Northern California Area Sales / Operations Manager

Northern California Area Sales & Operations Manager

Location: Ceres, CA

Territory: Central / Northern California, including Bakersfield, Sacramento, and the San Francisco Bay Area

Salary: $125,000 annually

Monarca Food Solutions is hiring a Northern California Area Sales & Operations Manager to lead our DSD sales and operations team based out of Ceres, CA.

This role is responsible for leading route sales execution, managing district operations, growing customer relationships, and driving performance across a large regional territory. The ideal candidate has strong DSD, CPG, route sales, and people leadership experience.

What You’ll Do

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of Route Sales Representatives and warehouse support across the Northern California region.
• Own district sales performance, including revenue growth, distribution gains, route productivity, and service execution.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key retail partners to expand placement, secure space, and grow accounts.
• Identify and execute new business opportunities, including new accounts, pallet programs, and expanded distribution.
• Oversee district operations, including route coverage, warehouse coordination, inventory control, and process improvement.
• Drive pricing, billing, accounts receivable, and financial controls to protect revenue and improve discipline.
• Manage inventory processes, including forecasting, FIFO execution, shrink, and returns.
• Track KPIs, route performance, and service metrics to identify gaps and drive continuous improvement.
• Ensure consistent merchandising standards, schematics, and in-store execution across the territory.
• Partner cross-functionally with supply chain, finance, HR, and leadership to support business priorities.

What We’re Looking For

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, or equivalent experience.
• 5 years of experience in DSD, route-based sales, CPG, grocery, or retail execution.
• Proven experience leading, coaching, and developing field-based sales teams.
• Strong track record of driving sales growth, expanding distribution, and improving route productivity.
• Solid understanding of DSD operations, merchandising, inventory control, and in-store execution.
• Experience managing retail accounts and building customer relationships.
• Financial and operational discipline, including pricing, collections, FIFO, shrink, and returns.
• Data-driven mindset with the ability to analyze KPIs and turn insights into action.
• Strong communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Valid driver’s license, safe driving record, ability to obtain a DOT Medical Card, and proficiency in Microsoft Office.

Work Environment

This is a field-based leadership role with regular travel between retail accounts, routes, and the Ceres warehouse. The role includes time in retail stores, warehouse environments, delivery vehicles, and customer locations.

Physical requirements include regular standing, walking, bending, and lifting up to 25 lbs. regularly and up to 50 lbs. occasionally.

Benefits

Monarca Food Solutions offers a competitive benefits package, including:

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Company-paid short-term and long-term disability
• Company-paid life insurance
• Voluntary life and AD&D insurance
• 401(k) retirement savings plan with company match