About this role
Position Summary
The National Sales Manager, K-12 will lead the development and execution of Grupo Bimbo's K-12 growth strategy across the United States, with primary responsibility for expanding Takis, Popcornopolis, and future school-compliant snack platforms within public and private school systems.
This role will be responsible for driving profitable growth through school districts, distributors, purchasing cooperatives, state and regional bid processes, school nutrition associations, and broker partners. The ideal candidate will possess deep K-12 channel expertise, strong relationships throughout the school foodservice ecosystem, and a proven track record of building national growth platforms in highly fragmented markets. The role will work cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, RGM, Finance, Category Management, and Innovation teams to build a sustainable K-12 business.
Key Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute the national K-12 sales strategy for Takis Brands and related AFH portfolio offerings.
- Establish annual growth objectives, customer targets, and commercialization plans.
- Identify high-priority school districts, cooperatives, state bids, and distributor partners.
- Build long-term business plans to drive sustainable growth across the K-12 segment.
- Deliver annual sales, volume, profit, and distribution goals.
Customer Development
- Develop relationships with:
School Nutrition Directors
- State School Nutrition Associations
- Large School Districts
- Educational Cooperatives
- Foodservice Management Companies
- Purchasing Groups
- Distribution Partners
- Drive penetration within large strategic school districts and state-wide opportunities.
- Build customer-specific activation plans designed to generate school demand and trial.
Bid & Contract Management
- Own all K-12 bid submissions, contract opportunities, and cooperative purchasing programs.
- Develop annual bid calendars and ensure compliance with district, state, and regional requirements.
- Partner with brokers and distributors to maximize awarded business.
- Monitor award performance and renewal opportunities.
Distributor & Broker Management
- Lead K-12-focused broker strategy and accountability.
- Collaborate with distributors including broadline, specialty, and educational foodservice partners.
- Develop distributor growth plans and execution scorecards.
- Train broker organizations on product portfolio, positioning, selling tools, and K-12 market dynamics.
Commercialization & Innovation
- Partner with Marketing, R&D, and Product teams to identify and launch school-compliant products.
- Support Smart Snack compliance initiatives and new product commercialization activities.
- Translate customer insights into future product innovation opportunities.
- Assist in developing launch plans, student testing programs, and cafeteria activation strategies.
Market Activation
- Lead participation in:
National SNA
- State SNA Events
- Regional School Foodservice Shows
- K-12 Buying Group Conferences
- Distributor Trade Shows
- Develop promotional programs, merchandising tools, and school activation strategies.
- Support customer events, sampling programs, and cafeteria marketing initiatives.
Cross-Functional Leadership
- Collaborate with Supply Chain, RGM, Marketing, Finance, Customer Service, and Operations.
- Ensure product availability aligns with bid awards and customer demand.
- Develop forecasting and annual business planning processes.
- Support pricing strategy, profitability analysis, and portfolio optimization.
Qualifications
Qualifications
Required
- Bachelor's Degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or related field.
- 7+ years of foodservice sales experience.
- Minimum 5 years of direct K-12 foodservice experience.
- Proven experience managing school district, cooperative, or bid-based business.
- Experience managing broker organizations and distributor relationships.
- Strong negotiation, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office, CRM systems(Sales Force), and business analytics.
Preferred
- Existing relationships with major school districts and K-12 distributors.
- Experience within snack foods or branded consumer products.
- Knowledge of Smart Snack standards and school nutrition regulations.
- Experience launching new products in the K-12 channel.
- National account management experience.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Annual sales revenue growth
- New school district wins
- Bid submission and win rates
- Distributor penetration and growth
- Incremental placement volume
- Customer retention
- New product commercialization success
- Trade show ROI
- Broker performance metrics
- Forecast accuracy and profitability
Travel Requirements
- Up to 50% travel.
- Regular attendance at customer meetings, distributor reviews, state SNA meetings, and national trade shows.
- Ability to travel throughout the United States as required.
Ideal Candidate Profile
The successful candidate is an entrepreneurial sales leader who understands the complexity of the K-12 marketplace, thrives in a highly relationship-based environment, and can build a national platform from the ground up. They combine strategic thinking with strong execution, are comfortable navigating school bid cycles, and have a passion for bringing innovative brands such as Takis into school cafeterias across the country.
Barcel USA LLC is an equal opportunity employer with a policy that provides equal employment opportunity for applicants and employees regardless of race, color, religion, disability, gender, age, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, or any other classification protected by law. This policy applies to all aspects of employment, including recruitment, hiring, promotion, compensation, reassignment, layoff, discharge, education, training, and all other working conditions.
We believe diversity drives innovation and success. We proudly welcome applications from individuals with disabilities, veterans, and women, and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive.