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About the Company

ur client grows, processes, supplies, and distributes premium beef, veal, lamb, goat, seafood, and fresh produce all over the world. They are a family-owned, multi-billion dollar success story with thousands of team members guided by a defining set of strong unwavering values. Their commitment to providing the very best in customer service is matched only by their commitment to the highest quality products. With strict hygiene and handling standards and a fierce belief in doing things the right way, they simply don’t compromise on quality. They are also keenly aware of their responsibility to the animals, people and communities in which they work. Safety, animal welfare, and sustainability are all a part of the fabric of the business and are integrated into everything they do.

With operations in the US, Australia, China, Japan and Europe, and export sales to more than 80 countries, our client’s brands, and business partnerships continue to expand. Their US facility alone features a 265,000 square foot SQF certified cold warehouse and further processing facility. Part of the secret behind their success is that they are constantly experimenting and branching out from their roots as leaders in premium lamb, beef, goat, mutton into new products and markets.

Scope of Position
Our client has identified Canada as a significantly high potential market for the organization. Realizing that potential will be the responsibility of the new General Manager, Canada

Reporting to the President, the General Manager will be responsible for positioning our client’s offerings in Canada, holding the full P&L responsibility and while building, empowering and supporting a team to reach company objectives.
This is an outstanding opportunity that features:

• Strong industry and market leader
• Unique family culture
• Growing market opportunity
• An opportunity to make a real difference

Functional Tasks

• Lead the sales and overall business development activities of the Canadian division, driving results to meet and exceed business plans to achieve profitable growth by developing customers, delivering on customer commitments, meeting budgeted sales commitments and overcoming obstacles
• Create strategies and define critical opportunity points to grow revenue through exploiting the firm’s differentiation
• Lead from the front – assume responsibility for major account acquisition and management
• Hire, lead and develop field sales focusing on:
  • sustaining growth in target customer segments;
  • substantially growing sales in new customers and channels;
  • expanding markets.
• Provide input into effective pricing strategies
• Establish metrics for the measurement of business development effectiveness
• Monitor customer, market and competitor activity and their impact on sales strategies
• Manage customer relationships and expectations to ensure a high level of satisfaction and effective supplier partner relationships are established and maintained
• Provide detailed and accurate forecasting to drive and guide sales activities
• Coach and engage the sales team to achieve defined business objectives
• Member of the leadership team that develops, plans, and directs strategies for North American business activities
• Promote organization in industry, manufacturing or trade associations
• Provide the most reliable projections on future performance that can be developed, as well as reliable reports of current performance

Key Performance Deliverables

In light of the identified responsibilities, the following are specific deliverables that the position is designed to achieve.

• Strategic metrics: Ensuring that product offerings align with market requirements
• Financial metrics: attainment of costs and profitability targets through a strong focus on management, costs, processes and revenue growth.
• Team Metrics: Building overall effectiveness of the team along with morale

Competency Profile
The following competencies listed below define the role of General Manager, Canada
Results Orientation
Focuses strongly on achieving agreed upon outcomes and ensures that key objectives are met. Conveys a sense of urgency and drives issues to closure. Aims to improve upon past performance. Establishes aggressive personal targets and strives to achieve them.

Strategic Approach
Develops a strategic plan to realize the vision. Revises strategy in light of changing circumstances. Takes a long-term view of organizational success. Works to clarify long term organizational goals. Able to stand back from immediate problems in order to focus on more far reaching ideas.
People Management
Establishes and communicates clear priorities and sense of direction. Clarifies roles and responsibilities. Adapts management style to achieve optimum results.

Developing & Coaching Others
Accurately assesses strengths and development needs of employees. Challenges others to improve their abilities and actively supports their development. Continually provides timely and constructive feedback, coaching and challenging learning opportunities. Adjusts coaching style based on each employee’s ability and motivation level.

Planning & Objective Setting
Systematic in approach to work. Produces action plans in which objectives are defined and steps for achieving them are clearly specified. Plans by breaking down large task into subtasks. Develops plans that anticipate obstacles. Is realistic about time-scales and builds in appropriate checkpoints, milestones and controls in order to ensure that desired results are realized.

Commercial Acumen
Applies appropriate commercial and financial principles. Understands situations in terms of costs, profits, added-value and return on investment. Appreciates the commercial impact of own work on the organization’s total expenses and revenues.

Customer/Client Orientation
Strives to provide customers/clients with personalized and efficient service. Anticipates customers’/clients’ needs. Quickly follows up on customer/client contacts and complaints. Monitors and acts on measures of customer/client satisfaction.

Drive
Adopts an energetic approach; Works towards goals and willingly tackles demanding tasks; Demonstrates capacity for sustained effort and hard work over long periods of time, even in the face of adversity.

Integrity & Sincerity
Inspires trust and supports others through own authenticity and following up on commitments. Maintains high ethical standards both personally and professionally. Shows consistency among principles.

Preferred Experience / Education

The following indicates specific industry, academic and functional experience/qualifications that are important to the successful achievement of the identified responsibilities and performance deliverables.

• Minimum 10 years of professional experience, preferably within the meat processing, animal protein solutions or related food sectors.
• Previous position as MD, Sales Manager, BD Manager, Country Manager, General Manager, VP or similar roles
• Excellent knowledge of the Canadian market and industry segments
• Strategic mindset to see the broader potential of the market and how the company can capitalize on it
• Must have industry experience such as end-user markets such as retail or food service
• Willingness to travel as required
• Excellent communication and analytical skills
• Strong leadership abilities
• A dynamic and self-motivated person with structured working style who can achieve results without much supervision

Remuneration & Benefits

• Highly competitive base plus variable compensation package

If interested, please contact

Bob HebertStoneWood Group, TorontoBus: 416-365-9494 Ext. 777[email protected]

Natália ScodinoStoneWood GroupBus: 416-365-9494 Ext. 221[email protected]