Vice President of Sales and Business Development

We are representing a well- established grower/shipper/packer that is searching for a VP of Sales & Business Development to join their team. The Vice President of Sales leads the Produce Sales department and is accountable for sales strategy, team performance, customer relationships, revenue, and margin results. The position also directly manages an assigned portfolio of customer accounts. The VP identifies and pursues new customer opportunities and coordinates with Business Development and other departments to bring suitable opportunities forward. Business Development personnel do not report to this position.

Responsibilities

• Sales Leadership and Strategy
• Lead, coach, and evaluate Sales personnel; set goals, clarify account responsibilities, support development, and hold the team accountable for results.
• Develop and execute sales plans aligned with company revenue, contribution margin, customer service, and growth objectives.
• Monitor sales performance, market conditions, forecasts, customer concentration, and account profitability; report trends, risks, and recommended actions to the CRO.
• Establish consistent practices for account planning, pricing recommendations, customer communication, sales reporting, and issue escalation.
• Partner with the CRO on sales priorities, resource needs, and department planning.
• Assigned Customer Accounts
• Personally manage assigned customer accounts, including relationships, sales plans, product opportunities, pricing discussions, service issues, and account profitability.
• Negotiate customer terms and commitments within company-approved authority, and obtain required approvals when terms exceed that authority.
• Coordinate with internal teams to fulfill customer commitments and resolve significant service, supply, quality, or delivery issues.
• New Customer Opportunities and Collaboration.
• Coordinate prospective opportunities with Business Development and the CRO, including account ownership, customer outreach, proposals, handoffs, and follow-through.
• Work collaboratively with Business Development personnel without direct supervisory authority over that team.

Partner with Procurement, Operations, Production, Transportation, FSQA, Finance, and Marketing to assess product availability, specifications, pricing, capacity, logistics, brand requirements, and financial viability.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in business, agriculture, marketing, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Significant progressive sales experience, including sales leadership and direct management of major customer accounts.
• Demonstrated ability to lead a team, develop customer relationships, negotiate commercial terms, and manage revenue and margin performance.
• Strong analytical, forecasting, communication, and cross-functional problem-solving skills.
• Ability to travel as required for customers, company operations, and industry events.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in fresh produce, food distribution, agriculture, or a related industry.

Salary: $180-200K DOE, Bonus, Medical Benefits, 401K, Relocation Assistance