Marukan-JFC Assistant Sales Manager-Eastern Region

• Leads the Eastern Region (Asian distributer) to profitably achieve company sales targets by gaining distribution and increasing sales, while building the Marukan brand throughout all retail, food service and industrial Asian Food channels and ensuring the long-term strength of the company.

• Manages East Coast Sales for Asian distributers
• Communication and Reporting

• Makes sales and marketing announcements to distributors and customers.
• Receives customer and consumer inquiries and acts accordingly.
• Assist Asian Sales Manager in creating the advertising and marketing voice for the company.
• Summarizes sales, marketing and customer activity for the VP of Sales to report to head office in Japan (in English).
• Communicates short and long-term production needs and works with VP of Sales to schedule production runs to fill orders and meet sales demand.
• Develops new business, introduces new products to new distributer accounts for Marukan thru Asian distributer Sales Team and when possible, ride-along with Asian distributer Sales Team.
• Works with Accounts Receivable to reconcile customers and assist in the collection of past due invoices.
• Communicates with Transportation Department to maximize sales and minimize shortages cost effectively.
• Manages sales expenses to department budget.
• Makes pricing recommendations to VP of Sales relating to Asian distributer business.
• Makes annual sales forecast and expense budgets.
• Oversees promotional planning for all sales divisions to achieve maximum sales while keeping spending within budget.
• Regular travel to Eastern JFC Branch offices at least twice per month. Occasionally travel to Marukan Corporate Office in CA and Eastern brewery in Griffin, GA.

• Reports to Asian Sales Manager. Provides weekly sales report of sales activities.
• Leads meetings, normally off-site at JFC branches monthly or as scheduled.
• Assist in providing information on outstanding receivables and deductions with AP Manager and AR clerk in a weekly meeting. Notify customers of credit holds.
• Attends customer category review and distribution training sessions as needed.
• Maintains up to date records of distribution and pricing.
• Implements company policies and procedures in areas of responsibility.

• Performs other miscellaneous duties as assigned or needed.
• Supports trade show exhibitions with JFC or Marukan Vinegar.

• Minimum Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience in Business, Sales, Marketing or Management

• Strong understanding of mainstream and ethnic-Asian broad-line and small to mid-sized foodservice distributors.
• Qualified experienced working with Japanese wholesalers preferred but not required.
• Excellent communication skills and ability to develop relationships in the industry.
• Understand the “Go-to-Market” strategies for Asian distributer and their major accounts.
• Strong awareness and understanding of Asian, and Asian fusion, retailer, restaurant in the U.S.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both verbal and written, including customer sales reviews, public speaking, training of distributor, motivating, team building, interviews, and conflict resolution. Must be able to report sales opportunities, progress and challenges to executive management.
• Bilingual English /Japanese - Fluency in native Japanese is strongly preferred, as well as proficiency in both verbal and written English.
• Strong strategic, analytical, and budgeting skills needed, creating sales presentations using sales reports and syndicated data, writing, and managing sales targets, promotional strategies, and budgets.
• Ability to travel at least 30% - 50% of the time per month. Ability to work efficiently from the road.
• Ability to work effectively from home office.
• Windows environment application, including Microsoft Outlook, Excel, Word and PowerPoint and Microsoft Dynamics 365 experience preferred.

Marukan Vinegar U.S.A. Inc.