Sr. Trade Manager

Vital Farms – 

Finding the right place to grow your career isn’t (over) easy, so we’re here to help by sharing a few reasons why the grass is greener at Vital Farms. We think you’ll appreciate our focus on Conscious Capitalism, which drives business decisions that benefit all our stakeholders (leading to even better business results). You might be drawn to our innovative approach and refusal to settle for the “way things have always been done.” Or you could find it exciting to grow your skills while working for an industry-leading brand. Whether you’re into our values, our brand, or our egg-cellent puns, we hope you’ll join our Crew and help us change the world 108 square feet at a time! 

At Vital Farms, we’re proud of the diverse communities we serve and the stakeholders who help bring our purpose to life. We’re committed to fostering an inclusive and collaborative environment where every crew member feels valued. We see this as one of our greatest strengths - and your role is key to helping us build on it. 

Your Role:

Reporting to the Sr. Director, Commercial & Trade Finance, the Senior Trade Manager will lead our trade promotion management and optimization efforts while managing a team of two direct reports. This role will be a key leader within the Sales and Finance organization, responsible for driving strategic trade reviews, ensuring accurate and complete accruals, guiding Sales on effective promotional forecasting, and conducting post-event analyses to maximize trade dollar ROI. The ideal candidate is highly analytical, detail-oriented, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and has a service mindset combined with strong leadership capabilities. 

What You'll Do:

• Guide the sales crew through all stages of the Trade Management process. 
• Coordinate & Maintain Blacksmith TPM and TPO Systems for assigned customers:   
  • Guide Sales on Blacksmith TPO scenario planning and what promotions make the most sense to run from a volume, margin, and ROI perspective 
  • Guide Sales on Blacksmith TPM process including forecast accuracy, guidance on promo scenarios to run, post event analysis, and general feedback on how to structure promotions for clean reporting and clearing of deductions.  
  • Monthly trade reviews with Account Managers covering assigned customers. 
  • Understand and enforce best-in-class trade management recommendations including naming conventions, delivery vs. performance dates, performance type definitions, and more. 
  • Work with accounting on deduction resolution and research to close within 90 days of receipt.
  • Release/close fully actualized promotions in TPM for assigned customers 
  • Critical partner in annual revenue and trade bottoms-up planning process, including understanding revenue and budget gaps to AOP 
• Create and maintain reporting for sales team:   
  • Assist in the development and reporting of trade management KPI metrics such as retail price point execution, budget over/under spends, contract attachments, forecast accuracy, promotion creation PLT, and more. 
  • Assist in the reporting and communication of incremental volume plans to our Demand Planning team and speak to the details of these plans during Demand Reviews. 
  • Coordinate, track, and ensure our Sales Crew are submitting committed promotions for approval, and approving promotions of assigned customers. 
  • Manage Trade Team in gathering and reporting post-event analysis details in Power BI and present findings during Sales reviews.
• Leadership & Team Management:
  • Lead, coach, and develop a team of two direct reports, fostering professional growth, accountability, and high performance.
  • Set clear objectives, provide regular feedback, and ensure alignment with organizational priorities.
  • Serve as a subject matter expert and escalation point for complex trade management issues.
• Partner with Trade Management team and Sales to ensure the system is maintained:  
  • Assist in system maintenance tasks such as new customer setups, OI validation in our ERP system, and uploading consumption actuals.
  • Ensure our direct/indirect tables are accurate and maintained.
  • Work with Sales to ensure volume plans are complete and updated given new item introductions or discontinuations. 
  • Work to establish and communicate recommendations for standard operating procedures (SOPs) as we continue to grow.
  • Provide suggestions on future TPM enhancements and test the functionality of enhancements made in TPM over time.  

What You Bring to the Table:

• 6+ years in a CPG trade promotion management or related role, with at least 2 years in a people leadership position.
• BS/BA in Business Administration, Finance, or related field required.
• Ability to travel 10-20% for team meetings, company trainings, onboarding trips and events.
• MS Office skills with Advanced excel skills.
• Well-organized and responsible with an aptitude in problem-solving.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Passion for ethical and nutritious food and purpose-driven brands.
• High tolerance for monthly deadlines.  
• A team player with high level of dedication.
• Proven experience in sales; experience as a sales analyst in other like roles will be considered a plus.
• Experience in Blacksmith, Power BI, Spins, IRI, Nielsen, customer portals a plus. 
• You can work comfortably under minimal direct supervision; note that your manager will be based remotely.
• You are flexible, adaptable, and bring an appropriate sense of urgency to your work.
• You’re no hero – You know the power of teamwork and celebrate the work of others before your own.
• You give a sh*t – You believe in acting like an owner and making Vital Farms a place to be proud of.
• You raise the standards – You know growth can be hard, but you strive to improve yourself and others each day.
• You can walk in someone else’s boots – You seek to understand other’s viewpoints and think that you get to better answers by sitting on the same side of the table.
• You don’t walk on eggshells – You’re not afraid to leave the bullsh*t behind and have honest conversations.
• We recognize that talent comes in many forms. Even if you don’t meet every requirement, we encourage you to apply. You may have strengths we haven’t yet considered! 

What We Bring to the Table:

• A fast-paced, energetic, remote environment with passionate people who are leading a movement to bring ethically produced food to the table.
• Competitive pay and benefits (Medical, Dental, Vision, and Paid Parental Leave, just to name a few).
• Generous retirement contributions: 401(k) + 3% Contribution from Day 1.
• Free eggs and butter (yes, really!), along with friends and family discounts. 
• Fun team SWAG that will make you the talk of the town.
• Professional development opportunities and an amazing team dedicated to your growth.

At Vital Farms, compensation decisions are dependent upon a variety of factors, which may include, but are not limited to, skill level, experience, education, training, market demands, and business needs. A reasonable estimate of the current starting annual base salary for this position is $130,000 - $150,000. Please keep in mind that hiring at the maximum end of the range would not be typical in order to allow for potential continued future salary growth.