimization.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Sales, Finance, and Marketing teams to align trade spend strategies with overall business objectives, partnering with the demand planning team to improve sales forecasting accuracy.
• Compliance & Financial Reporting: Ensure that all trade promotion spend complies with guidelines and standards, and that accurate financial reconciliation is achieved.
• Data & Insights Management: Track and manage trade promotion data across multiple platforms to deliver financial accountability, performing regular analysis of costing after promotions, discounts, and marketing support expenses, and conducting regular trade spend reviews to provide recommendations based on key insights.
• Vendor & Supplier Management: Manage contracts and agreements related to trade promotion systems and ensure efficient and effective execution.
• Continuous Improvement: Champion ongoing improvements in trade spend processes, pricing, and promotional activities, ensuring profitability and alignment with company strategy.

Qualifications & Requirements

• Experience:
  • 57 years of experience in Finance, Trade Management, Sales, or relevant experience in a Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) company.
  • Experience in foodservice trade promotion highly preferred.
  • Proven experience in financial analysis, revenue management, and trade promotion management.
  • Strong knowledge of Exceedra (or other Trade Spend Management software), and proficiency in Excel.
  • Working knowledge of INFOR, a plus.
  • Experience working across multiple organizational levels to drive results.
  • Familiarity with consumer and customer insights, competitive data, and pricing strategies.
  • Demonstrated experience with forecasting, sales performance analysis, and trade optimization.
• Education:
  • Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, Finance, or related field.
• Skills:
  • Strong analytical skills with the ability to assess multiple data sources and provide actionable insights.
  • Expertise in trade promotion and revenue growth management.
  • Excellent communication and leadership abilities to influence decisions across the organization.
  • High attention to detail with strong organizational and time management skills.
  • Experience in working within a cross-functional, fast-paced environment.
  • Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and trade management tools like Exceedra or Blacksmith.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience managing trade spend in foodservice, grocery, mass, or club retail channels and e-commerce.
• Strategic thinker capable of improving processes and outcomes.
• Demonstrated ability to lead teams and provide coaching/feedback to direct reports.
• Experience using syndicated data sources like Nielsen, IRI, or SPINS to make informed business decisions.

Gellert Global Group offers a range of benefits, including health, wealth, and happiness initiatives, such as medical and dental insurance, life insurance, flexible spending accounts, competitive pay, annual bonus opportunities, matching 401(k), employee referral programs, online training courses, virtual development experiences, education assistance, paid-time off, parental leave, flexible work schedules, employee engagement and recognition programs, wellness initiatives, philanthropic and DE&I initiatives, company-sponsored celebrations, and team-building events.

The Gellert Global Group of companies is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, ethnic or national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, pregnancy, leave status, disability, veteran status, genetic information, and/or any other characteristic or status protected by national, federal, state, or local law. We are committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities in employment, our services, programs, and activities.