Job Description

Overview

Are you an experienced leader who has the ability to impact and drive branded growth? We are adding a motivated leader to our team, ideal candidates possess experience in dairy and/or consumer packaged goods, strong financial acumen and the ability to exceed customer expectations! Relocation available.

Job Description & Requirements

The General Manager is responsible for managing sales, production, quality, distribution and finance for assigned business unit. This position will meet or exceed business unit KPIs and net income objectives through effective leadership of others.

Job Responsibilities:

* Develops and manages operating plan to meet or exceed business unit objectives. Determines strategies and tactics for achieving financial objectives, presenting assumptions and recommending objectives. Makes sound business projections, identifies the impact of budgetary assumption changes, and makes appropriate adjustments. Effectively manages assets such as trucks, equipment, inventory, and receivables to balance short and long-term business needs.
* Works alongside direct reports as a coach and partner to effectively manage their performance. Communicates company and cascading goals and assists direct reports in establishing goals that align with department and company goals. Provides on-going performance feedback and conducts performance conversations with direct reports. Holds direct reports and indirect accountable for results and works with them to cultivate their capabilities and utilize their strengths.
* Approves pricing strategies to maximize operating income for assigned business unit, considering the impact to the company as a whole, while working collaboratively with Sales and Trade Marketing. Analyzes cost drivers such as commodities, fuel, resin, etc., to determine selling price. Monitors market conditions (customer, competitor, and consumer) to determine demands and opportunities and recommends action.
* Partners with Operations Management Teams to direct production activities and ensure safety and compliance with quality control standards, regulatory compliance and lease agreements.
* Operating from a company-wide perspective, expands existing and new customer business. Considers the impact to the business overall when evaluating potential new products, packaging, conversions, expansions, formats and business opportunities. Assists the executive team in managing acquisitions and identifying acquisition targets.
* Ensures the successful distribution of DSD products through internal distribution and a network of external distributors/haulers. Develops strategies and initiatives to optimize the utilization of DSD routes and other resources. Manages key distributor relationships and high impact, complex situations.
* Effectively leads cross-functional projects related to growth opportunities, continuous improvement, and other key business initiatives. Sets clear direction for project teams and involves appropriate people and functions to design, develop and implement key continuous improvement initiatives and ensure standard processes, tool, etc. are implemented and leveraged effectively. Accountable for meeting project objectives through well-coordinated and integrated work efforts. Uses a collaborative approach to ensure that new initiatives are well-executed.
* Partners with Marketing to successfully commercialize new product launches and product improvements to the marketplace. The team will successfully bring ideas from concept to marketplace launch.
* Leads sku rationalization to manage and maintain portfolio health.
* Effectively manages risk to the business unit and company by considering the legal implications of business decisions. Exercises sound judgment when entering into contractual agreements related to new business, facilities, school bids, distributors, etc. Consults next level manager and legal counsel as appropriate.
* Performs other duties as determined by business needs.

Required Minimum Qualifications:

Education and Experience

* Bachelors degree in Business Administration or related field plus more than ten years experience in DSD sales and distribution with six or more of those years in a leadership role involving people management
* Or more than 14 years experience in DSD sales and distribution with six or more of those years in a leadership role involving people management
* MBA preferred
* Up to 25% travel - Occasional day and overnight travel required

Necessary Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

* Complex Decision Making: Deals with concepts and complexity comfortably. Makes good decisions based upon a mixture of analysis, wisdom, experience, and judgment. Most of his/her solutions and suggestions turn out to be correct and accurate when judged over time. Sought out by others for advice and solutions. Is intellectually organized and mentally flexible. Does not allow own emotions to prevent careful consideration in decision making.
* Aligning business and Customer Strategic Objectives: Has a deep understanding of the business and the customers strategic objectives and looks to further the interests of both. Always working as a passionate advocate for our brands and products, creatively seeks opportunities to leverage business capabilities in meeting customer needs. Keeps current on developments that affect customers business strategies and has a long-term perspective on doing business with customers.
* Work Coordination and Integration: Skilled at coordinating and integrating work efforts cross-functionally. Fosters the alignment of goals across all functional areas. Forms positive working relationships with key people in other departments, and builds coordination across departmental boundaries. Facilitates cross-functional communication and ensures that the details of execution dont fall between the cracks. Ability to manage high performance teams.
* Knowledge of Product Costing and Pricing: Has strong knowledge of our products and customers. Understands dairy product costing and how it correlates with customer pricing structures. Familiar with commodity-based costing and dairy industry regulations. Uses this knowledge base to drive effective pricing. Competence in milk pricing and margin is required. Knowledge of Cost-to-Serve model from purchase of raw milk to customer delivery.
* Knowledge of Direct Store Distribution (DSD): Has strong knowledge of DSD practices and concepts and Federal DOT regulations. Applies knowledge to optimize the utilization of DSD routes and other resources. Understands how DSD changes impact the customer and how Sales, Distribution, and Manufacturing work together to effectively implement cost savings initiatives. Keeps current on DSD trends and best practices.
* Knowledge of Milk Operations: Understands fluid milk manufacturing KPIs and what drives performance. Uses this understanding to identify and resolve complex problems associated with the manufacturing, quality and safety as it relates to meeting our net income objectives.
* Supports, demonstrates, and promotes Leadership Effectiveness factors: Establish Trust and Demonstrate Integrity, Set Clear Direction, Grow Relationships, Focus on Results, Cultivate Capabilities, and Promote Innovation.

EEO Statement

Equal Opportunity Employer

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EEO Statement

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