Area Manager for Sanitation Sales and Service - Shenandoah Valley (VA, NC)

JOB SUMMARY:

Contacts prospective customers to sell chemicals, equipment, and services to the food processing industry.    Calls on potential customers to explain products and services available, inspects equipment, and prepares service estimates.  Writes and reviews analysis, and contact customers to recommend products and services. Attempts to resolve problems encountered with customer's products and services.

EDUCATION:

Required:  Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in experience and education

Preferred:  Post-secondary education preferred.

EXPERIENCE:

Required:  Three to five years of experience in the chemical industry, food processing or related sales experience. 

Preferred:   Five to seven years of experience working in chemical, sanitation, food protection, food manufacturing or related field.  Working knowledge of Microsoft Outlook, Word, and Excel highly preferred.

POSITION REQUIREMENT(S): Specialized Skills/License/Certification

Required:   Must possess strong customer service focus, social and interpersonal skills, active listening skills, and effective communication skills.  Must be able to excel in a fast paced environment and meet time-sensitive deadlines.  Ability to travel ≥75% of the time (mostly by car) to visit customers and work with

distributors throughout sales territory.  Ability to work nights (2^nd or 3^rd shift) with sanitation crews to provide product training and service.

Preferred:  Beneficial to have strong critical thinking, persuasion, and comprehension skills.  Mechanical aptitude highly desirable.  Knowledge of the composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.

CORE COMPETENCIES (Essential Job Functions)

1.    Promotes and sells sanitation chemical products and services to potential customers. 

2.    Establishing new accounts, servicing existing accounts and obtaining orders by planning and organizing work and travel schedules to call on existing or potential customers (e.g. QA managers, food safety managers, plant managers, etc.).

3.    Proactively networking with key industry contacts to build long-lasting business relationships.

4.    Monitor customer preferences to determine focus of sales efforts.

5.    Answer customers' questions about products, prices, availability, product uses, and credit terms.

6.    Emphasize product features based on analyses of customers' needs, and on technical knowledge of product capabilities and limitations.

7.    Prepare sales contracts for orders obtained, and submit orders for processing.

8.    Resolve customer complaints regarding sales and service.

9.    Maintain customer records, using automated systems.

10.  Monitor customer preferences and utilization to determine focus of sales efforts and appropriate stock levels.

11.  Monitor ongoing service of the account including visits during sanitation operations; which will oftentimes be after normal business hours. 

12.  Identify prospective customers by using business directories, following leads from existing clients, participating in organizations and clubs, and attending trade shows and conferences.

13.  Instruct customer sanitation crew on proper chemical usage and provide training classes to the sanitation crews when necessary. 

14.  Completes field reports covering sanitation concerns, plant status and employee safety.

15.  Completes special projects upon requests, and other duties may be assigned.

PAY AND BENEFITS
The successful candidate will receive and competitive salary, the potential for sales commission, and annual performance based bonuses. The benefits package includes medical, vision, and dental insurance along with 401k with company contributions. A monthly auto allowance and expenses for overnight travel and customer activities are provided.

Interested candidates should forward their resume to employment@vincitgroup.com. Cover letters and references are also welcome.

EEO/AA
M/F/V