Director, Customer Team

Our Canadian consumer products division serves retail grocery customers and emerging channels with our exciting portfolio of brands including Club House, McCormick Gourmet, French's, Frank's Red Hot, Cholula, and Billy Bee.
The Power of People is one of our five pillars and has been the foundation for McCormick's success for decades. There is something inspiring about working at McCormick. We have created a dedicated workforce by fostering a culture of respect, recognition, inclusion and collaboration based on the highest ethical values. Without our employees, our success is not possible. Our commitment to our customers, our consumers and our employees is unsurpassed.
McCormick Canada is seeking a Director, Customer Team to join the Sales team. The position reports to the VP of Canadian Sales and NA Retail Operations. This role is part of McCormick's Canadian Consumer Products Division and is based at the Drew Road office in Mississauga, ON. It is eligible to participate in McCormick's hybrid work program (50% onsite, 50% remote per month).
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Director, Customer Team is responsible for developing and executing sales strategies to drive growth across a portfolio of key customers. This role focuses on driving revenue, strengthening customer partnerships, and optimizing commercial strategies to achieve business objectives. The Director leads customer account management, contract negotiations, and strategic initiatives to expand distribution, accelerate innovation, and enhance profitability and market share. This role requires strong cross-functional collaboration to align with brand priorities, drive execution excellence, and serve as the voice of the customer to unlock new opportunities. As a member of the Canadian Sales Leadership Team, the Director plays a key role in shaping broader sales strategy and fostering a high-performance, collaborative culture.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Strategic Leadership & Growth Execution
Lead the development and execution of strategic go-to-market plans, aligning category, brand, shopper, and customer initiatives to drive mutual growth.
Act as the voice of the customer, collaborating with cross-functional teams to optimize distribution, innovation, promotions, and merchandising while unlocking new opportunities and mitigating risks.
Ensure commercial excellence in execution, including optimal in-store visibility, planogram compliance, and impactful retail activation.
Financial & Revenue Management
Provide financial leadership to drive profitable growth, managing gross-to-net revenue within fiscal targets while optimizing trade spend in partnership with Revenue Management.
Lead contract negotiations on trade terms with customers, including pay-for-performance structures, ensuring mutual value creation.
People Leadership & Culture
Lead and develop a high-performing, engaged sales team by setting clear performance expectations, providing ongoing coaching, and fostering an inclusive, growth-oriented culture.
Serve as a key member of the Canadian Sales Leadership Team, shaping broader strategic direction and organizational culture.
Customer Leadership & Relationship Management
Build and maintain strong relationships with key retail customers across all levels, including senior leadership, to understand retailer priorities, gain buy-in for growth plans, drive new opportunities, and remove barriers.
Strengthen customer partnerships by optimizing ways of working and collaborating on strategic initiatives.
Sales Forecasting & Operations
Oversee sales forecasting to ensure delivery against targets, providing insights into corporate forecasts while identifying opportunities and risks.
Work cross-functionally with Customer Supply Chain, Trade Marketing, and Sales Operations to drive operational excellence.
Performance Management & Market Insights
Drive performance tracking against annual plans both internally and with customers, ensuring alignment, removing barriers, and implementing corrective actions when needed.
Stay ahead of marketplace trends and proactively adapt strategies to maintain competitive advantage.
EDUCATION
University Degree in Business Administration or equivalent experience. MBA is preferred.
REQUIRED EXPERIENCE
10+ years of experience in the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) industry
Proven expertise in Sales Account Management and Trade Marketing; experience in Category Management or Shopper Insights is preferred
Strong go-to-market strategy and execution expertise, aligning category, brand, shopper, and customer initiatives to drive growth
People leadership experience, with a proven track record of coaching, developing, and engaging high-performing teams
Deep understanding of the Canadian marketplace and retail environment, with proven experience building relationships with retailer partners at a senior leadership level
Experience leading contract negotiations on trade terms, including pay-for-performance structures, ensuring mutual value creation
Demonstrated