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Website:www.nielsenmassey.com

Nielsen-Massey is a leader in the specialty foods world, specifically in the production and marketing of the world’s finest vanillas and flavors. The company operates a branded consumer goods business (CPG/B2C) as well as a business-to-business (B2B) ingredient and flavor business.   The portfolio includes various forms of pure and natural vanilla ingredients, extracts, pastes, and powders plus other flavor extracts including: lemon, almond, chocolate, coffee, peppermint, and rosewater to wholesale, culinary, and industrial customers throughout the world. The global headquarters and state-of-the-art production facility are in Waukegan, Illinois, with an additional plant in the Netherlands.  The brand is well established with culinary professionals and big branded players as the premiere vanilla brand in the marketplace while the next phase of growth will come from expanding the brand to a broader base of consumers via an aggressive retail and eCommerce strategy as well as diversifying and expanding the ingredient and flavor business. 

Nielsen-Massey Vanillas (NMV) was founded in 1907 and is still owned by three members of the Nielsen family, who work as senior executives at the company. The fiduciary Board is composed of a majority of independent directors as well as the three family shareholders. The four independent members all have CEO experience in a variety of industries, including CPG, eCommerce and Industrial/ Manufacturing. 

The Company is committed to sustaining the plants, people and communities that supply their ingredients. Since 1907, NMV has demonstrated its commitment to civic and social responsibility. The company’s Community Relations initiatives encompass three main objectives: building relationships with the communities in which they live and work; showing their commitment through financial contributions to charities in support of education, youth, veterans and the environment, actively promoting volunteer service among their employees -- and demonstrating as a team that they make a difference. 

NMV supports approximately 18 organizations that represent their mission-driven values. They published their first annual “Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibilities Report” in 2018. Some past ESG programs include the funding of a new Malagasy school and the construction of a solar-powered water pump in the Madagascar Village that grows Nielsen-Massey’s fair-trade vanilla.

In 2009, The Nielsen-Massey Foundation was founded with a mission to assist disadvantaged children and adults with education and leadership development, especially in the field of culinary arts. The Foundation also considers requests for assistance in the development of sustainable environmental practices or for programs benefiting people in countries of need. The Foundation’s board of directors consists of Craig, Beth and Matt Nielsen—third-generation owners of Nielsen-Massey Vanillas—and their mother, Camilla.

Throughout its more than 118-year history as a family business, NMV is proudly and fully committed to the ethical manner in it conducts business, including how employees and customers are treated.  As a company, NMV remains committed to honesty and integrity, as well as openness and respect for the rights and interests of its employees.  Employees are “treated like family,” in particular, with generous health care benefits. 

OPPORTUNITY 

Position: Director, Foodservice, North America

Reports to: Senior Vice President of Global Sales 

Location: Remote Capable/Waukegan, Illinois, about 40 miles north of Chicago’s Loop

Salary Range: $160,000 - $175,000 (Compensation is based on education, skills, experience and other job-related factors)

 Benefits

• Monthly Auto Allowance
• 401k Plan and up to 4% company matching
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement or Health Savings Account
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) - Health, Dependent Care, and Commuter
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid Parental Leave
• Bereavement
• Short Term Disability 
• Weekly paychecks
• Rewards & Recognition Programs
• Employee Referral Program
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Annual Bonus Program

Position Responsibilities:

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Director of Foodservice to lead our growth initiatives across key foodservice channels including commercial/full-service restaurants, hospitality/hotel and lodging, and non-commercial segments (e.g., education, healthcare, B&I). This role will also oversee broadline distribution management, ensuring optimal product availability, pricing, and promotional execution through national and regional distributors. The ideal candidate will bring deep industry knowledge, strong relationships, and a proven track record of driving revenue and brand presence in the foodservice space.

This individual will be responsible for developing and executing sales strategies, building strong relationships with key distributors and operators, and driving revenue growth across national and regional accounts. The ideal candidate will have deep experience in the foodservice industry, a strong understanding of consumer trends, and a passion for delivering exceptional customer experiences.  The role will work to lead our account management efforts by prospecting and building out segment and customer mapping. The Foodservice Director will assist in a variety of cross-functional projects providing organizational and administrative support.

Key Responsibilities:

• Deliver/exceed NMV annual Sales Volume & Operating Profit Objectives in Foodservice with focus on Broad Line distributor partnerships.
• Develop a strategic plan that encompasses multi-year growth plans outlining revenue, profit potential, and go to market strategy.
• Channel Strategy and Development
• Develop and execute strategic plans to grow sales in commercial, hospitality, and non-commercial foodservice channels.
• Identify and prioritize high-potential accounts and segments for targeted growth.
• Collaborate with marketing and innovation teams to tailor product offerings and messaging for foodservice applications.
• Broadline Distribution Management
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key broadline distributors (e.g., Sysco, US Foods, PFG).
• Manage pricing, trade programs, and promotional calendars to drive distributor engagement and performance.
• Monitor distributor compliance, inventory levels, and service metrics to ensure consistent execution.
• Customer Engagement and Sales Execution
• Lead customer presentations, negotiations, and joint business planning with strategic accounts.
• Partner with culinary and R&D teams to support menu ideation and product integration.
• Attend industry trade shows, conferences, and customer events to represent the brand and identify new opportunities.
• Cross-Functional Leadership
• Collaborate with operations, finance, and supply chain to ensure alignment on forecasts, capacity, and service expectations.
• Provide input into innovation pipeline and go-to-market strategies for foodservice-specific products.
• Serve as the voice of the foodservice customer internally, advocating for their needs and opportunities.
• Manage and attend vendor shows for Broad Line distributors. 
• Partner with Marketing team to develop efficient marketing support vehicles and selling stories to drive sales growth with existing and new Broad Line distribution partners.
• Build demand forecasts that are accurate and updated and are reviewed internally for maximum accuracy. 
• Travel 50% or more dependent on customer needs and opportunities.

Personal Characteristics:

• Organization
  • Business Acumen - Demonstrates knowledge of the market and competition; Aligns work with strategic goals.
  • Cost Consciousness - Works within approved budget; Develops and implements cost saving measures.
  • Business Necessity – The employee must be capable of adapting, with minimal or no advanced notice, to changes in how business is conducted, and work is accomplished, with no diminishment in work performance. This may include, but is not limited to, organization structure, finance goals, personnel, work processes, technology, and customer demands. 
  • Safety and Security –All employees are responsible for observing safety and security procedures as applicable and reporting potentially unsafe conditions to management.
• Results Oriented 
  • High energy, results-driven, determined, and flexible, with a strong and disciplined work ethic. 
  • Sets a quick pace and raises the bar and presses the organization toward higher levels of achievement. 
  • Measures and tracks processes and branded content assets against top competitors and the market. 
  • Promotes superior performance against stretch goals. 
  • Entrepreneurial mindset.
• Intellectual
  • Problem Solving - Identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; Gathers and analyzes information skillfully; Develops alternative solutions; Works well in group problem solving situations.
  • Project Management - Develops project plans; Coordinates projects; Communicates changes and progress; Completes projects on time and budget; Manages project team activities.
  • Technical Skills - Assesses own strengths and weaknesses; Pursues training and development opportunities; Strives to continuously build knowledge and skills; Shares expertise with others.
• Change Management
  • Embraces a sense of urgency and enthusiasm about the future path and where we are going as a team. 
  • Challenges the status quo and can quickly develop and execute improvement plans.
• Leadership Capability
  • It is important that this individual has the capacity to assume greater responsibilities over time. 
  • They must have unquestioned integrity and strong values; non-political and non-bureaucratic.
• Communication Skills
  • High level of emotional intelligence (EQ). 
  • Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to effectively deliver and reinforce consistent messages 
  • Leverages these communication capabilities to interact with, and persuade, peers throughout the organization. 
  • Excellent listening skills.

Knowledge and Characteristics:

MUSTS:

• Strong knowledge and at least five years’ experience working for or with one or more Big 6 Broad Line distributors in North America. 
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent in Sales, Marketing or Business, with/or a minimum of 5 years’ related experience demonstrating success in managing and selling in the Food Service channel.
• Outstanding writing, communication, and presentation skills.
• Proven ability to meet essential deadlines.
• Excellent multi-tasking and prioritization skills.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and superior organizational skills.
• Ability to interact with all levels of the organization.
• Familiarity with Customer Relationship Management.

WANTS:

• Experience in a family or privately held business.