Specialist, Specialty/Imports

Position Summary:

This is a professional sales position responsible for growing new business within the Specialty/Import segment, with the expectation of achieving assigned business goals while enhancing the customer experience. This will be accomplished through maintaining industry and segment specific certification status and direct selling of the segment to customers. Specialists will prioritize time, targets, and team selling efforts based on market insights and data analytics.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute targeted Specialty/Import sales strategies to achieve region and individual annual business goals, delivering profitable sales growth and penetration across applicable categories, specialty segments, and Sysco brand
• Identify the needs of customers and prospects to assemble a product mix that delivers solutions and helps achieve business objectives
• Utilize data analytics to prioritize Specialty/Import opportunities
• Actively seek, qualify, and support top prospect conversion to Sysco
• Remain informed of market conditions, product innovations, and competitors' products, prices, and sales; share information with sales team members and customers as part of value-added services provided
• Track activities and results, collaborate on opportunities, and champion the team selling process through use of Salesforce (Sysco’s CRM tool)
• Leverage sampling in a solutions-oriented manner to close sales
• Provide feedback to specialty company and merchandising on product quality, product integrity, product mix, customer satisfaction, perceived value, and competition
• Develop and maintain relationships with customers, specialists, and sales team members
• Support execution of prioritized sales strategies through direct selling and engagement of customers and prospects at Sysco events (e.g. food shows, industry events)
• Performs research on product discounts, product services information, special offers and/or specialty company promotions. Utilizes information in sales activities to increase profitability and enhance customer satisfaction.
• Attends all sales meetings, as scheduled, and participates in other activities as requested. Report/Present on industry and market competition as requested and assists with reviewing inventory levels.
• Engage and manage relationships with European Imports, specialty & import segment manufacturers, and the broker community. 
• Participate in continual education opportunities provided by European Import produced for the role.
• Utilize the skills and offerings from the European Imports market support team that provides sales support resources, facilitates cross regional sales opportunities for national accounts, emerging chains, and retail customers, delivers field ready POS and product videos, and supports field events like GSMs, trainings, and sales events.

QUALIFICATIONS

Education/Experience:

• Minimum: High School Diploma or GED and 3+ years of sales experience within a retail, broker, wholesale or distribution environment (deep expertise of Specialty/Import categories)
• Preferred: Bachelor's degree in a related field or equivalent educational level

Knowledge & Skills:

• Proficiency in Specialty/Import knowledge and trends required
  • (Internal Certification & External Certification may be required)
• Analytical problem-solving skills, including familiarity with analyzing reports and deriving insights from data
• Ability to express information in terms of profit and loss, food cost and expense ratio
• Strong financial acumen and ability to properly plan and execute business plans
• Flexible; readily accepts change; open to new ideas
• Track record of success in the area of consultative selling, networking and negotiations
• Proficient communication and interpersonal skills and ability to work with and influence a variety of key stakeholders
• Experience building trust with prospective customers and securing new business
• Strong business and restaurant operations acumen to manage sophisticated customers
• Ability to learn the use of proprietary CRM tools for planning and forecasting sales growth
• Proficient in Microsoft Applications Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook)
• Proactive and self-directed, with the ability to structure a weekly schedule to be successful
• Demonstrated ability to deliver against deadlines and produce high-quality results (accuracy, thoroughness in the deliverables they are producing)
• Excellent organizational and project management skills, including the ability to execute multiple initiatives at the same time
• Understanding of marketing principles, product lines, ordering procedures and Sysco’s credit terms
• Must possess excellent interpersonal, communication, business writing, grammar and verbal communication skills.

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