What are the responsibilities and job description for the District Sales Manager- Lansing Region position at The Distribution Group Inc?
Van Eerden Foodservice | 100 Years Strong | Service-First Culture
For more than a century, Van Eerden Foodservice has built trusted partnerships across Michigan by delivering unbeatable service, quality products, and a customer-first mindset. Founded in 1920 and now proudly in our fourth generation of family ownership, we continue to stand on the values established by Andrew Van Eerden: respect and listen to our people and focus on the needs of our customers.
We’re growing and ready to add a dynamic District Sales Manager to guide, coach, and elevate our Central Michigan- Area Sales team. This is a highly visible leadership role with the opportunity to shape strategy, develop top-tier talent, and directly impact regional growth.
What You’ll Lead & Own
- Inspire, coach, and develop a team of Sales Representatives with clear goals and accountability, focused on continuous improvement and exceeding budget expectations.
- Build and execute the annual district sales and expense plan by rep by customer, ensuring alignment to business goals.
- Create innovative strategies to grow margin, deepen account penetration, and drive long-term business partnerships.
- Collaborate cross-functionally to ensure seamless customer service and solution delivery.
- Champion a positive, hardworking, high-performance culture that aligns with our Service First philosophy.
- Monitor and review district results: product mix, line-item growth, profitability, receivables, and market opportunities.
- Lead sales meetings, product trainings, workshops, and field development experiences.
- Partner with HR and Sales leadership to recruit, select, onboard, and coach strong sales talent.
- Deliver ongoing performance feedback and professional development plans, celebrating wins and developing future leaders.
What You Bring
- Bachelor's degree in Business or related field preferred
- 5 years of successful sales experience in the foodservice industry required
- Proven leadership experience, coaching acumen, and the ability to energize others
- Strong communicator, skilled influencer, and confident presenter
- Demonstrated ability to analyze data, uncover opportunity, and build winning plans
- Highly organized, driven, and aligned with a service-focused mindset
- Enjoys working both strategically and hands-on in the field with the team
Why Join Van Eerden?
- A respected, family-owned company with over a century-long legacy
- A culture that truly values service, people, and relationships
- The ability to make a visible, meaningful impact
- Strong leadership partnership and investment in development
- Competitive compensation, benefits, and career-growth opportunity
Ready to Build Something That Lasts?
If you're passionate about developing people, winning through relationships, and driving results that matter, we’d love to talk.