Sales Director, Mandarin bilingual (food)

[About Our Client]

American manufacturer and distributor that specializes in takeout food packaging, condiments, and disposable tableware for the foodservice industry.

[Job Summary]

Asian Sales Director is the business leader of the Asian sales segment of the Company. The Director of Sales brings a strong market (or marketing) orientation to capitalize on the Company’s leading market position and profitably grow the business long-term. Bring and instill a more solution selling orientation to the business. Champion with key customers the Company’s capabilities. We are seeking a high-performing Sales Director to help maintain market leadership (#1 or#2) and to attain our revenue growth targets.

[Job Description]

• Lead Asian sales team to deliver annual and monthly sales targets and development goals.
• Develop sales and go-to market sales strategies with sales team for existing products, new products, and new channels.
• Identify market and industry related trends, market shifts, and customer consolidation. Propose strategies and plans to capitalize on market conditions. Understand post-covid market environment and implications for Asian sales. Develop robust system of competitive market intelligence and pricing.
• Foster relationships with key customers? existing and new business prospects. Participate in quarterly and annual business reviews with customers in order to assess effectiveness of products and programs and evaluating future growth opportunities for mutual benefit. Institute and maintain robust plan for customer sales development and maintain sales pipeline.
• Propose and implement annual operating sales plan and budget, which includes both volume and revenue goals, customer plans, sales pipeline, channel development, new products, promotion, sales territory plans and other tactical plans, Asian sales staffing. Participate and provide input on long-term sales strategy development and plans.
• Collaborate with VP of Sales to develop overall sales strategies, annual operating plan, mutually supportive processes, systems, and training.
• Collaborate with VP NBD and Director of Marketing on end user strategy development, pricing/positioning, and new products.
• Recruit and develop a strong sales team. Assess current sales team capabilities and proposed development plan for current employees and as well as staffing plan and key account/sales territory structure. Improve sales team product knowledge.
• Development of sales broker relationships (if applicable in future).
• Report monthly and quarterly on sales performance and Asian sales development status.

Requirements

• 10+ years sales and/or marketing experience within Asian sales industry. Relevant brand management experience could be applicable.
• Strong understanding of markets and distribution channels. What are the key drivers and effecting sales in relevant channels.
• Negotiation. Proven experience in developing sales proposals and closing deals.
• Proven skills in solution selling and building sales relationships.
• Strong commercial sense and skills.
• Creative thinker and problem solver.
• Good verbal and written skills.
• Previous experience in planning (business plans, sales forecasts) and budget management.
• Experience developing and managing a sales team.
• Proficient with Microsoft Office? Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Education: BA/BS, preferred.
• Language Skill: Bilingual in Mandarin/Cantonese/Fukinese required
• Position reports to: President &CEO
• Direct reports: Asian sales supervisor, Regional sales managers, External Sales Team.
• Indirect reports include inside sales team
• Measures: Volume, Revenue, Margin, New Business Pipeline, Customer Product Distribution. Channel Development
• 30 -180 DAYS DELIVERABLES
• Within 30 days, establish and agree to sales group priorities and deliverables for next 90 days. Monitor and propose changes monthly on a rolling 90 day basis.
• Been on sales calls with top 10 customers as well as worked at least 1-2 days with each of the outside sales reps and managers.
• Establishment of sales goals for each territory sales manager and reps. Inside sales reps.
• Top 10 customer business review (split up, maybe 2 per month): SWOT analysis, customer profile & customer goals, key sales development goals.
• Sales capabilities assessment? internal and external sales team, key areas for improvement. Training.
• Asian sales product line assessment. Strengths. Gaps & opportunities. SKUs to rationalize.