Sr Director Client Retail & Sales Operations

Sr Director Client Retail & Sales Operations

Strategic and results-driven leader who provides leadership across team management, performance optimization, strategic planning, and financial operations including budgeting and forecasting. Drives continuous improvement and process innovation to solve complex challenges. Focused on establishing clear, measurable outcomes that empower exceptional program execution for Mars by aligning the organization's operational capabilities with its overall business objectives. Responsible for aligning cross-functional teams (HQ Sales & Retail teams), driving sales and service execution, and optimizing operational efficiency to meet Mars' objectives and Advantage performance metrics. Acts as the primary operational liaison between the client and internal teams, ensuring consistent delivery, data-driven decisions, and proactive issue resolution.

Job Will Remain Open Until Filled

The Company is one of North America's leading sales and marketing agencies specializing in outsourced sales, merchandising, category management and marketing services to manufacturers, suppliers and producers of food products and consumer packaged goods. The Company services a variety of trade channels including grocery, mass merchandise, specialty, convenience, drug, dollar, club, hardware, consumer electronics and home centers. We bridge the gap between manufacturers and retailers, providing consumers access to the best products available in the marketplace today.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities

Drives the strategic adoption and integration of technology platforms to streamline operations, enable real-time visibility, and enhance executional efficiency across the organization. Partners with internal teams and the client to evaluate, implement, and optimize tools such as CRM, retail execution software, and collaboration platforms. Ensures tech solutions are scalable, user-friendly, and aligned with both client and broker needs.
• Oversees budgeting, forecasting, and cost management to ensure operational initiatives remain financially viable and aligned with performance expectations. Owns P&L oversight for the client-dedicated business, ensuring strong financial discipline and transparency. Supports long-range planning and identifies opportunities for cost optimization and reinvestment in high-impact areas.
• Serves as the senior operational partner to the client, cultivating a trusted, strategic relationship focused on shared goals and long-term growth. Collaborates with client leadership and internal commercial teams to ensure consistent alignment on priorities, KPIs, and execution strategies. Acts as a voice of the client within the broker organization, advocating for their needs and driving internal accountability.
• Ensures seamless alignment between retail field execution and headquarter strategy. Builds strong bridges between retail teams, client sales leads, and HQ personnel to enable feedback loops, ensure consistent messaging, and drive flawless execution at shelf. Develops systems to monitor compliance, communicate priorities, and identify gaps between planning and retail delivery.
• Leads the development and delivery of performance scorecards and business insights that measure execution, sales performance, and ROI. Partners with analytics teams to surface actionable insights that inform decision-making, drive continuous improvement, and demonstrate value to the client. Ensures data integrity, consistency, and timely reporting across all business functions.
• Owns the full lifecycle of CRM utilization - from implementation to adoption, maintenance, and optimization. Ensures the CRM system supports pipeline management, field visibility, client communication, and reporting needs. Drives adherence to processes that enhance transparency, accountability, and data-driven decision-making across the organization.
• Will ultimately lead the establishment and management of a Center of Excellence that centralizes analytics, client services, and operational optimization. Serves as a scalable, efficient backbone for the client-dedicated business, enhancing service consistency, fostering innovation, and ensuring the highest levels of client satisfaction. Responsible for designing org structure, defining roles and responsibilities, and fostering collaboration across.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Direct Reports
- Hires, retains, trains, coaches, guides, directs, and develops direct reports using company-wide processes, tools and resources

Indirect Reports
- May delegate work of others and provide guidance, direction and mentoring to indirect reports

Travel and/or Driving Requirements

- Travel is not an essential duty and function of this job. Driving is not an essential duty or function of this job.
- There may be occassional travel.

Minimum Qualifications The following are the minimum job-related qualifications which an individual needs in order to successfully perform the essential duties and responsibilities of the job
Education Level: (Required) Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience

Field of Study/Area of Experience:

10+ years of experience in CPG with strong understanding of sales, retail execution and client services

Direct experience in client-dedicated role; cross-functional leadership; financial oversight and P&L management;

Technology and tools implementation/change management

Skills, Knowledge and Abilities

• Expertise in budgeting, forecasting and financial analysis
• Strong client management and communication skills
• Familiarity with organization as well as major retailers and go to market strategy
• Data & analytics acumen
• People leadership
• Change management
• Influencing skillset

Environmental & Physical Requirements

Office / Sedentary Requirements
Incumbent must be able to perform the essential functions of the job. Work is performed primarily in an office environment. Typically requires the ability to sit for extended periods of time (66%+ each day), ability to hear the telephone, ability to enter data on a computer and may also require the ability to lift up to 10 pounds.

Additional Information Regarding Advantage Solutions Job Duties and Job Descriptions
Job duties include additional responsibilities as assigned by one's supervisor or other manager related to the position/department. This job description is meant to describe the general nature and level of work being performed; it is not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required for the position. The Company reserves the right at any time with or without notice to alter or change job responsibilities, reassign or transfer job position or assign additional job responsibilities, subject to applicable law. The Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable a qualified applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by the law.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of associates so classified.

The Company is committed to providing equal opportunity in all employment practices without regard to age, race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, religion, physical or mental disability, or any other category protected by law. As part of this commitment, the Company shall provide reasonable accommodations of known disabilities to enable an applicant or employee to apply for employment, perform the essential functions of the job, or enjoy the benefits and privileges of employment as required by law.