Alternative Channels Sales Manager

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, which manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for an Alternative Channels Sales Manager based in the United States.

We are seeking an entrepreneurial, results-driven sales professional to expand brand presence and accelerate growth across value, drug, alternative, and specialty retail channels. This role focuses on building strong distributor relationships, developing strategic retail partnerships, and driving distribution, sales velocity, and brand visibility across a diverse portfolio of accounts. You will manage established customer relationships while identifying new business opportunities across discount retail, health and wellness stores, sporting goods, travel, entertainment, foodservice, and other specialty markets. Working closely with brokers, distributor teams, trade marketing, and sales leadership, you will develop channel-specific strategies that translate into measurable commercial results. The ideal candidate combines strategic account management with hands-on sales execution and a strong understanding of consumer packaged goods (CPG). This is an opportunity to make a meaningful impact in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment with significant potential for business growth.

• Distributor Management: Build and maintain productive relationships with foodservice and vending distributors, including national and regional partners. Develop monthly and quarterly promotional activities to increase product placement, close distribution gaps, and generate incremental sales.

• Conduct regular business reviews with distributor representatives, monitor performance, identify opportunities, and implement joint business plans. Educate distributor sales teams on the product portfolio, key selling points, and brand positioning.

• Manage distributor deductions, credits, and promotional programs in accordance with established guidelines.

• Value Channel Development: Grow sales within value and dollar retail accounts by developing tailored product assortments and value-pack configurations that meet channel-specific shopper needs. Collaborate with trade marketing teams on promotional programs and pricing strategies.

• Drug and Health Retail: Open, manage, and expand accounts across health and wellness retailers, including specialty nutrition stores, independent retailers, cooperatives, and regional natural chains. Secure prominent shelf placement and in-store promotional support while leveraging distributor relationships to improve product availability and replenishment.

• Partner with brokers, where appropriate, to strengthen market coverage, increase account penetration, and accelerate growth across drug and health retail channels.

• Alternative and Specialty Retail: Manage and develop a diverse portfolio of headquarter-level accounts across off-price and discount retail, hardware, farm and ranch, automotive, sporting goods, travel, entertainment, foodservice, office, and education markets.

• Navigate channel-specific buying processes, including opportunistic and closeout programs, dealer-market buying shows, and distributor-managed concession and micro-market programs.

• Negotiate prominent checkout, front-end, and planned product placements, as well as promotional opportunities and account-specific programs.

• Use distributor partnerships to drive product replenishment, strengthen retail execution, and activate new accounts. Identify, pursue, and convert new business opportunities across alternative and specialty channels.

• Reporting and Analytics: Monitor weekly and monthly sales performance against targets using CRM platforms and distributor portals. Analyze sell-in and sell-through data to identify trends, distribution gaps, and opportunities for improvement.

• Prepare accurate sales forecasts and account-level volume projections for sales leadership. Maintain timely call reports, expense reports, and account activity summaries to support effective business planning and decision-making.

Requirements

• A bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field is preferred.

• At least five years of experience in consumer packaged goods (CPG) sales, ideally within alternative, drug, value, or specialty retail channels.

• Demonstrated success managing distributor relationships and developing multi-channel retail accounts.

• Strong commercial and analytical capabilities, including the ability to interpret sales data, identify growth opportunities, and translate insights into actionable sales strategies.

• Proficiency with sales reporting and analytics tools, such as Power BI, Exceedra, IRI, and Microsoft Office applications.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to deliver persuasive presentations, negotiate effectively, and build lasting relationships with customers and partners.

• A self-motivated, entrepreneurial mindset and the ability to manage a broad territory independently while prioritizing multiple accounts and opportunities.

• Strong collaboration and influencing skills, particularly when working with cross-functional teams, brokers, distributors, and retail partners.

• Experience working with specialty distributors is an advantage.

• Knowledge of health and wellness trends, functional foods, beverages, and active nutrition products is beneficial.

• A valid driver's license and willingness to travel up to 40% of the time.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and benefits package.

• The opportunity to lead a commercially important function within a growing consumer packaged goods business.

• A collaborative, entrepreneurial work environment that encourages initiative and ownership.

• Opportunities for professional development, career progression, and long-term growth.

• The chance to build strategic partnerships, expand market presence, and contribute directly to brand and business performance.