Director of Retail Sales

Director of Retail Sales Meister Cheese Company - Muscoda, WI 53573 Apply Overview Level Management Apply Description Location: Muscoda, Wisconsin | Hybrid or remote flexibility based on business needs and candidate location Travel: 30–40%, with potential to evolve as the segment grows Own and Grow the Retail Channel for a Fourth-Generation Cheese Company Meister Cheese is a fourth-generation, family-owned cheese and whey producer based in Muscoda, Wisconsin. Since 1916, we have built our reputation on award-winning cheese, strong customer relationships, responsible growth, and a commitment to doing business with integrity. Today, Meister Cheese is entering an exciting phase of growth, and we are looking for a driven retail sales leader to help expand our presence across grocery, club, specialty, and strategic retail channels. This is a role for someone who wants to take ownership, build meaningful customer partnerships, grow ACV and distribution, and help shape the future of Meister Cheese at retail. About the Role The Director of Retail Sales will lead and grow Meister Cheese’s retail business across grocery, club, specialty, distributor, and strategic retail accounts. This person will be responsible for developing retail growth strategies, strengthening current customer relationships, identifying new opportunities, improving retail execution, and helping build the structure needed to support long-term growth. The right candidate will be both strategic and hands-on. They will understand retail sales metrics, know how to build a business case, manage customer relationships, work through deductions and chargebacks, and partner internally to turn retail opportunities into profitable, sustainable growth. What You’ll Make an Impact On In this role, you will: Lead retail sales strategy across grocery, club, specialty, distributor, and strategic retail channels Grow distribution, ACV, velocity, and overall retail presence for Meister Cheese products Build and strengthen relationships with retail buyers, distributors, brokers, and key customer partners Identify new retail opportunities and develop plans to expand Meister Cheese’s branded and private label presence Manage pricing, promotional planning, trade spend, deductions, chargebacks, and customer profitability Partner with the VP of Sales and internal teams to align retail growth with production capabilities, forecasting, inventory, quality, marketing, and profitability goals Improve retail execution through better planning, reporting, account ownership, and follow-through Bring customer insights, market trends, and growth opportunities back to the organization in a clear and actionable way Help establish scalable retail sales processes, account assignments, reporting tools, and future team structure Our Core Values At Meister Cheese, we are guided by three values: Tradition Honoring our heritage by doing the right things the right way – and changing when needed to serve our standards. Technology Using modern tools, data and innovation to make better decisions, improve quality, and support our people Trust Building strong relationships through honesty, accountability, consistency, and follow-through. What We Offer Meister Cheese offers a competitive benefits package, including: Health insurance at hire Up to 8% matched 401(k) Dental, vision, life, and disability coverage Strong ancillary coverage options Paid holidays and vacation A caring, respectful, and collaborative work environment built on decades of trust The opportunity to make a visible impact in a growing, family-owned company Why Meister? At Meister Cheese, family is more than a word. It shows up in the way we work, the way we treat people, and the relationships we build with our employees, farmers, customers, and partners. Many of our team members have been with us for 15 years or more, and that kind of loyalty does not happen by accident. We believe in working hard, treating people well, investing in the future, and building something that lasts. For the right person, this role is a chance to lead an important growth channel, build stronger retail partnerships, and help expand Meister Cheese’s presence on shelves across the country. To learn more about Meister Cheese, visit www.meistercheese.com . To request the full job description, please contact [email protected] . To apply, visit us at www.meistercheese.com or email resume to [email protected] Qualifications Who We’re Looking For We are looking for a retail sales leader who is motivated by growth, customer relationships, execution, and the opportunity to build something meaningful. The ideal candidate will bring: 5+ years of experience in retail sales, CPG, dairy, food manufacturing, grocery, specialty food, or related industries Proven experience managing retail accounts, customer relationships, pricing, negotiation, forecasting, and promotional planning Experience working with grocery retailers, club stores, distributors, brokers, or specialty retail accounts Strong understanding of retail metrics including ACV, distribution, velocity, trade spend, deductions, chargebacks, and promotional performance Experience managing deductions, distributor claims, trade spend, or promotional programs strongly preferred Ability to develop and execute growth strategies in a fast-paced, evolving environment Strong communication skills and the ability to collaborate across operations, quality, finance, customer service, marketing, and leadership Comfort using CRM systems, forecasting tools, and sales reporting processes Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or a related field preferred