Director of Business Development

WHO WE ARE:

Entrepreneurial | Expert | Exclusive | Empowering

• We are entrepreneurial growth agents for our clients and our company
• Backed by PLM's 35+ years of experience, we bring unparalleled Kroger expertise
• We operate exclusively at Kroger, where our team excels in navigating its strategy, systems, and decision-making processes
• We are an employee-owned company, fostering a culture and work environment that empowers and engages its employees.

WHAT WE DO:

three sixty Merchandising Solutions specializes in the strategic expansion of CPG client product portfolios at Kroger, America's leading grocery retailer. We provide a wealth of merchandising expertise and vast brokerage capabilities in all facets of grocery retailing.

• Relationship Management
• Category Management
• Insights & Analytics
• Space Optimization
• Promotional Planning
• Administration

POSITION SUMMARY:

As the Director of Business Development, you will lead a high-performing team and strategic initiatives to achieve business expansion, client success and operational excellence. This role focuses on three critical areas: Business Development, Team Leadership, and Client Leadership.

• Business development: Drive growth while elevating three sixty's industry leadership
  • Proactively expand the three sixty client portfolios by identifying, engaging, and onboarding new clients to achieve growth.
  • Serve as an ambassador, representing three sixty Merchandising Solutions to clients, Kroger executives, and the overarching retail community.
  • Enhance and grow your industry presence to strengthen credibility and leadership.
• Team leadership: Provide oversight, direction, and support.
  • Lead by example by being a 'player coach', both performing and teaching best in class client leadership.
  • Empower the team by streamlining processes, implementing best practices, and leveraging innovative tools.
  • Foster team growth through ongoing guidance, skill-building, and career development.
  • Partner with three sixty executive leadership to drive business improvement and innovation.
• Client leadership: Foster trusted partnerships with clients and Kroger stakeholders.
  • Client relationship management: Lead and strengthen client engagement.
    • Serve as a trusted advisor to clients by advocating for their goals, aligning strategies with Kroger's objectives, and fostering collaboration with Kroger stakeholders to maximize outcomes.
    • Ensure transparency, efficiency, and alignment through seamless communication among clients, Kroger, and internal teams.
  • Insights & analytics: Leverage data to drive strategic decisions.
    • Analyze sales, margin, promotions, and distribution to identify opportunities.
    • Provide expert category and brand insights using Kroger systems and syndicated data sources, including 84.51°, Market 6, Circana, and Spins.
  • Promotional planning: Develop and execute strategies to drive growth.
    • Develop and support promotional plans aligned with Kroger's goals, providing analytical, technical, and administrative expertise.
    • Communicate sales strategies to stakeholders, ensuring seamless execution of promotional and merchandising activities.
  • KOMPASS and innovation: Drive assortment and new item success.
    • Guide clients through the KOMPASS process recommending new product introductions and merchandising opportunities.
    • Align product strategies with Kroger category objectives.
  • Administration: Oversee timely & flawless administrative support
    • Oversee the support team managing systems, tools, and form submission.

MINIMUM POSITION QUALIFICATIONS:

• 4-year degree in Business or equivalent education
• 10+ years of relevant industry experience
• Proven experience working in merchandising/sales
• Proven experience in leading and growing a high performing team
• Strong leadership, coaching and management skills
• Capability to collaborate with others and contribute effectively to a team
• Expert organizational, analytical and problem-solving skills
• Highly motivated self-starter who can work with minimal supervision
• Ability to effectively craft and deliver a message to senior level executives
• Ability to work under pressure, meet deadlines, prioritize and multi-task
• Proficient Microsoft Office applications including Outlook, Excel and PowerPoint
• Capacity to learn multiple computer systems and web-based applications

DESIRED PREVIOUS JOB EXPERIENCE:

• A blend of grocery merchandising and data analysis experience are desired
• Relevant Kroger experience in a merchandising capacity
• Experience in identifying & implementing solutions maximizing efficiency
• Demonstrated and documented accomplishments in the areas of category sales, marketing, management, product development, negotiations, vendor relations, procurement, distribution and merchandising

MINIMUM PHYSICAL ABILITIES:

• Must be able to:
  • Remain standing/sitting for several hours at a time
  • Lift 10-30 lbs. occasionally
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of this position with or without reasonable accommodation

COMPETENCIES/SKILLS:

Some of the Competencies/Skills required to successfully perform this position are:

• Adaptability - maintaining effectiveness when experiencing major changes in work tasks or the work environment; adjusting effectively to work within new work structures, processes, requirements or cultures
• Building Strategic Working Relationships - developing and using collaborative relationships to facilitate the accomplishment of work goals
• Building Trust - interacting with Kroger employees, customers and suppliers in a way that gives Kroger Division and Corporate Management confidence in one's intentions and those of the organization
• Communication - clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in the English language
• Customer Focus - making Kroger customers and their needs a primary focus of one's actions; developing and sustaining productive relationships with Kroger employees as well as the suppliers that we represent
• Decision Making - identifying and understanding issues, problems and opportunities; comparing data from different sources to draw conclusions; using effective approaches for choosing a course of action or developing appropriate solutions; taking action that is consistent with available facts, constraints and probable consequences
• Inclusion - appreciating and leveraging the capabilities, insights and ideas of all individuals; working effectively with individuals of diverse style, ability and motivation for a direct effect on business results
• Initiating Action - taking prompt action to accomplish objectives; taking action to achieve goals beyond what is required; being proactive; generating innovative solutions in work situations
• Leadership - ability to recognize and provide training opportunities; give clear direction to accomplish assigned tasks; hold others to high standards of accountability and address issues when needed in a way that encourages, not discourages the employee.
• Negotiation - effectively exploring alternatives and positions to reach outcomes that gain the support and acceptance of all parties.
• Self-Starter - working the majority of the time without direct supervision; prioritizing, organizing and completing workload accurately within allotted time period
• Work Standards - setting high standards of performance for self and others; assuming responsibility and accountability for successfully completing assignments or tasks; self-imposing standards of excellence