Vice President, Sales at The Barcode Group in Minneapolis, MN

About The Barcode Group:

The Barcode Group is a full-service retail agency connecting brands and retailers across physical and digital marketplaces. Collectively, we have decades of experience working with retailers including Costco, Target, Walmart, Amazon, Sam’s Club, Kroger, and BJ’s in over 170 categories. We are accomplished because we are invested in meaningful relationships – both with our clients and our teams. We hire the best, focus on continued professional development, and empower employees so everyone can be a success. We provide our teams the opportunity to showcase their entrepreneurial spirit, shape strategy, and impact results.

Position Overview:

The Barcode Group is seeking a Vice President of Sales for our Target business to join our exceptional team of individuals who are passionate about delivering uncompromising customer service and driving business growth for our vendors and retail partners. In this role you will lead the functional management and execution of business development and sales-related activities for new and existing clients working with the Target merchandising team. This role provides a great opportunity for an individual who has extensive CPG/retail experience across multiple categories, with Target experience and relationships strongly preferred.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute business plans that incorporate vendor and retailer strategy, leveraging insights on retail trends, consumer behavior, and competitive dynamics
• Drive category and revenue growth by identifying new business opportunities and building relationships with prospective customers
• Establish and maintain strong partnerships with Target merchandising teams to identify opportunities and implement growth initiatives, including new product development, category expansion, and vendor placement
• Own and manage key client accounts at Target, ensuring strong performance of existing business while delivering against growth targets, providing exceptional service, actionable insights, and consistent results
• Lead the full sales cycle, including prospecting, presentations, proposal development, negotiations, and closing
• Create and deliver compelling sales stories, presentations, and joint business plans to support client and customer strategies
• Develop and achieve revenue targets, budget plans, and distribution goals
• Monitor and analyze sales performance and market trends to inform strategy and identify growth opportunities
• Lead effective internal and external meetings, including business planning sessions, product presentations, retail strategy discussions, and pricing negotiations
• Represent the company at trade shows and industry events to generate leads and expand the customer base
• Conduct ongoing competitive and market analysis to stay ahead of industry trends
• Proactively identify risks and opportunities, developing solutions and mitigation plans to support business objectives
• Collaborate cross-functionally to address customer and vendor needs and ensure alignment across teams
• Manage and optimize trade budgets and promotional funding to maximize return on investment
• Build and develop internal team capabilities to support retailer-specific strategies and long-term growth
• Coach and mentor team members to drive performance and foster a high-performing team environment
• Serve as a primary point of contact for vendors and retail partners, ensuring clear, timely, and effective communication

Qualifications:

• 10+ years’ progressive experience in Retail, CPG, Account Management, and/or Sales, with Target retailer experience strongly preferred
• Experience with national account sales and/or large account penetration, negotiation, and maintenance techniques
• Strong strategic thinking and conceptual skills, including the ability to translate trends, consumer research, and observations into actionable opportunities
• Demonstrated skill in building long-term strategic business and short-term implementation plans, balancing strategic and tactical needs
• Proven experience in developing and achieving sales goals
• Experience working with private label/owned brands
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills, drawing upon a large network of relationships across multiple categories, companies, and brands
• Ability to effectively utilize data and insights to build compelling sales stories. Strong ability to communicate key information, deliver presentations and influence audiences
• Proficient organizational and project management skills, with strong attention to detail
• Strong financial acumen, including experience working with P&Ls and financial analysis
• Superior written and verbal communication skills, including proficiency in presenting to and influencing both internal and external audiences
• Proficiency in all Microsoft Office products, including Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint
• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent
• Willingness to travel occasionally