Regional Sales Manager

Position:            Regional Sales Manager

Reports to:        VP – Sales

Location:            Remote

AstaReal is the world’s leading producer and innovator of natural astaxanthin. AstaReal Inc. is part of the AstaReal Group which is a subsidiary of Fuji Chemical Industries Co., Ltd.

Job Summary

The Regional Sales Manager directs the customer sales cycle and engagement for customers in multiple segments and channels including identification of target customers and account planning, initial customer introductions and presentations, leveraging company resources (technical, marketing, regulatory, etc.) to facilitate customer projects, negotiating and finalizing customer contracts, and ensuring customer satisfaction throughout the process as well as being responsible for all aspects of the relationship with relevant intermediaries, supply chain partners and other stake holders.

In order to maintain premium pricing on technical ingredient solutions and position the Company as a long-term nutraceutical solutions partner, the Regional Sales Manager must be skilled in providing technical guidance across multiple nutraceutical industry market segments and in utilizing resources in support of team-based, collaborative selling. The position must have the technical acumen to recognize nutrition and food science research and partnership opportunities with the Company’s strategic accounts.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

1. Identification of Target Accounts/Prospecting

To identify target customers in designated market segments, qualify targets and establish plans for attaining business with identified target customers, cultivate prospective customers, and make introductions appropriate with the Company’s goals.

Measurements of Performance:

• Research – Research new leads, focusing on identified key markets.
• Contribute – Attend local and national trade shows and network within the industry to identify new targets and leads.
• Planning – Establish appropriate plans for qualifying, contacting, and converting target customers.
• Implement – Implement account plans, contact customers, make initial presentations, and establish bona fide projects with target customers.  
• Communicate – Receive new leads and transfer leads to other sales representatives in the sales team when appropriate.
• Document – Enter relevant contact data and action steps in designated sales monitoring system.
• Update – Advise Sales Management and other staff of key prospects to ensure full company support.

2. Develop and Communicate with Customers

Skillfully and professionally communicate pertinent information about Company’s products to targeted customers. Communicate internally specific and general information as it pertains to overall prospect and customer needs. 

Measurements of Performance:

• Maintain – Develop and maintain effective relationships with prospective and existing customers. Effectively manage existing relationships with accounts and establish relationships which support the extension of the Company’s products into the customer’s existing and new products.
• Knowledge – Develop thorough understanding of the company’s product portfolio, key nutritional benefits, basic application information, regulatory status, and other product and company information in order to be an effective liaison between target customers and the Company.
• Recommend – Assist prospects and existing customers to incorporate new ingredients into new and existing formulations.
• Provide Support – Forward literature and samples, provides sales presentations and other general information to prospective and existing customers.
• Technical Support – Provide basic technical assistance related to the Company ingredients to targets. Facilitate interactions between target customers and Company’s technical staff.
• Leverage – Facilitate involvement of company technical, marketing, regulatory, and other resources to ensure customer projects move toward completion in a timely manner. 
• Notify – Keep all team members advised of customer issues, trends and expectations.  
• Report – Provide data regarding status of projects to internal partners as necessary. 

3. Market and Competitive Intelligence

Develop and maintain a strong working knowledge of the nutraceutical and sports nutrition ingredient markets and the competitive environment to facilitate sales efforts and to keep other Company staff informed of changes and developments in the market.

Measurements of Performance:

• Network – Network within the industry to build knowledge base.
• Understand – Develop an understanding of the key players in the industry, key competitors, and trends within the industry.
• Communicate – Communicate industry knowledge to other Company staff to facilitate company strategy and develop future sales tactics.
• Recommend – Based on industry and competitive knowledge, recommend sales tactics, potential pricing strategies, account targets and other information to the Company management.

4. Selling -Professionally and profitably sell company products and services as defined by the Company’s goals. 

Measurements of Performance:

• Investigate – Understand the objectives and needs of target customers.
• Support – Customize the sales approach based on the needs of target customers and business potential of the target. Include appropriate Company staff members in the sales process as necessary.
• Follow-up- Follow-up with all targets in a timely and professional manner.  Ensure all customer projects are moving forward. Determine what is needed to move projects ahead and generate a sale.
• Closing – Effectively negotiate and close new customer business while utilizing the Company’s resources to maintain high, premium pricing and margins.

5. Develop Effective Interdepartmental Relationships– Maintain a productive and effective relationship with all members of the Company staff as well as relevant distributors, consultants and affiliates, to ensure clear and rapid flow of information and customer and prospect satisfaction.

Measurements of Performance:

• Understand – To understand issues that occur with shipping, Company staff availability, ingredients, quality, or customer issues and to deal with these situations as they arise.
• Collaborate – Working close with different departments of the Company staff, collaborate on what the status is of projects and issues to be able to
• Communicate – Fully communicate with certain members of the Company staff any sales issues that arise. Also communicate with prospects or customers to ensure their needs are met.
• Resolve – Resolve target customer issues in a timely and accurate manner with assistance from other team members. Provide solutions to customers.
• Assist – Provide input for new marketing materials and existing materials to meet prospect and customer needs.
• Training & Development – Participate in product training on and sales strategies as directed.

6. Administrative and Reporting

Manage administrative activities in a timely and cost-efficient manner as it relates to travel, expense reports, CRM, general report writing, and other matters. Measurements of Performance:

• Execute – Manage travel schedule and potential customer visits within the annual budget. 
• Track – Keep track of receipts and actual expenses.
• Document – Document key activity as required by Sales Manager and report in a timely manner.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

7. Additional Job Functions:
8. Responsible for reporting all potential Food Safety issues to Quality Assurance or other personnel with the responsibility to initiate action.
9. Responsible for understanding and adhering to all company and safety requirements.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, business, marketing or related field.
• A minimum of five years’ experience in nutraceutical, flavor or food specialty ingredients, with at least two years managing sales of premium, nutritional specialty food ingredients.
• Proven ability to explain and sell specialty ingredients or technical products to multiple contacts (marketing, R&D and purchasing). Successful experience managing an extended sales/project process required.
• Strong technical nutrition or food science experience preferred.
• Significant understanding of and contacts in the nutraceutical market.
• Excellent strategic thinker, capable of contributing to longer term planning as requested.
• High energy and aggressive personality and interested in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment.
• Ability to work in a team environment.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects or tasks at one time.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills.
• Basic computer skills – Microsoft Office programs. Salesforce.com experience a plus.
• Ability to travel frequently (50%).