Director of Sales - Costco

As a leader and innovator in the snack food industry for over 50 years, J&J Snack Foods provides branded snack foods to foodservice and retail supermarket outlets across the U.S. Its products include such icons as SUPERPRETZEL, ICEE, and Dippin’ Dots along with other key brands like LUIGI’S Real Italian Ice, The Funnel Cake Factory Funnel Cakes, and Hola Churros. J&J also has a strong presence in bakery providing cakes, cookies, and pies to some of the largest grocery and convenience retailers in industry. Our company continues to deliver record sales led by a talented team and a commitment to “Fun Served Here”.

This position is ideally based in Seattle/Issaquah.

Position Summary

The Director of Sales is responsible for developing and executing strategic business plans across Costco to drive revenue, profitability, distribution, and market share growth across multiple product categories. This role proactively identifies growth opportunities, builds strategic customer partnerships, and drives cross-functional collaboration across key customer departments, including Culinary/R&D, Purchasing (Branded & Private Label), Marketing and Store Operations.

The Director of Sales manages both direct and broker-led customer relationships and maintains full profit and loss (P&L) accountability, ensuring achievement of sales and financial objectives while contributing to the organization's overall business performance.

This position reports directly to the Vice President Sales -Strategic Accounts at J&J Snack Foods.

Essential Functions

Customer Partnerships: Build and strengthen relationships with key decision-makers and cross-functional stakeholders to align business objectives and identify strategic growth opportunities

Business Development & Growth: Identify opportunities to expand product distribution, introduce innovation, optimize product mix, and drive incremental sales across assigned accounts

Strategic Account Management: Develop and execute short & long-term business plans for assigned key national accounts to drive revenue, profitability, distribution, and market share growth

Financial Performance: Maintain account-level P&L accountability, including pricing strategies, contract negotiations, customer investments, and achievement of sales and profitability targets

Sales Forecasting & Execution: Lead account forecasting and collaborate with Demand Planning, Supply Chain, and Customer Service to ensure operational alignment and execution against customer commitments

Cross-Functional Leadership: Partner with internal and external stakeholders to resolve business challenges, improve service levels, and execute strategic customer initiatives

Club Channel Execution: Develop and execute strategies suited to Costco's limited-SKU, high-velocity warehouse model, including item rotation, "treasure hunt" items, display-ready packaging, and price-per-unit competitiveness that delivers member value while protecting margin

Program & Item Management: Plan and manage warehouse-wide and regional items, seasonal and event programs, demos and roadshows, Costco Business Center and Costco.com (e-commerce) opportunities, and Kirkland Signature or private label opportunities

Buying Office Relationships: Manage relationships across Costco's national and regional buying structure, including the Issaquah headquarters buying office, and navigate the item-approval, new-item, and cost and price change cycles

Supplier Compliance & Quality: Ensure compliance with Costco supplier requirements, including food safety and quality audits (e.g., SQF/GFSI), EDI and routing requirements, vendor code of conduct, product recall and traceability procedures, and cold-chain and temperature-verification standards for frozen products

Supply & Service Performance: Own Costco service metrics, including fill rate and on-time/in-full (OTIF) delivery, coordinate with depots and distribution, and lead recovery plans for out-of-stocks or service failures

Core Competencies

Strategic & Results-Oriented: Strong business acumen, strategic thinking, and a demonstrated drive to achieve results and exceed business objectives

Customer-Focused: Ability to build strong customer relationships while aligning customer needs with organizational goals and strategies

Leadership & Collaboration: Positive, team-oriented leader with a competitive mindset, strong interpersonal skills, and a commitment to developing others

Communication & Influence: Exceptional written and verbal communication, presentation, and negotiation skills

Problem-Solving & Adaptability: Innovative and resourceful thinker with the ability to navigate challenges, manage competing priorities, and adapt to changing business needs

Organization & Execution: Highly organized, self-motivated professional with strong time management skills, initiative, and accountability for results

Required Skills

Proficient in Microsoft Office, data analysis, and presenting business performance to leadership

Strong leadership, communication, presentation, and negotiation skills

Ability to develop and execute strategic business plans while managing day-to-day priorities

Proven Sales experience managing key national accounts, building strategic partnerships, and driving sales growth across the full product portfolio

Strong understanding of CPG and Foodservice sales, merchandising, and customer growth strategies

Ability to collaborate with cross-functional teams to drive business results

Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify opportunities and develop customer solutions

Education and Experience

Bachelor’s degree in business or a related field required; MBA preferred

7–10+ years of progressive sales experience in CPG, Foodservice, food manufacturing, or related industries, including key national account & broker management

Proven experience managing large club retail accounts, preferably Costco

Working knowledge of Costco's buying-office structure and item-approval, new-item, and cost and price change processes

Familiarity with supplier food safety and quality requirements (e.g., SQF/GFSI), cold-chain standards, and service metrics such as fill rate and OTIF

Demonstrated success growing sales, expanding distribution, and building strategic partnerships across multiple product categories

Strong understanding of club channel merchandising, promotional strategies, pricing, and member value propositions

Experience developing and executing annual business plans, customer-specific strategies, and new product launches

Proven ability to manage account-level P&L, including revenue, profitability, trade investments, and contract negotiations

Experience leading sales forecasting, demand planning, and cross-functional execution to meet customer expectations

Established relationships with senior-level buyers and key decision-makers within national retail accounts

Experience leading, coaching, and developing sales professionals to achieve business objectives

Strong analytical, presentation, and negotiation experience, with the ability to influence both customer and executive leadership

Travel Requirements

Ability to (air) travel required 50-70%

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Disclaimer: This position description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the team member. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.

EEO Statement: J&J Snack Foods Corp.is an equal opportunity employer and prohibits discriminatory employment actions against, and treatment of, employees and applicants for employment based on actual or perceived Federal, State and local laws that prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of race, color, age, national ori