Senior Manager, Private Label

Description

Role Purpose

The Senior Manager, Private Label will lead and manage the private label sales team, driving revenue growth, shaping strategic sales initiatives, and strengthening client relationships. This role calls for a visionary leader with a proven track record in sales management, business development, and market expansion.

As a key architect of Carnivore Meat Company’s private label business, this individual will foster innovation, cultivate strong customer partnerships, and reinforce the company’s position as a market leader. Reporting to the Senior Director of Private Label Sales, the Senior Manager will play a pivotal role in advancing the company’s strategic objectives and long-term success.

Role Outcomes

First 12 Months

• Accelerate Private Label & Co-Manufacturing Sales Growth: Increase revenue from $19M to $31M by driving $12M in incremental sales. Achieve this by deepening engagement with existing customers and leveraging new manufacturing capabilities to diversify offerings and expand market reach.
• Strengthen & Expand Key Retail Partnerships: Deepen strategic relationships with Walmart, Pet Supplies Plus, Petco, and PetSmart to ensure sustained growth. Drive private label sales to grow at or above the rate of category expansion, positioning retail private label programs to account for 50% of the team’s portfolio.
• Expand Enterprise National Brand Partnerships: Enhance engagement with current National Brand partners by presenting the full portfolio of capabilities, maximizing value and market penetration. Utilize market data and category growth insights to secure a minimum of two new Enterprise Co-Manufacturing customers, each generating $5M in revenue over a rolling 12-month period.
• Leverage Manufacturing for Innovation & Growth: Harness the potential of the company’s state-of-the-art facility to foster innovation and strengthen customer relationships. Collaborate closely with Marketing and R&D teams to develop cutting-edge, high-quality products that align with evolving consumer demands and industry trends.
  
  

Long-Term Goals

• Sustain Double-Digit Growth in Private Label: Maintain strong year-over-year revenue growth beyond Year 1, reinforcing the company’s position as a market leader in private label pet food and treats. Continuously analyze market trends and consumer preferences to refine sales strategies, ensuring consistent expansion and profitability. Develop innovative go-to-market approaches that drive differentiation and maximize competitive advantage.
• Expand Distribution & Secure Multi-Year Agreements: Strengthen and expand relationships with regional grocery and natural grocery retailers through solution-based selling. Transition early successes into long-term strategic partnerships, negotiating multi-year agreements that enhance brand presence and drive sustained revenue growth. Leverage data-driven insights to tailor offerings to retailer needs, ensuring alignment with evolving market demands.
• Take Ownership of Key Customer Relationships: Serve as a trusted advisor to major private label accounts, actively engaging in high-level discussions and strategic planning with senior stakeholders. Strengthen collaboration with the Senior Director to drive long-term customer success, demonstrating the ability to independently lead high-impact negotiations and large-scale growth initiatives. Establish proactive engagement strategies to ensure customer needs are met with tailored solutions, fostering loyalty and long-term retention.
• Sales Team Mentor: Take on the role of mentor to account managers, guiding them to adopt the "how might we" approach for tackling challenges and fostering growth within our collective business. Champion innovative thinking and collaboration by sharing best-in-class strategies for leveraging our full capability package, enabling the expansion of opportunities across our current business portfolio.
• Enhance Operational & Supply Chain Collaboration to Improve Profitability: Strengthen cross-functional partnerships with Sales, Operations, and Supply Chain teams to optimize efficiency and profitability. Improve service levels through streamlined fulfillment processes, ensuring timely and cost-effective product delivery. Identify opportunities to optimize margins and reduce operational costs, leveraging strategic initiatives to enhance overall business performance and long-term financial success.
  
  

Key Accountabilities

Portfolio Development & Innovation

• Develop and execute strategic sales plans to accelerate private label market growth and strengthen brand positioning.
• Identify emerging market opportunities, analyze industry trends, and craft competitive strategies that ensure sustained leadership.
• Lead the development and execution of a robust product innovation strategy, collaborating cross-functionally with Finance, R&D, Technical Services, and Supply Chain teams to bring differentiated, high-quality private label products to market.
• Oversee the complete product lifecycle, ensuring optimal performance, relevance, and alignment with evolving consumer demands.
• Utilize data-driven insights to refine product positioning and anticipate consumer preferences, proactively adapting to emerging trends in the pet food and treat industry.
• Cultivate and nurture strong partnerships with key clients, fostering trust, long-term collaboration, and mutual business success.
  
  

Sales Leadership & Performance Management

• Inspire and mentor the sales team account managers, fostering an exceptional culture and team dynamics.
• Continuously monitor and analyze key performance metrics, implementing strategic adjustments to exceed financial targets.
• Establish best-in-class sales processes, ensuring seamless execution, efficiency, and alignment with business objectives.
• Provide senior leadership with data-backed insights and recommendations, driving informed decision-making.
• Ensure strict adherence to industry regulations and company policies, maintaining operational excellence and integrity.
  
  

Operational Excellence & Compliance

• Champion continuous improvement initiatives across private label processes, optimizing efficiency, quality, and market competitiveness.
• Uphold rigorous food safety and quality assurance (FSQA) standards, proactively identifying and reporting compliance-related issues.
• Represent the company at industry events, trade shows, and conferences to enhance brand visibility and cultivate new business opportunities.
  
  

Requirements

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or equivalent experience; and MBA preferred.
• Experience: 8+ years of sales account management sales, ideally within the pet food, consumer packaged goods (CPG), or food manufacturing sectors.
• Proven track record of driving strategic growth and successfully managing large, complex portfolios.
• Demonstrated expertise in launching and scaling products in national and international markets.
• Experience leading and developing teams, with a proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders.
• Passion for pets and a commitment to advancing innovation in the pet food industry.
  
  

Location

This individual will be remote or based out of the Green Bay headquarters. There will be a 50% travel requirement which includes customer visits and strategic meetings in Green Bay.

Benefits

4% 401k match, medical, dental, vision, voluntary life and pet insurance, 100% company-paid life and disability insurance, 9 paid holidays including 1 floating holiday to use as you choose, PTO, wellness incentives, EAP, employee discounts on pet food and treats.