Sales Manager - Pet And Grocery Midwest

Sales Manager

We are seeking a high-performing Sales Manager to support growth for a portfolio of leading pet-product brands across major retail and distributor channels. This role is ideal for a sales professional with inside or regional pet-product sales experience, including calling on headquarters-level buyers.

What You'll Do

1. Own and execute regional sales strategies to drive revenue, distribution, and market share.
2. Manage key vendor partners and retail/distributor accounts across Grocery, Drug, Mass, and Pet Specialty channels.
3. Call on regional and HQ-level retail buyers to expand distribution, optimize SKU mix, and execute promotions.
4. Analyze syndicated data (Nielsen, IRI) and internal dashboards to identify growth opportunities.
5. Partner cross-functionally with marketing, data, and merchandising teams to support product launches and retail execution.
6. Represent brands at trade shows, distributor meetings, and industry events.
7. Travel within territory as needed ~25-50%.

What We're Looking For

• Proven success in pet-product sales within CPG.
• Inside sales or field sales experience calling on regional or headquarters-level retail buyers (required).
• Experience selling into Grocery, Drug, Mass, Pet Specialty, or Distributor channels.
• Strong understanding of territory management, forecasting, and account planning.
• Ability to leverage syndicated data to drive strategic decisions.
• Strong presentation, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Self-motivated, organized, and comfortable working independently in a growth-oriented environment.
• Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Word.
• Prior pet-industry experience is strongly preferred.

Why This Opportunity

• Join a company focused 100% on the fast-growing pet category.
• Work with premium brands and high-visibility retail partners.
• Be part of a collaborative, growth-driven sales organization.
• Build long-term career momentum in a resilient and expanding market.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration without regard to race, age, color, sex (including pregnancy), religion, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, military status, genetic information, or any other status protected by applicable laws or regulations. GPAC (Growing People and Companies) is an award-winning search firm specializing in placing quality professionals within multiple industries across the United States since 1990. We are extremely competitive, client-focused and realize that our value is in our ability to deliver the right solutions at the right time.