Business Development Manager East Coast Region

Company and Position Information:

Del Monte Foods (DMFC) is a multi-national food company headquartered in Walnut Creek, CA, with a powerful portfolio of brands, including iconic Del Monte, Contadina and College Inn. Our premium-quality meal ingredients, snacks and beverages can be found in six out of ten U.S. households.

At Del Monte Foods, we believe in supporting one another. In helping our people shape their own careers - in letting them grow outward, upward and across disciplines. We are tending to the greater good, providing accessible, nourishing, great-tasting food for all. We are Del Monte Foods - Growers of Good.

The salary range for this role is:

Responsibilities:

The Business Development Manager for the East Coast Region will lead commercial execution across key East Coast wholesale accounts including C&S, Mitchell Grocery, Piggly Wiggly, Winker, and other regional distributors. This remote role is responsible for driving annual goals across Merchandising, Assortment, Pricing, and Shelving, managing base business performance, and supporting growth in emerging product categories. The ideal candidate will build and maintain strategic customer relationships, deliver innovative and data-driven solutions to optimize revenue and profitability, and collaborate cross-functionally to manage trade spend and deliver against profit targets. This role requires strong negotiation and analytical skills, and a proven ability to work independently with travel throughout the East Coast. Key competencies include strategic thinking, customer focus, financial acumen, agility in a dynamic market, and strong interpersonal skills.

This role will be remote based in the Northeast with required regional travel.

• Achieve Fiscal Year Financial Targets
  • Deliver key financial metrics in alignment with the Annual Operating Plan (AOP).
  • Manage and optimize trade spend to support profitable revenue growth.
  • Direct and execute all aspects of the fiscal year sales plan, including strategic business plans to drive profitable year-over-year volume growth.

• In-Market Execution & Customer Development
  • Develop customer-specific business plans aligned with Del Monte's strategic goals.
  • Establish customer priorities and strategies based on evolving marketplace conditions.
  • Manage retail execution to ensure strong shelf presence and optimal retail conditions.
  • Meet or exceed new item introductions, assortment optimization, pricing strategies, and merchandising execution objectives.
  • Review and reinforce Del Monte Foods' Go-To-Market Strategy (GTMS) with customers for alignment and compliance.

• Lead Joint Business Planning (JBP) Initiatives
  • Achieve merchandising goals for annual and event-based initiatives.
  • Drive distribution and execution of innovation launches (New Items).
  • Manage and monitor everyday pricing using GTMS.
  • Increase and maintain Gross Distribution Points (GDPs), ensuring share of GDPs exceeds Share of Market (SOM) in key segments.
  • Lead assortment and shelving initiatives to enhance shelf presence and category performance during customer category reviews.
  • Coordinate customer-level Shopper Marketing programs when applicable.
  • Partner with cross-functional teams (HQ Business Unit, Customer Development, Shopper Marketing, Finance, Supply Chain) to execute and exceed customer objectives.

• Strategic Capability Development
  • Leverage insights and capabilities from Category Management, Shopper Marketing, Customer Finance, and Business Intelligence to drive volume, share growth, and competitive advantage.
  • Activate Del Monte's Consumer and Brand strategies within customer-level business plans.
  • Provide strategic input into the AOP, aligning trade marketing strategies and tactics with customer needs to deliver executable, growth-focused plans.
  • Collaborate with Customer Development to tailor plans that reflect customer goals while optimizing growth opportunities.
  • Identify and evaluate innovative growth strategies and incorporate them into Joint Business Plans following alignment with internal teams.

• Customer Engagement & Meeting Execution
  • Lead preparation and delivery of sales, business review, and innovation presentations.
  • Collaborate with internal stakeholders to deliver high-impact materials and insights.
  • Establish a regular meeting cadence with Category Managers, Coordinators, Directors, and other cross-functional partners.
  • Utilize a strategic scorecard to manage business performance collaboratively with customers; review quarterly and adjust proactively to meet targets.

• Additional Responsibilities
  • Manage and monitor trade funds to ensure efficient usage aligned with promotional strategies aimed at delivering incremental volume and profits.
  • Conduct post-promotion analysis to assess performance and refine future tactics.
  • Oversee internal coordination to resolve promotion-related deductions and forecast promotional demand accurately.
  • Leverage cross-functional support groups (Sales Finance, Supply Chain, Category Leadership, Customer Development) to drive growth, provide insights, and improve customer service.
  • Analyze customer, category, and channel data to develop insights, solutions, and recommendations that drive profitable growth.
  • Perform other duties and strategic initiatives as assigned to support company growth and customer partners goals.

Del Monte Foods Leadership Behaviors:

As leaders we:

Ground Our Teams

• Connect our teams to a clear strategy.

• Provide the support our teams need for success.

• Hold ourselves and our teams accountable.

Create the Climate

• Solve problems together with our teams.

• Enable smart risk taking.

• Empower our teams to make decisions and take action.

Nurture the Good

• Are intentional about building trust.

• Lead with empathy.

• Grow and develop our teams.

Qualifications:

Required Education and/or Certifications

• Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of Science degree required.

Years of Experience

• 5-10 years wholesaler or headquarters retail sales experience in consumer-packaged goods industry or broker.

Skills

• Proven track record of success in the retail grocery industry, preferably with consumer-packaged goods (CPG) or broker experience.
• Strong leadership and interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and build relationships with customer contacts.
• Excellent oral and written communication skills, complemented by strong analytical and problem-solving abilities.
• Proficient in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; experienced with Nielsen or other syndicated data sources.

WE OFFER:

• Competitive salary.

• Comprehensive benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, and 401(k).

Please be advised that your application is not complete until you fill out, sign, and submit an Application for Employment for a specific position for which Del Monte Foods is actively recruiting. Your application must reflect that you possess the required qualifications for the position.

No sponsorship is available for this position.

No agencies or 3rd party vendors.