Director of Marketing and Sales Planning - San Leandro, CA

At Ghirardelli, we're on a mission to become a one-billion-dollar brand and beyond. We want to be every consumer's first choice of premium chocolate, and we believe we can do that through our products and the way we do business, which are all inspired by our brand commitment to Making Life A Bite Better. We are a company committed to both personal and professional growth and believe that each employee contributes directly to Ghirardelli's growth and success.

The Director of Marketing & Sales Planning for the Professional Products Division (PPD) is a leadership role in our organization, actively working with executives, managers and employees across Ghirardelli. This position requires both strategic thinking and diving deep into practical application. You will work side by side with the Vice President of the Professional Products Division to develop the division's sales & marketing strategies, while managing the successful deployment out to the organization. This will include the facilitation of the division's annual sales & marketing plans, PPD new products innovation & launches, sales channel & key account program development, financial evaluations & recommendations for profit improvement, trade spending optimization, forecasting accuracy, customer supply chain satisfaction and sales reporting processes.

Key priorities for the Director include achieving PPD sales & profit budgets, managing internal expense budgets, as well as effectively leading an internal PPD team at headquarters. The Director brings both a top-line and bottom-line perspective to all business decisions. They will represent the PPD division on key company cross-functional teams.

The Director of Marketing & Sales Planning is a vital member of the Ghirardelli Professional Products leadership team which includes all direct staff of the Vice President of Professional Products and which sets direction and leads execution for the entire Professional Products sales organization. The Director is a results-oriented leader and a strategic thinker who works well with others and inspires them to perform at peak levels.

• The Director of Marketing & Sales Planning has 2 direct reports and a headcount of 8-10.
• The Director of Marketing & Sales Planning will have Revenue & Profit responsibility for a $100M+ NTS business
• Oversee Trade Marketing/Sales Planning, Marketing Strategy and Product Innovation activities for the Professional Products Division.
• Turning Marketing strategy into Sales action through allocating $10M+ of Gross To Net spend across Domestic and International Foodservice channels, mapping guidelines and driving efficiency through best practice is key.
• Bringing these plans to life through cross-functional collaboration, distribution, display and innovation (physical availability) are critical in-market deliverables.

Lead the PPD Marketing & Sales Planning Organization

• Lead internal team focused on PPD marketing, product development and sales planning.
• Develop plans and oversee deployment of PPD sales & marketing to achieve NNTS budgets, both short-term and long-term, while influencing the successful attainment of COOP budgets.
• Spend within budget and coach team to achieve the best ROI possible.
• Facilitate the division's annual sales & marketing plans.
• Lead PPD new product innovation & launches, sales channel & key account program development.

Deliver Sales & Marketing Controllables

• Achieve NNTS & COOP annual budgets.
• Achieve Professional Products Sales Priorities.
• Spend within Gross to Net and departmental budgets.
• Lead Scorecard planning and tracking on a monthly basis with the PPD Sales Team.
• Create financial evaluations & make recommendations for profit improvement, trade spending optimization, forecasting accuracy, customer supply chain satisfaction and sales reporting processes.
• Provide sales & marketing updates, forecasting, financial and other necessary data to the VP of Professional Products in a professional and timely manner.

Develop Team Members Individually and Collectively into a High Performing Cohesive Group

• Assess internal marketing & sales planning team members and tools needed for success.
• Develop and coach individuals on the team.
• Continually assess overall team capability vs. requirements and adjust as needed.
• Manage performance issues quickly and directly.
• Understand professional goals of team members and build plans to help them achieve goals.

Develop the PPD business

• Understand how PPD marketing/new product development can fulfill customer needs and develop initiatives to fulfill those needs.
• Develop the Ghirardelli business (both short and long-term) with PPD channels & customers to ensure continuous growth for the brand.
• Proactively conduct financial evaluations and determine ways to improve profit.
• Understand customer timeliness and requirements and proactively work with the PPD Field and National Accounts teams to ensure success.
• Lead the development of our internal sales planning through insightful plans, processes, reporting and recaps.
• Ensure forecasting, aging inventory, sale reporting and financial management are accurate, timely and consistently improving.
• Directly manage PPD House accounts, including Ghirardelli licensed partners.

Be a Leader within the Professional Products Organization and Company

• Effectively represent PPD on key company cross-functional teams.
• Work closely with the PPD Field Sales and National Accounts teams.
• Demonstrate passion, commitment and integrity in all activities.
• Take both a top-line and bottom-line perspective on all issues.
• Collaborate effectively across all functions.

Sell, live, demonstrate and protect the premium-ness of our products

• Build the Ghirardelli Brand Equity by demonstrating quality in everything you do.
• Hire, develop and manage performance of team. Create an inclusive environment that embraces our values and purpose.
• May perform other duties as assigned.
• Complete special projects and other duties as assigned or as necessary.

Minimum Education & Experience Required

• BA/BS Degree in Business, MBA desired
• Minimum 10 years of CPG/Foodservice marketing &/or sales planning and management experience, with an emphasis on increasing levels or responsibilities
• Previous direct account management experience a plus
• Minimum 3 years of people management responsibilities

Physical, Mental, & Environmental Requirements

• Corporate location in San Leandro, CA.
• Travels occasionally, mainly to meetings or conferences
• Rare to Occasional ability to lift and carry up to 50 pounds
• Occasional to Constant Repetitive Fine Manipulation (keyboarding, ten key, writing)
• Rare to Occasional Simple Grasping
• Occasional to Frequent Sitting
• Occasional to Frequent Walking
• Occasional twisting of the neck and waist
• Rare to Occasional Reaching at or below the Shoulder level
• Occasional to Frequent usage of verbal communication equipment (telephone, radio, cellular)
• Rare to occasional squatting (filing & retrieving files)