About the role

Aplyr's Quick Take

This role is about leading the Club Channel business for Mars Pet Nutrition, focusing on strategic direction, customer relationships, and sales performance with major retailers like Costco and Sam's Club. It's a senior leadership position that involves managing a small team and collaborating across departments to drive growth and profitability.

Good fit

Ideal candidates have extensive experience in sales leadership within the consumer goods sector, particularly with wholesale or club channels. Strong relationship-building skills and a strategic mindset are essential, along with a collaborative working style.

Worth noting

The role requires regular in-office presence in Tennessee, which may not appeal to those seeking fully remote positions. There's a focus on flexibility to support work-life balance, which is a positive aspect.

Job Description:

The Director, Club Channel is responsible for leading the strategic direction, customer relationships, and commercial performance of Mars Pet Nutrition's Club Channel business across North America, including Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesale Club.

This role drives sustainable revenue growth, profitability, market share expansion, and customer partnership excellence while aligning channel strategies with the Company’s broader commercial and brand objectives.

This role reports to the Sr. Vice President Customer Development and, as a member of the North America Sales Leadership Team, plays a critical role in shaping sales strategy, influencing cross-functional priorities, and ensuring best-in-class execution across the Club Channel.

The role leads a team of five sales professionals and serves as the executive relationship owner for key club customers.

This role is based in Franklin, TN with regular in-office collaboration expected. Flexibility is a key enabler—empowering associates to make choices that support both business outcomes and personal needs, including occasional remote work.

What are your key responsibilities?

Strategic Leadership
- Develop and execute the North America Club Channel strategy aligned with enterprise growth objectives and annual OMNI Growth plans
- Identify opportunities for distribution expansion, assortment optimization, innovation launches, and category growth across Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesale Club
- Lead annual business planning, customer Joint Business Planning (JBP), and long-range strategic planning processes
- Partner with Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, Revenue Growth Management, Category Management, and Demand Planning to deliver integrated customer solutions and profitable growth
Sales & Customer Leadership
- Own executive-level relationships with Costco, Sam’s Club, and BJ’s Wholesale Club leadership teams
- Lead customer negotiations including pricing, promotional programs, assortment, contract terms, and annual agreements
- Deliver revenue, profit, market share, and volume targets for the Club Channel portfolio
- Monitor customer, consumer, and competitive trends to inform channel strategy and identify growth opportunities
- Ensure flawless execution of innovation, seasonal programs, and promotional initiatives
People Leadership & Talent Development
- Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team of five direct reports responsible for customer management and execution
- Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, inclusion, and continuous improvement
- Build organizational capability in strategic selling, negotiation, category management, and customer planning
- Establish clear performance expectations and succession planning for key roles within the team
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Serve as the primary Club Channel representative within the North America Sales Leadership Team
- Influence enterprise priorities and resource allocation to support Club Channel growth objectives
- Partner closely with Operations and Supply Chain to manage inventory, forecasting, service levels, and customer-specific requirements
- Collaborate with Finance to optimize trade investment, profitability, and pricing strategies
Sales & Financial Management
- Analyze sales performance, customer profitability, and key business metrics to drive informed decision-making
- Lead forecasting, budget management, and financial planning for the Club Channel business
- Ensure compliance with customer requirements, company policies, and operational standards
- Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance execution effectiveness and operational efficiency

What are we looking for?

Bachelor’s Degree
7+ years’ experience in CPG / Retail Sales and Customer Leadership
Significant experience managing Club Channel customers, including Costco, Sam’s Club, and/or BJ’s Wholesale Club
Demonstrated success leading high-performing sales teams and delivering profitable growth
Strong financial acumen, negotiation skills, and strategic planning capabilities
Proven ability to influence cross-functional stakeholders and lead within matrixed organizations
Excellent communication, executive presentation, and relationship management skills

What can you expect from Mars?

Work with diverse and talented Associates, all guided by the Five Principles
Join a purpose driven company, where we’re striving to build the world we want tomorrow, today
A strong focus on learning and development support from day one, including access to our in-house Mars University
An industry competitive salary and benefits package, including company bonus

Aplyr's read

Mars is a diverse global powerhouse in confectionery, pet care, and food, attracting talent in manufacturing, sales, and technical roles.
Synthesized from recent postings & public sources

What's promising

•Mars offers a wide range of career paths across multiple sectors, including food, pet care, and confectionery.
•The company invests in employee development through programs like the Mars Young Professionals Program.
•Mars provides opportunities for global mobility and cross-functional career growth.

What to watch

•The company's large size may lead to bureaucratic decision-making processes.
•Limited public information about Mars' work-life balance policies.
•Mars' global operations may require frequent travel or relocation for some roles.

Why Mars

•Mars is family-owned, allowing for long-term strategic planning without shareholder pressure.
•The company is known for its iconic brands like M&M's and Snickers, offering strong brand recognition.
•Mars emphasizes sustainability and responsible sourcing in its operations.

Aplyr’s read is generated by AI from public sources. Was it useful?

About Mars

Mars

mars.com

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Mars, Incorporated is a global manufacturer of confectionery, pet care, and food products, known for brands like M&M's, Snickers, Pedigree, and Whiskas.