Area Sales Director - Distribution Processor Eastern United States

As the Area Sales Director for Bunzl Distribution on our Processor team, you will serve as the senior field sales leader for the region, owning both the strategy and execution required to drive profitable organic growth, customer retention, and team performance. Reporting to the Segment Vice President, you will lead 3-8 Sales Managers with responsibility for the broader field sales team.

You will set the operating cadence for the region, and partner cross-functionally to deliver revenue and margin targets. This role blends strategic planning and consultative selling with hands-on leadership of people leaders to inspire, develop, and hold teams accountable for results.

You'll manage a broad portfolio of disposable products-from paper and packaging to sanitation, safety, and PPE. As part of Bunzl's Processor segment, your customers will range across various industries, including food production, food service and industrial manufacturing.

This role will lead our Distribution Processor sales team across the Eastern United States geography. While remote, ideal candidates will be based near one of our HUB offices or have quick access to a major airport to remain centrally located to team members and customers and to leverage the local office as needed.

Responsibilities:

• Own regional revenue, margin, and retention results; develop and execute comprehensive strategic and tactical plans aligned to corporate priorities.
• Lead and coach Sales Managers (and through them field sales representatives); set clear objectives, performance measures, and development plans that build a strong leadership bench and succession pipeline.
• Drive disciplined sales cycle planning, execution, and evaluation across the region; ensure consistent prospecting, account development, and account management practices.
• Own sales pipelines, forecasting, and pricing discipline; review weekly/monthly region performance, identify trends, and adjust plans to deliver results.
• Partner with key customers and senior stakeholders on high-impact opportunities; lead complex negotiations and remove barriers to growth.
• Lead through influence in a matrixed environment; align cross-functional partners (operations, merchandising, pricing, finance, customer service, and supply chain) to deliver an exceptional customer experience.
• Manage regional P&L ownership expectations, including revenue and expense planning, resource prioritization, and ROI-minded decision-making.
• Establish a strong operating cadence (team meetings, business reviews, and town halls) that drives accountability, communication, and the sharing of best practices.
• Leverage CRM and data (e.g., Microsoft Dynamics) to evaluate performance, improve sales effectiveness, and standardize processes and procedures.
• Be an agent for change by leading organizational and cultural initiatives; implement directives from senior leadership and ensure adoption across teams.
• Recruit, select, and develop top sales talent; motivate teams, address performance issues, and recognize achievements to build a world-class sales organization.
• Capture and communicate customer and market feedback to senior leadership, including product insights and emerging opportunities.

Requirements:

• High School diploma or GED equivalent required.
• Bachelor's degree strongly preferred.
• 5+ years of progressive sales leadership experience - ideally leading people leaders (e.g., Sales Managers).
• Proven ability leading a team that delivers on revenue and margin targets in competitive markets.
• Ability to build and execute annual and multi-year sales plans, manage complex sales cycles, and drive sustained organic growth.
• Exhibit strong strategic, organizational, and project management skills with the ability to prioritize resources and execute multiple initiatives autonomously.
• Executive-level communication and influencing skills, including the ability to present business performance, insights, and recommendations to senior leadership.
• Demonstrated ability to lead in a matrixed environment with both direct and indirect reporting relationships.
• Strong negotiation skills and customer-facing presence with experience engaging senior customer stakeholders.
• CRM and analytics proficiency (Microsoft Dynamics preferred) and strong PC skills in a Microsoft environment (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams & CoPilot).
• MS Dynamics or other CRM system working knowledge
• Experience in a distribution environment selling physical products (e.g., CPG).
• Ability to travel throughout the region; expectation is regular in-person field time with Sales Managers and teams.
• Must currently possess and maintain a valid US Driver's license.

What's in it for you?

The perks of being a Bunzl team member don't stop at being part of a great team or being valued as our #1 asset. We offer a full range of benefits to help our employees take care of themselves and their families today, tomorrow and for the future.

• Medical, dental, vision, and life insurance available to employees and eligible dependents starting the first day of the month after 30 days of employment (unless otherwise specified by a collective bargaining agreement).
• 401(k) retirement plan with a generous company match of $0.75 per $1.00 contributed, up to 6% of eligible pay, available after 30 days.
• Paid time off, including (Pro-rated based on hire date):
• 10 vacation days and 2 personal days annually (prorated in the first year based on hire date).
• 40 hours sick for exempt | 56 hours sick for non-exempt per year, in accordance with Washington State law.
• 6 paid national holidays and 2 floating holidays
• Any leave required under federal, state, or local law, as applicable, such as leave under the Colorado Healthy Families and Workplaces Act
• Please refer to the Benefits & Perks section on our career webpage for more details

Salary Range: $125-175K base (+ bonus and car allowance) determined by experience, education and market data in the geographic location.

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Bunzl North America is a global leader in the Cleaning & Hygiene, Food Processing, Grocery, Health Care, NonFood Retail, and Safety industries. We have grown both organically and through acquisitions to exceed $10 billion in sales. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Bunzl operates more than 100 warehouses and serves all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Canada, and parts of the Caribbean and Mexico. With more than 10,000 team members and over 400,000 supplies, Bunzl is recognized as a leading supplier across North America-and proudly certified as a Great Place to Work. At Bunzl, you'll find Unlimited Potential Your Career - - Our Future!

Bunzl Distribution has a tradition of commitment to equal employment opportunity. It is the established policy to attract and retain the best qualified people without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, sex/gender (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, age, disability or veteran status as provided by law.