CUSTOMER BUSINESS MANAGER

About Hartz:

Join Hartz, where our love for pets drives everything we do. With over 95 years of commitment to pet care excellence, we are a trusted household name across the United States. Innovation is at the heart of our mission as we continuously strive to provide products that nurture the special bond between pets and their owners, ensuring they experience nothing but Unconditional Love.

As leaders in the pet care industry, we are dedicated to pioneering advancements that enhance the well-being of pets, leading to happier, healthier, and longer lives. Our success is fueled by the passion and dedication of our diverse team members, who bring their unique perspectives and talents to every aspect of our work.

We are committed to cultivating an inclusive and supportive work environment where individuals from all backgrounds and identities are valued and empowered to thrive. At Hartz, your contributions matter, whether collaborating in the office or embracing the flexibility of a hybrid work arrangement. Together, we empower our employees and furry companions to make a meaningful impact within our company and beyond. Join us in shaping the future of pet care and experience the joy of making a difference, one pet at a time. 

What We Offer …

• Competitive compensation and 401(k) match with immediate vesting
• Comprehensive Health Insurance: Medical, Dental, Vision, FSA, Life & Disability Insurance
• Generous PTO, paid parental leave, tuition reimbursement, and other perks
• Opportunity to learn and develop

The Role …

We are excited to offer a fantastic opportunity for a motivated and hands-on sales professional with a proven track record in selling and business growth. We are looking for a driven individual with experience calling on Target headquarters, who has a history of setting and achieving ambitious growth goals.

This role offers a dynamic and comprehensive array of responsibilities, presenting a unique opportunity for a successful candidate to not only take ownership and drive business growth but also to master and manage the essential day-to-day tasks that contribute to our behind-the-scenes success. You will have the chance to develop a deep understanding of the operational aspects that keep our business running smoothly, ensuring that every detail is handled with precision and care.

You will manage a portfolio of essential accounts, specifically Target and several smaller regional accounts, focusing on driving revenue growth and maximizing Hartz category volume. You will be responsible for achieving sales targets across the territory, increasing customer and category volume, while meeting profit goals. By establishing yourself as an industry expert, you will leverage data-driven insights into consumer behavior, product performance, and market trends to identify and drive new sales opportunities for Target.  

This position will work remotely from their home base, located in the Minneapolis, MN metro area.

If you thrive in a fast-paced environment and enjoy supporting and enhancing business operations, this role is perfect for you.  Join us and be a pivotal part of our journey to success.

Your Responsibilities …

• Achieve sales targets for overall territory, customer and category within approved trade spend budget through negotiations with the buyer on sales and product placement. Develop, monitor, and continually revise assigned accounts’ annual business plans.
• Analyze point of sale and other sales data; communicate trends, insights, and risks via performance reports to Hartz internal teams, and to accounts’ category/replenishment teams. Use data to update and adjust the customer business plan.
• Identify opportunities for all category and line reviews on an ongoing basis, building a selling story to secure new business as well as increase existing distribution across all categories.
• Collaborate closely with internal Brand and Customer Planning teams, as well as external broker partners, to pinpoint significant opportunities within our Target and small regional accounts territory. Develop and implement strategies and programs aimed at generating profitable and incremental sales.
• Build exceptionally strong relationships with key account stakeholders and brokers through consistent communication and meetings.
• Understand and convey account strategies and goals to the internal Hartz team.
• Ensure that retail margins and promotions fall within the published brand strategy for all items and categories, including proper shelf position.
• Forecast customer events as required.
• Effectively manage the administrative responsibilities, including price change forms, deductions, tracking sheets, payment of broker commissions, and selling and planning schedules.
• Attend/participate in industry and customer events, trade/trade show events, and company sales/marketing meetings.

You Need to Have …

• Bachelor’s Degree in a Business-related discipline with 2+ years of direct sales experience or 5+ years of direct sales experience in lieu of degree
• Experience calling on Target headquarter account with a history of setting and delivering a growth agenda; pet care industry a plus.
• Proficient use of Target POL system and all included vendor apps and reports to create and track metrics expected by customer scorecards. Includes:
•           Greenfield
•           POS
•           PO’s
•           Unsaleables
•           DC inventory/purchase planning
•           Vendor Income Dashboard
•           Launch Pad
•           IMN
•           PCN
•           JBP
•           AP/AVP
• Creation and presentation of all customer line review materials
• Experience with category management, fact-based selling techniques (point of sale and syndicated data analysis), and the ability to create, develop, and present this information compellingly from scratch
• Proven negotiation skills, demonstrated ability to finalize business, and expand current account list
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite programs
• Willingness and ability to travel (25%)