Ingredient Sales Representative

The Morning Star Company

Sales Representative

The Morning Star Company and its affiliates operate three tomato processing facilities in Central California, processing over 1/3 of the California processing tomato crop, in addition to tomato transplanting, farming, harvesting and trucking operations.  The company employs approximately 600 year-round and 2,500 seasonal colleagues.

The Morning Star Company is the largest independent producer of bulk tomato ingredient products (tomato paste and diced tomatoes) in the world.  We also produce canned tomatoes, tomato products and specialty sauces in pouches for customers in the retail and food service markets.  The company is known worldwide for its innovation and integrity.

We are organizationally structured through a system we term Mission Focused Self-Management™.  Our company is operated by Colleagues without titles or an appointed hierarchy of authority.  Authority relative to other Colleagues’ activities is lateral, with our Mission as our guiding principle of action, and respect, influence and success built based on each Colleague’s integrity, competency, effort, persistence and straightforward persuasiveness.  Although we have grown significantly, we intend to maintain a culture of individual responsibility and Mission Focused Self-Management™.

Mission

The mission of this colleague is “to be a full service tomato ingredient supplier providing superior services and supply-chain solutions to obtain new sales opportunities and market information for the enterprise through cold calling and prospecting activities with the intent to sell to specialty and geographically unique customers.”

Additionally, while working in a fast-paced environment the colleague will be responsible for identifying and prospecting new business, mining and analyzing market factors with the intent to understand the market and establish relationships that lead to the option to sell.

The selected colleague will need to work in conjunction with sales, marketing, transportation and logistics as well as be able to work effectively independently.

Responsibilities

Sales

Sell Product

- Gather information
- Prospecting
- Manage contracts
- Develop & revise sales strategy
- Qualify for sale
- Persuade to purchase
- Contracting

Sales Analysis

- Monthly customer contract reconciliation reports
- Manage, coordinate, and track all sales communication and marketing tools
- Maintain and manage the customer database
- Engage in weekly sales meetings and ad hoc workshops
- Coordinate and manage customer responsible sourcing audits

Marketing

Tactical and Creative Touches

- Provide input to Marketing colleague on POS materials & other periodicals

Enterprise Awareness

- Enterprise financial familiarity
- Enterprise agricultural supply chain familiarity
- Understand production capabilities and economics

Sales/Marketing Planning

- Assist in: Defining the sales strategy
- Providing an organizational structure to implement and monitor the strategy
- Defining training and materials required
- Determining the number of colleagues desired to accomplish our goals - direct sales, brokers, customer service etc.
- Identifying the processes (including process descriptions, encompassing sales, ordering, shipping, customer service, invoicing etc.) and an organizational structure to implement and monitor the processes
- All marketing initiatives and strategic plans
- The development of the annual pack plan strategy
- Providing insight into and review all marketing and sales performance reporting

Key Initiatives

- Morning Star Tomato Kitchens sales thrust
- Develop and execute a marketing strategy for each product, service and operation

Branding and Communication

- Develop and maintain Morning Star brand identity and message
- Communicate the Morning Star brand identity and message across all enterprises

Financial Process Improvement

- Strategic planning
- Business unit January review and preparation meetings

Administration

- Hiring full time colleagues
- Acquire, train and organize additional required colleagues

New Colleague Onboarding

- Gain solid understanding of the industry, company, products, capabilities, and customers

Work Schedule Commitments

As an exempt salaried employee, there are no set hours for your position. However, you generally are expected to observe the following schedule:

- 40-50 hours per week, or as needed
- Up to 20% travel
- Some work events may fall over weekends

Knowledge and Experience

- Excellent computer skills (Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint)
- Methods and techniques for conflict resolution
- Fluent in English; effective written and verbal communication

Personal Characteristics

- Enjoys customer interaction
- Quick learner
- Strong work ethic
- Adapts to change quickly
- Works well under pressure
- Honest, forthright and trustworthy - not political
- Persistent in getting results, but patient
- Must be able to thrive in an active, fast-paced environment

Compensation

Starting salary for this role is between $70,500 and $80,000 annually, depending upon qualifications.

Benefits:  Morning Star offers a top-tier, comprehensive health plan, including medical, dental, and vision, and we pay the full monthly premiums for the Colleague  and all eligible family members . The company also contributes to Colleagues' Health Savings Accounts. Year-round Colleagues are eligible to enroll in our 401K plan, with 4% match.