Position Overview:
Every customer deserves somebody who can effectively help organize and orchestrate them towards success. The Sales Director, Pet Channel owns strategy and execution for Pet Specialty retailers and distributors, combining big-picture planning with hands-on account leadership to deliver revenue, profit, distribution, and velocity. This role develops top-to-top customer relationships, leads the Pet Channel team, manages channel trade within guardrails, and champions in-store and online excellence. The Director is responsible for the planning, forecasting, trade, data-driven selling, and team performance for the Pet channel, while collaborating with the Non-Pet Director to harmonize price-value slopes, trade architecture, and selling standards. This is a player-coach role, requiring the direct management of a small number of accounts. Final enterprise strategy, pricing/trade guardrails, cross-channel budget arbitration, and SLT representation sit with the CCO.
Key Responsibilities:
Revenue Growth Strategy
- Build and own the Pet Channel annual plan (topline, mix, trade, contribution), resource plan, and budget; set monthly/quarterly targets and accountability cadences for KAMs and brokers/distributors.
- Align customer plans with brand strategy; ensure exceptional sell-in, distribution, and on-shelf velocity for launches and core.
- Own Pet Channel trade strategy and execution within CCO-set guardrails; optimize price-pack architecture (with Product Management) and trade ROI by account.
- Own a personal book of business within the Pet Channel, with complete accountability for annual plans, JBPs, terms and promo negotiation, pricing/trade, mix, profit, and execution.
- Own contribution margin delivery for the channel and for direct accounts; proactively identify margin erosion drivers and implement corrective action plans.
- Ensure customer terms governance: maintain current, documented terms for key accounts, ensure renewal timelines are met, and escalate exception requests outside guardrails with a clear business case.
Data, Insights, and Forecasting
- Utilize retailer portals, distributor data, and syndicated sources (e.g., Nielsen) to shape plans, category narratives, pipeline health, and forecast accuracy.
- Champion in-store and digital shelf excellence in Pet Specialty; set execution standards and KPIs (distribution, facings, share of shelf, search/content, ratings/reviews).
- Drive CRM discipline (Salesforce) across the team for activities, pipeline, and close rates; improve forecast accuracy and bias management.
- Work with Finance and S&OP to align a formal forecast sign-off process for the channel.
- Own deductions/claims/chargebacks performance for the channel in partnership with Finance.
Customer and Market Development
- Build/deepen strategic top-to-top relationships with key pet retailers and distributors; lead JBPs and unlock distribution, premium placement, and activation.
- Identify and advance new customer opportunities to expand Earth Rated’s footprint in Pet Specialty and distribution.
- Act as deal quarterback for complex negotiations/escalations on team accounts, stepping in selectively to close strategic gaps while preserving day-to-day ownership with KAMs.
- Lead management and development of direct accounts, leading line reviews and JBPs, securing distribution, premium placement, and activation.
Leadership & Collaboration
- Build, coach, organize, and performance-manage the Pet Channel team; ensure capabilities match strategy and targets.
- Co-lead weekly sales meetings with Sales Director, Non-Pet.
- Co-lead sales team role and readiness for internal QBR meetings.
- Collaborate with Marketing, S&OP/Supply Chain, Finance, E-Comm, and EU/UK KAM to deliver integrated plans and remove commercialization barriers.
- Ensure the team has the capabilities required to deliver the business strategy while providing a challenging and aspirational career growth for individual team members.
- Demonstrate exceptional interpersonal and communication skills needed to establish and maintain good business relationships with customers, both internal and external.
- Optimize account coverage and reassign accounts as needed to balance capacity and opportunity.
- Run regular forecast reviews; coach for pipeline quality, trade ROI, etc.
- Own distributor/broker/rep group performance management (where applicable), setting clear KPIs, running regular business reviews, and ensuring training and readiness for launches and priorities.
- Own channel risk management and contingency planning; surface top risks early and drive mitigation plans with cross-functional partners.
People & Culture
- When necessary, participate in the recruitment process, including reviewing resumes, conducting interviews, and making hiring decisions.
- Performance Management - setting goals, monitoring performance, providing feedback, and conducting performance evaluations for members of the Sales team.
- Team member Development - Identify training and development needs for team members, and provide opportunities for learning and growth.
- In tandem with the P&C department, address employee relations, concerns and conflicts within the Sales team.
Our ideal candidate has:
- 8+ years of Pet channel experience: You have extensive experience working with Pet retailers and a deep understanding of the industry.
- US market expertise: You have a proven track record in the US pet market (must-have).
- Sales leadership experience: You are currently in a Sales Director role (or similar) with a high level of scope and responsibility.
- People management experience: You have experience directly managing a team of KAMs/NAMs.
Some pack perks:
- Health & Dental Insurance funded 100% by Earth Rated
- Virtual health care & consulting services through Consult+
- Every-day catered gourmet lunches, snacks, and hot beverages
- A collaborative work environment
- Paid vacation time off including an office closure from December 24 to January 1 inclusively
- Access to a massage therapist
- The ability to bring your dog to work!
Earth Rated is committed to diversity, equity, inclusion, & belonging. We value all of our team members and candidates as unique individuals, and we welcome the variety of experiences they bring to our company. We believe that every person should be treated equally regardless of race, sex, gender identification, sexual orientation, national origin, native language, religion, age, disability, marital status, citizenship, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Earth Rated s’engage à favoriser la diversité, l’équité, l’inclusion et l’appartenance. Nous considérons tous les membres de notre équipe et les candidats comme des personnes uniques, et nous nous réjouissons de la diversité des expériences qu’ils apportent à notre entreprise. Nous pensons que chaque personne doit être traitée de manière égale, indépendamment de sa race, de son sexe, du genre auquel elle s’identifie, de son orientation sexuelle, de son origine nationale, de sa langue maternelle, de sa religion, de son âge, de son handicap, de son état civil, de sa citoyenneté, de ses informations génétiques, de sa grossesse ou de toute autre caractéristique protégée par la loi.
