Regional Sales Manager Central & West in Manteno, Illinois at Urban Farmer LLC

Overview:

The Regional Sales Manager – Central & West is responsible for driving sales growth, expanding distribution, and strengthening Urban Farmer’s market presence across the Central and Western U.S. regions. This role is pivotal in executing the company’s strategic sales objectives across both retail and foodservice channels, ensuring sustainable revenue and margin growth. The Regional Sales Manager acts as the strategic connection between customers, brokers, distributors, and Urban Farmer’s internal teams aligning field execution with corporate priorities. This individual will leverage deep industry knowledge, relationship-building skills, and data-driven insights to expand customer partnerships, enhance category performance, and achieve long-term profitability.

Key Responsibilities:

Sales Leadership & Strategy

• Develop and execute comprehensive annual regional sales plans aligned with company-wide growth objectives and revenue targets.
• Identify, qualify, and secure new business opportunities across strategic accounts, distributors, and foodservice operators within the Central and Western markets.
• Define regional sales goals, pricing strategies, and customer development plans that drive margin expansion and category leadership.
• Collaborate with the Vice President of Sales Strategy, the broader sales organization, and the Category Insights team to develop fact-based selling stories supported by data and analytics.
• Lead trade spend and promotional planning for assigned customers, ensuring effective return on investment and alignment with corporate strategies.
• Translate category insights and competitive intelligence into actionable market strategies to strengthen Urban Farmer’s brand positioning.

Customer Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, distributors, and broker partners to ensure trust, loyalty, and long-term growth.
• Conduct quarterly and annual business reviews, analyzing sales performance and recommending strategic actions to drive mutual growth.
• Negotiate annual agreements, pricing programs, and promotional investments that align with Urban Farmer’s profitability targets.
• Manage day-to-day customer communications related to order fulfillment, promotional execution, and service performance.
• Partner with internal teams to proactively resolve customer challenges while maintaining exceptional service standards and brand integrity.

Territory Development & Market Expansion

• Conduct ongoing market, consumer, and competitor analysis to identify white-space opportunities and emerging trends.
• Develop strategies to expand product distribution, gain new placements, and strengthen visibility in target accounts.
• Partner with Marketing and Brand teams to activate regional marketing initiatives that support sales goals and elevate brand awareness.
• Provide leadership to regional broker partners, ensuring consistent messaging, execution, and accountability to Urban Farmer’s standards.
• Represent Urban Farmer as a regional subject matter expert, offering market insights to guide corporate decision-making.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with Marketing, Product Development, and Category Insights to align innovation launches and regional activation strategies.
• Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to ensure timely delivery, accurate forecasting, and service excellence to customers.
• Work with Finance and Revenue Management to oversee trade spend budgets, promotional ROI, and overall account profitability.
• Participate in demand planning and S&OP (Sales & Operations Planning) processes by providing accurate regional sales forecasts.
• Support Customer Service and Logistics teams with information required for smooth order execution, returns management, and distribution performance.

Reporting & Performance Metrics

• Prepare and deliver comprehensive monthly and quarterly sales reports highlighting performance by account, channel, and geography.
• Monitor key metrics such as revenue growth, margin performance, promotional ROI, and distribution expansion.
• Provide data-driven recommendations to leadership to enhance effectiveness of sales initiatives and territory coverage.
• Maintain accurate, real-time sales pipeline and activity updates within the company’s CRM platform (Salesforce or equivalent).

Leadership & Representation

• Serve as a brand ambassador for Urban Farmer, representing the company’s commitment to quality, innovation, and partnership excellence.
• Mentor, motivate, and guide broker networks to deliver superior field execution and achieve regional sales targets.
• Actively participate in industry trade shows, conferences, and customer events, showcasing Urban Farmer’s capabilities and brand value.
• Foster a collaborative, entrepreneurial, and performance-driven culture that reflects Urban Farmer’s values and customer-first mindset.

Qualifications