Sales Director, Kroger (Cincinnati, OH, US)

About the Role:

We have a current opening for a Sales Director, Kroger and are actively reviewing applications.

The Sales Director, Kroger plays a critical leadership role within Ferrero's North America Grocery business. Kroger is the largest Grocery retailer in the U.S. marketplace, and a valued Platinum Ferrero customer. The business requires strong commercial leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and a focus on delivering sustainable growth and mutually beneficial business results.

Based in Cincinnati, OH, this role leads Ferrero's commercial strategy and customer engagement with Kroger while providing day-to-day leadership and coordination of the local cross-functional team supporting the account. The Sales Director is accountable for developing and executing customer growth strategies, fostering strong executive-level relationships, and delivering sustainable business results across Ferrero's portfolio of iconic brands.

This role is hybrid, and will require in-office presence in our local office in Cincinnati, OH.

Main Responsibilities:

CUSTOMER LEADERSHIP & STRATEGY

• Lead Ferrero's commercial relationship with Kroger.

• Develop & execute multi-year account strategies driving sustainable sales, share, & profit growth.

• Serve as the primary commercial leader and subject matter expert for the Kroger business.

• Lead both internal and customer-facing Joint Business Planning (JBP) processes and long-range innovation planning with a 3 to 5-year growth horizon.

• Identify new opportunities across assortment, pricing, promotion, innovation, eCommerce, and omnichannel growth.

CUSTOMER RELATIONSHIP MANAGEMENT

• Build and maintain strong relationships with Kroger executives, merchants, category leaders, and cross-functional stakeholders.

• Engage regularly with senior customer leadership, including Director and V.P. level contacts, to strengthen strategic partnerships and drive mutual business objectives.

• Represent Ferrero in key customer meetings, executive reviews, and collaborative business planning initiatives.

• Manage senior-level broker relationships aligning with customer & business priorities.

CROSS-FUNCTIONAL LEADERSHIP

• Provide day-to-day leadership and coordination of the Cincinnati-based cross-functional team in the local Ferrero office supporting the Kroger business.

• Foster strong collaboration across Category Management, Shopper Marketing, Sales Operations, Forecasting, Supply Chain, Finance, Revenue Growth Management, eCommerce, and Broker partners.

• Align resources, priorities, and execution plans to deliver customer objectives and company growth targets.

• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team focused on accountability, collaboration, and business results.

COMMERCIAL EXECUTION & BUSINESS MANAGEMENT

• Deliver annual volume, revenue, profitability, and trade investment objectives for the Kroger account.

• Translate customer and category strategies into actionable distribution, shelving, pricing, merchandising, and promotional plans.

• Monitor and deliver key performance indicators (KPIs) across customer, financial, and operational metrics.

• Maintain accurate customer forecasting and business planning processes.

• Ensure effective management of trade spending and investment optimization.

INTERNAL INFLUENCE & LEADERSHIP

• Partner with brand, marketing, category, and commercial leaders to develop strategies that strengthen Ferrero's position within Kroger.

• Influence enterprise-wide decision making through customer insights, market intelligence, and strategic recommendations.

• Champion customer-focused growth opportunities and advocate for investment priorities that support long-term business success.

• Promote a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement across all functions supporting the account.

About You:

• Bachelor's degree required.

• 8-10+ years of progressive experience in Sales, Account Management, Category Management, or related commercial leadership roles within a consumer packaged goods (CPG) environment.

• Strong strategic thinking and commercial acumen with the ability to translate vision into execution.

• Proven ability to build credibility and influence at senior customer and internal leadership levels.

• Demonstrated success leading large national customer accounts and delivering sustainable business growth.

• Experience developing and executing strategic customer plans while managing complex, cross-functional business initiatives.

Preferred Experience

• Multi-channel retail experience preferred, including Grocery, Mass, Club, Value, Convenience, and eCommerce.

• MBA or advanced business degree preferred.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure As part of our recruitment process, Ferrero may use artificial intelligence (AI) enabled tools to assist with reviewing candidate applications. These tools are used solely to support recruiters by summarizing application information and identifying potential alignment with job requirements. AI does not independently screen out or select candidates, and it does not replace human judgment. Final decisions regarding candidate progression are always made by Ferrero recruiters and hiring managers.

What We Offer:

Careers with caring built in - discover our benefits here.

The base compensation range for this position is $167,000.00 - $210,000.00. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors permitted by law. This range represents the anticipated salary for this position at this time.

In addition to base salary, we offer a comprehensive benefits package, including health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, and other benefits.

About Ferrero:

Ferrero began its journey in the small town of Alba in Piedmont, Italy, in 1946. Today, it is one of the world’s largest sweet-packaged food companies, with many iconic brands sold in countries all over the world. Find out more about Ferrero at ferrero.com.

DE&I at Ferrero:

Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them, generation after generation, the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative, and highly rewarding. Find out more here.

Ferrero is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable human rights laws. Ferrero will recruit, hire, train, and promote all persons without regard to race, creed, color, sex (including pregnancy, gender, sexual orientation, and gender identity), religion, national origin or ancestry, age, disability, or history of disability (except where physical or mental abilities are a bona fide occupational requirement and the individual is not able to perform the essential functions of the position even with reasonable accommodations), citizenship, or any other protected characteristic.

Ferrero will accommodate the needs of applicants with disabilities throughout all stages of the selection process. If you need accommodation during the recruitment process, please advise the People & Organization (HR) Representative. Information relating to the need for accommodation and accommodation measures will be addressed confidentially.