Vice President, Sales

• Health/Rx
• Dental
• Vision
• Flexible and health spending accounts (FSA/HSA)
• Supplemental life insurance
• 401(k)
• Paid time off
• Paid sick time
• Short term & long term disability coverage (STD/LTD)
• Employee stock ownership (ESOP)
• Holiday pay for company designated holidays

Good people, working with good people, for our common good.
Sound good?
KeHE-a natural, organic, specialty and fresh food distributor-is all about "good" and is growing, so there's never been a more exciting time to join our team. If you're enthusiastic about working in an environment with a people-first culture and an organization committed to good living, good food and good service, we'd love to talk to you!

The Vice President of Sales is a senior commercial and enterprise leader responsible for shaping strategy, customer engagement, and accelerating profitable growth across assigned channels or for a specific retailer. This role will set the strategic direction, build a high-performance sales organization, and drive the revenue and forecasting discipline that underpins sustainable growth. This leader will work cross-functionally with marketing, product, and operations to translate market intelligence into actionable strategy — identifying unmet customer needs, staying ahead of competitive shifts, and championing innovations that expand the customer base. We are looking for a proven leader who brings equal parts strategic vision, operational rigor, and genuine passion for developing the people around them. As with all positions at KeHE Distributors, we expect that all actions will be consistent with KeHE’s Mission, Vision, and Values.

• Own executive-level relationships for a portfolio of large strategic customer accounts. 

• Own customer segment level P&L and profitability with full accountability. 

• Develop multi-year commercial roadmaps that include growth plans, category direction, innovation, and performance priorities. 

• Lead major negotiations, renewals, and key commercial discussions with customers. 

• Sponsor joint business planning and quarterly business review cadences across assigned accounts. 

• Identify and activate new growth opportunities that improve customer performance and KeHE share of wallet. 

• Resolve escalations and complex relationship issues in a timely and commercially sound manner. 

• Partner with category management, supply chain, operations, finance, and marketing teams to ensure successful execution. 

• Lead and develop directors and broader account teams supporting assigned customers. 

Core Capabilities & Leadership Expectations: 

Sales & Growth Leadership 

• Sets and executes segment and account growth strategy, establishing clear revenue, market share, and performance targets. 

• Builds and leads large, complex sales organizations and strategic account portfolios to consistently deliver results. 

• Develops forward-looking commercial roadmaps that position the organization for sustained growth. 

Financial & Business Acumen 

• Maintains full accountability for P&L performance, including EBITDA, contribution margin, and customer profitability. 

• Applies strong financial leadership and business acumen to drive sound decision-making and resource allocation. 

• Translates financial and operational data into actionable insights. 

Strategic Leadership 

• Defines and leads enterprise and segment-level commercial strategy to drive competitive advantage and operational efficiency. 

• Demonstrates strong strategic thinking with the ability to connect long-term vision to near-term execution. 

• Identifies market opportunities and adapts strategy to evolving industry dynamics. 

Execution & Operational Excellence 

• Takes ultimate accountability for the successful execution of strategic initiatives and business outcomes. 

• Establishes performance standards, KPIs, and operating rhythms that drive discipline and consistency. 

• Champions operational excellence and continuous improvement across teams. 

Agility & Decision-Making 

• Leads effectively through complexity, ambiguity, and change. 

• Makes timely, high-quality decisions to capture new opportunities and mitigate risks. 

• Demonstrates adaptability in dynamic, fast-paced environments. 

Customer & Relationship Leadership 

• Owns executive-level relationships with strategic customers, serving as a trusted advisor at the executive leaders. 

• Defines relationship management best practices and drives joint business planning discipline. 

• Strengthens partnerships to expand share of wallet and long-term value creation. 

Negotiation & Influence 

• Leads high-impact, enterprise-level negotiations across major customer agreements. 

• Demonstrates exceptional executive presence, influencing, and communication skills. 

• Navigates complex stakeholder environments to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes. 

Cross-Functional Leadership & Collaboration 

• Drives alignment across Sales, Supply Chain, Operations, Finance, Marketing, and Category teams. 

• Leads through influence to deliver integrated customer and business solutions. 

• Builds strong internal and external partnerships to execute shared priorities. 

Problem Solving & Analytical Capability 

• Brings advanced analytical rigor and a data-driven mindset to decision-making. 

• Identifies root causes, mitigates risk, and ensures systemic issue prevention. 

• Resolves complex business challenges with structured, strategic approaches. 

Leadership & Talent Development 

• Sets vision, culture, and talent strategy to build high-performing, engaged teams. 

• Coaches and develops leaders and teams to scale capability and performance. 

• Demonstrates high self-awareness and fosters a culture of accountability and growth. 

Tools & Technology 

• Leverages CRM platforms, sales analytics, and account planning tools to drive performance. 

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office tools (Excel, PowerPoint, Power BI) to analyze and communicate insights. 

• Bachelor’s degree in business, sales, or a related field required, MBA or advanced degree preferred. 

• 15+ years of progressive sales leadership experience, including 8+ years in senior leadership roles.  

• Demonstrated success delivering financial results and building high-performing teams.  

• Experience managing large, strategic accounts in distribution, CPG, grocery, retail, or related industries strongly preferred.  

• Proven record in executive-level customer engagement and complex deal negotiation 

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: 

• Ability to travel regularly to customer locations, internal sites, company headquarters, and industry events.  

• This role operates primarily in a professional office environment and is sedentary in nature. Requires prolonged periods of sitting, working at a computer, and participating in virtual and in-person meetings.  

• Frequent use of standard office equipment including laptops, phones, and conference technology  

• The noise level in the work environment is typically low to moderate.  

• Requires clear verbal and written communication, including presentations and executive-level discussions.  

• These physical demands are representative of the physical requirements necessary for an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation(s) may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.