VP of Sales - Red Meat

About Kerry

Kerry is the world's leading taste and nutrition company for the food, beverage and pharmaceutical industries. Every day we partner with customers to create healthier, tastier and more sustainable products that are consumed by billions of people across the world. Our vision is to be our customers' most valued partner, creating a world of sustainable nutrition. A career with Kerry offers you an opportunity to shape the future of food while providing you opportunities to explore and grow in a truly global environment.

About the role

We seek a Senior Sales Leader who has proven track record in leading high performing teams in delivering sustainable and profitable growth across the NA Meat EUM. This leadership role will contribute to the strategic growth of Kerry across the Red Meat segment, responsible for driving annual top line revenue through the expansion of Kerry’s foundational technology portfolio. The individual will be customer focused with a strong network across the NA Meat, with the proven ability to strategically design, plan, directly support, coach, and coordinate the activities of all personnel within the sales organization.

In addition to being a strategic thinker this person is a doer with a “roll-up-your-sleeves” management style; and has the DNA and ability to work successfully in a large, complex, matrix business; while possessing strong interpersonal skills that are equally effective in a boardroom, with customers, and with manufacturing employees. 

Key responsibilities

• Contribute and work effectively as part of the Meat EUM senior Leadership team to deliver the agreed Annual Business Plan targets
• Drives the execution of strategies, sales development, relationship management, account management and best practices to enhance our overall market penetration and value
• Deliver on a pipeline of sustainable growth through a deep understanding of customers and their business practices, with emphasis on senior-level customer relationships
• Establish Kerry as a long-term partner with our most strategic customers by developing, maintaining, and expanding strong customer working relationships at multiple levels and functions.
• Maintain an external bias with a strong knowledge of customer needs, market trends and consumer preferences enable prioritization of investments to drive growth
• Maintain accountability for governance and stewardship for consistent and uniform margin management.
• Ensure that appropriate resources and actions are recommended to address customer-based issues including competitive threats, product and service complaints, and information discrepancies.
• Participate in development of annual sales budget targets. Meet budget objectives, and take appropriate action to achieve and/or exceed sales budget targets.
• Create an empowering and engaging environment that attracts and retains the best talent and enables them to perform their best and deliver for Kerry.

Qualifications and skills

• Minimum 15 years’ experience with progressive responsibilities, including at least 8 years in commercial management roles working within the Meat industry
• Has strong and current relationships with key decision makers at target customers.
• Actively grown a business organically through new customer acquisition and customer penetration
• Developed and led the execution of a successful Sales strategy which drove sustainable growth in revenues, ROI, and profits
• Experience in a matrix organizational structure in a complex multi-national company
• Success in developing high-performing teams and positive work culture
• BS Degree in Business or related field.  MBA is highly preferred
   

 (Critical Skills, Aptitudes & Personality):

• A strategic orientation with the ability to apply a solid grasp of business management principles and act opportunistically, within the context of the Company’s structure and businesses.
• Demonstrated critical competencies in four broad categories: commitment to results; sales excellence; business acumen; ensuring a collaborative culture
• Outstanding communication skills. Demonstrated ability to effectively visualize, understand and persuasively communicate at a senior executive level, what Kerry can bring to customers.
• Agile, and effectively copes with change, shifts gears comfortably with ability to decide and act without having the total picture. Comfort handling risk and uncertainty. High level of emotional intelligence
• A “roll up your sleeves” strategic doer with strong interpersonal skills that are equally effective in a boardroom, customer meeting, and on the manufacturing floor.
• Demonstrates the flexibility and adaptability to be successful in a changing environment including knowing when to ask for support to be able to step up and deliver.
• Holds self and others accountable.
• High energy with appropriate sense of urgency
• Curious about all aspects of the value chain from the consumer back to the technology
• Unquestioned honesty and integrity with a strong willingness and deep passion to learn
• Good negotiation skills
• Ability to travel up to 50-70%