Vice President Contract Manufacturing & Customer Success chez LiDestri Foods

About LiDestri Foods

LiDestri Foods has grown from our roots as a pasta sauce and salsa manufacturer to become an R&D engine, formulating and producing innovative food products for our national and retailer brand partners. A family-run company based in Rochester, NY, LiDestri employs over 1,000 people across three U.S. locations. We have decades-long partnerships with some of the most respected consumer packaged goods (CPG) companies and the most highly inventive retailer brands. 

Excellent Pay and Benefits:

• Great career-pathing 
• Professional development, including unlimited online training courses
• Health insurance with premium contributions
• Dental, vision, HSA
• 100% company paid life insurance and long-term disability
• 401k – with employer match
• Paid time off to include- vacation, sick pay, wellness time off, and 10 holidays
• Company bonuses
• And many more….

POSITION SUMMARY: 

The Vice President of Sales (Contract Manufacturing) and Customer Success is a senior executive role responsible for developing and executing a unified commercial strategy to drive revenue growth, customer retention, and market share within the private label and contract manufacturing segments. This role owns the entire customer lifecycle—from acquisition through long-term partnership—while aligning sales efforts with company objectives, S&OP planning, and competitive positioning. The VP will lead a high-performing sales and account management team, foster cross-functional collaboration, and deliver exceptional customer experience and value.

CORE RESPONSIBILITIES

Sales Strategy & Growth Leadership

• Define and lead sales strategy for private label and co-manufacturing to accelerate revenue, increase wallet share, and expand into new markets
• Build and manage a scalable sales funnel that drives both new customer acquisition and growth within existing accounts
• Set and achieve targets including revenue, margin, and customer success KPIs
• Identify opportunities to introduce value-added solutions and services across the customer base

Customer Success & Retention

• Oversee the customer success function, ensuring best-in-class service, retention, and long-term partnership development
• Drive post-sale engagement strategies to maximize customer satisfaction, loyalty, and lifetime value
• Implement success metrics and feedback loops to continuously improve the customer experience

Market Intelligence & Competitive Benchmarking

• Continuously monitor the competitive landscape, identifying new entrants, service gaps, and pricing pressures
• Benchmark product, pricing, and service models to guide strategic adjustments and enhance market differentiation
• Translate market intelligence into actionable insights and commercial opportunities

S&OP and Cross-Functional Alignment

• Actively contribute to the Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process by providing demand forecasts, capacity inputs, and growth insights.
• Partner closely with Supply Chain, Finance, Operations, and R&D to align sales with operational readiness and margin goals.
• Collaborate with marketing to ensure alignment of messaging, campaigns, and market positioning.

Team Leadership & Organizational Development

• Lead, mentor, and develop a high-impact team across sales, business development, and customer success functions
• Set and monitor team KPIs, territories, and performance goals aligned with business strategy
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and customer-centric execution

 Executive Communication & Reporting

• Serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, reporting on commercial performance, market dynamics, and strategic initiatives
• Present regular updates on revenue forecasts, funnel metrics, customer health, and growth plans to the CEO and Board

QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related field; MBA strongly preferred
• 10+ years of progressive sales leadership experience, including executive-level roles in food manufacturing, private label, or co-manufacturing.
• Proven track record of scaling sales organizations, increasing market share, and improving customer retention.
• Strong understanding of private label customer dynamics, co-manufacturing economics, and B2B lifecycle management.
• Demonstrated experience with funnel management, account growth strategy, and sales operations
• Advanced knowledge of S&OP and cross-functional business integration
• Highly analytical with strong business acumen and communication skills
• Proficient in CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce), sales analytics tools, and ERP platforms.
• Ability to travel (~20%) for key customer meetings, site visits, and industry events.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Regularly required to sit, use hands
• Occasionally need to lift and/or move up to 10 pounds, with a potential of up to 25 pounds
• Sedentary office environment
• Occasional exposure to manufacturing plant floor requiring the use of personal protective equipment (ear plugs, safety glasses, bump cap, skid-resistant leather shoes, etc.);
• Must follow Good Manufacturing Practice (hair net, no jewelry, no fake nails or eyelashes, no food/drink, gum, etc. in manufacturing Plant).