Sr Director of Sales

About Great Kitchens

Based out of Romeoville, just southwest of Chicago, Great Kitchens has been supplying private label, take & bake pizza since 2005. It was recently acquired by Brynwood Partners in December 2020.

We have the unique capability to innovate through recipes, toppings, crust types and baking profiles and our flexible manufacturing lines allow us to provide our customers with a premium pizza product. We pride ourselves on providing the highest quality in every aspect of the pizza process and provide solutions to both retail and foodservice customers. Our pizzas are proudly served in 12 of the top 15 food retailers in North America and 6 of the top 10 global food retailers. We serve all major channels: grocery, supercenter, limited assortment, convenience stores, warehouse clubs, QSR, foodservice and ecommerce. Our flexibility sets us apart from many of our competitors and allows for quick speed to market for new products. Our pizzas have an excellent track record for quality and have been recognized by several of our customers as “Best in Class.” We also pride ourselves on safe and sustainable business practices. Both our Romeoville and Chicago Heights plants are BRC GSFS A+ rated and we have a global supply network of top quality suppliers allowing us to leverage their R&D capabilities for our customers. Our people are our strongest asset and we proudly employ over 900 employees.

In March 2023, Great Kitchens acquired UNO Foods. Founded in 1943, Pizzeria UNO is an iconic and authentic brand that is recognized as the birthplace of Chicago-style deep dish pizza. Pizzeria UNO manufactures and distributes frozen and refrigerated branded pizzas, calzones, and stromboli across all retail grocery, wholesale club, foodservice and e-commerce channels.

Our Company operates a crust facility in Chicago Heights and toppings facilities in Romeoville and Boston MA.

Key Accountabilities

The Sr. Director of Sales will have accountability for driving sales in Central / West U.S., including a major focus on our Pizzeria UNO frozen and deli business. The candidate will work with various internal teams and stakeholders to formulate sales strategies and tactics to support our business goals. This is a key sales position reporting to the VP / Head of Sales.

Knowledge, Skills, & Competencies

Track record of success in growing sales, profits and relationships with existing and/or new customers. Exceptional interpersonal, communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship building abilities. Strong understanding of trade spend and promotional strategy. Proven skills in utilizing and analyzing syndicated data including IRI and Nielsen. Effective time manager with ability to multi-task. Strong planning, organizational, analytical, communication, and networking skills. High energy level and diligent work ethic. Ability to thrive in a fast-paced startup or Private Equity environment with an attitude focused on “what’s possible”. Experience working with Microsoft Office Suite – Word, Excel, PowerPoint.

Required

• MBA or Bachelor's degree in business management, marketing or communication.
• Communication and interpersonal skills; strong computer and technology skills.
• Minimum 10+ years of sales experience within the CPG industry.
• 5-7 years Sales Management (5+ Sales Management E.G. Manager/Director) experience.
• 5+ years of field sales experience.
• Sound knowledge of technology (reports, developing presentations, etc.) and the ability to read and interpret Syndicated data and use it to create powerful stories.
• Must have Power Point and Excel expertise.
• Seeking a self-motivated individual that is comfortable wearing multiple hats with effective time management skills, team-player approach, solution-oriented mindset, and strong communication skills (written and verbal).
• Strong entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to function effectively in a fast-paced, high-growth, brand-building environment.
• Must have strong business acumen and professional approach.
  
  

Physical Requirements

• Requires extensive use of computer and telephone.
• Willingness to travel for customer or internal meetings.