Director, Customer Team

As a global leader in flavour, McCormick & Company Inc. has built a portfolio of leading flavour brands that enhance people's enjoyment of food around the world. Every day, no matter where or what you eat or drink, you can enjoy food flavoured by McCormick. Founded in 1889, McCormick envisions A World United by Flavour where healthy, sustainable and delicious go hand in hand. To learn more, visit www.mccormickcorporation.com.

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.
 

The ideal candidate is a strategic and dynamic leader with a growth mindset, strong negotiation skills, and a proven track record of delivering results in complex environments. This role requires the ability to drive alignment, navigate challenges, and influence senior stakeholders. Strong people leadership skills are critical, as the Director will develop and inspire a high-performing, inclusive, and empowered team. Deep expertise in the Canadian CPG marketplace and customer dynamics is essential.

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 ability to collaborate cross-functionally with internal Sales teams (Trade Marketing, Category Management, Sales Operations, Revenue Management, Customer Supply Chain, and Retail Operations), as well as Marketing, Finance, and Supply Planning
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, with experience managing gross-to-net revenue and optimizing trade spend
• Advanced analytical skills and expertise in shopper insights, with proficiency in syndicated data sources such as NielsenIQ, Circana, and customer-specific databases
• Experience driving retail execution excellence, including merchandising, promotional strategy, and planogram compliance
• Bilingual skills (English/French) are an asset

INTERPERSONAL SKILLS

• Strong leadership skills, with a proven ability to drive action, deliver results, and develop high-performing, inclusive teams
• Growth mindset, with the ability to think strategically, challenge the status quo, and foster diverse perspectives
• Ability to build and nurture strong teams and develop effective cross-functional relationships while fostering a collaborative culture
• Strong influencing skills, with the ability to gain alignment across internal and external stakeholders
• Results-driven approach, with the ability to overcome barriers and drive initiatives through to execution
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills, with the ability to communicate complex ideas clearly and persuasively

Throughout the selection process, accommodations for applicants with disabilities are available upon request.  Please notify H.R. if required.

#LI-KT1