China Director of Sales

Impossible Foods is addressing the most catastrophic threats facing humanity: climate change and biodiversity collapse. A global transition to a plant-based food system will turn back the clock on atmospheric CO2 levels, restore natural ecosystems and reverse meltdown in wildlife biomass.
The easiest -- if not only -- way to make our civilization sustainable is to eliminate livestock, the most dangerous technology on Earth. But humans won’t give up meat. So we need to make meat better -- more delicious and more nutritious, without animals as the underlying production technology. That means that making meat sustainably is the most important and urgent problem for the global scientific community.
Impossible Foods' mission is to completely replace the use of animals as a food-production technology by offering consumers everything they currently value about animal products -- and making products that are vastly superior to their animal analogues.
To do this, we are taking a revolutionary scientific and market-based approach. We are inventing efficient, sustainable ways to transform ingredients from plants into meat, fish and dairy foods that deliver all the pleasures and nutritional benefits consumers demand, without the destructive environmental or public health impact.
Our world-class R&D team has been building the know-how and technology platform to produce meat, fish and dairy foods from plants. Impossible Foods is experiencing rapid growth and is resolutely committed to leading all aspects of the plant-based food revolution—from discovery to commercial production. The only thing that will separate Impossible Foods from success and failure is our ability to recruit more world-class experts.
Want to join? Check out the job opening and requirements below:
The China Director of Sales will be responsible for leading China sales. You will set the sales anddistribution strategy, setup distribution, close new retail and food service customers, manage existingaccounts, and build an elite sales team. The role will report to Impossible’s Head of the China business

You Will:

• Lead the Impossible’s China sales function: You will be responsible for setting the vision and building the initial sales organization. You will roll up your sleeves to do anything and everything that needs to be done and will recruit and lead top end sales talent as the business develops.

• Build the sales and distribution strategy: Use industry insights and knowledge and creativity to develop and implement the China sales and distribution strategies that align with the go to market plan.

• Setup food service and retail distribution: Build the distribution systems throughout China to deliver Impossible to target channels.

• Source distributors, negotiate contracts, onboard and train, and drive distributor performance.

• Drive new sales: Close and onboard new customers at a rapid pace in line with the go to market plan in food service and retail. Use traditional and creative sales methods. Present products, conduct category reviews, and use other related information with clients to gain sales and establish accounts.

• Manage & grow existing accounts: You and your team will be the primary contact for all accounts serving Impossible and responsible for supporting and growing their business. You will implement in-store initiatives to drive increased traffic and higher in-store sales. Implement and manage trade spending.

• Drive success for Impossible and partners: Work closely with key accounts to understand what success is for both parties. Implement and measure success.

• Use metrics based, clear sales approaches: Set clear performance indicators, experiment, measure, and analyze. Conduct monthly and quarterly sales reviews internally and externally (with distributors and key accounts).

• Report and communicate to global teams: Communicate clearly, frequently, and proactively to the global teams on the business performance - successes and challenges.

• Collaborate with marketing and communications: Coordinate activities including but not limited to: shopper marketing, digital/social media and influencer campaigns, promotions, and demos / sampling events.

• Collaborate closely with S&OP: Provide clear forecasts and work S&OP on demand planning and inventory management.

• Implement scalable customer tracking: Put customer tracking system in place from the start (e.g. Salesforce) and drive pipeline management through the system.

You Have:

• True passion for the mission of Impossible!
• Strong sales leader with majority of experience in China, including recent experience growing a brand and pioneering sales
• Minimum a Bachelor’s degree (BA or BS) from a four-year college or university
• Minimum 12+ years of CPG/food sales experience with proven success in attaining ambitious sales goals
• Preference for experience in selling refrigerated/frozen grocery/protein items
• A mix of large and small company experience
• Highly collaborative approach (internally and externally) with ability to collaborate with all types of functions (R&D, marketing, finance, strategy, operations, etc.)
• Success working independently and navigating in an ever changing and often chaotic (and exciting) high growth environment.
• Eagerness to do everything and anything it takes to succeed
• Strong analytical skills with metrics based, results driven approach
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Google Suite and Salesforce

• Fully bi-lingual in Mandarin and English
• Location based in Shanghai
• Ability to travel in China and periodic travel out of market including United States

Impossible Foods Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, status as a protected veteran, status as an individual with a disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. 
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