Fresh Food Development Manager

Title: Fresh Food Development Manager
Location: Field based / Retail - to cover Birmingham South / M5 corridor / Midlands
Salary: £30k+ plus car/benefits
Job Purpose: To advise members on how to maximise the benefits, services and facilities provided by the Group through fresh food development.
Reports to: Head of Shared Services & Support

Key Result Areas:
* To give practical advice and guidance on all aspects of business development and management.
* To develop and maintain successful business relationships with existing and new members.
* To ensure maximum benefits for the Group through exclusive brands, promotional terms, trading opportunities and retail advice.
* To implement and ensure that members adhere to the disciplines required at various Group membership levels.
* To achieve and maintain professional standards across all aspects of the role in respect of work undertaken, and deal with staff at all levels of the business in a manner appropriate to their needs.

Job Knowledge:
* Previous direct experience of food retailing / fresh food category (essential).
* Established track record and direct experience of sales management within the convenience store/retail/wholesale sector (desirable).
* Good working knowledge of MS office packages.
* Knowledge of the company activities, business objectives and member support operations.

Main Responsibilities:
* Provide regular face to face contact with individual retailers to provide advice, guidance and support on maximising the benefits available to members through the central supply.
* Act as the key interface between Member Support Centre personnel and retail members.
* Provide practical advice and support to members on all aspects of business management and improvement - including providing staff training, product ranging, coding refrigeration and displays.
* Guide and develop member businesses to ensure optimum benefit achieved from central chilled and frozen distribution.
* Assist in integrating new members into the Group and provide relevant training to comply with group systems and administration.
* Provide guidance to members on all aspects of Group administration, terms and services - and ensure compliance with membership level trading disciplines, assisting with problem resolution as necessary.
* Provide practical advice on business management and development using operational experience in personnel, legal, governmental, financial, logistical and commercial fields.
* Ensure that all store development/shop-fitting enquiries are referred to the Store Development team for action.
* Develop and maximise Central Distribution sales on exclusive and branded products.
* Advise on maximising trading terms, through the surcharge and rebate schemes.
* Develop the Group's key initiatives and exclusive label ranges, as directed.
* Guide members on IT system solutions, in liaison with relevant IT/Epos colleagues.
* Work within set budgetary controls.
* Ensure member compliance with Category Management standards and principles, in conjunction with the Cat Man team, to Premier service terms and conditions, and to contract commitment disciplines as necessary.
* Provide full support to the CDS product purchases.
* Actively contribute to and assist with member trade shows and exhibitions.
* Keep abreast of market intelligence in the sector, canvassing for information and conducting market research for trading and marketing data as appropriate.
* Manage own territory, including all reporting, statistics, administration and budget management, to set timescales.
* Co-Ordinate own diary and visit schedules to meet the required call frequency.
* Attend and contribute fully to team meetings.
* Carry out other adhoc project work as directed by the Head of Shared Services & Support.

Person Specification:

Experience
* Direct relevant experience within the fresh food category.
* Field sales experience - multi site.
* Retail / Wholesale background, ideally from the Food /Convenience store sector.
* Previous experience within a similar role.
* Good understanding of trading regulations and trading terms and disciplines.
* Proven 'selling' skills.

Skills
* Strong numeracy and literacy.
* IT literate - competent in word, excel and power point.
* Excellent Communication skills - written, verbal.
* Excellent reporting and presentation skills.
* Confident ability to work with and analyse figures.
Competencies/ behaviours * Strong negotiation, influencing and decision making ability.
* Customer focus.
* Planning and organising skills.
* Commercial awareness.
* Self motivation and resilience.
* Ability to use creative thinking to guide members through the complexities of systems.

This Job Description describes key areas of the post but is not exhaustive. The Job Description is subject to review and amendment in line with the needs of the business.

Please click 'Apply' to continue.