Senior Sales Manager, New Jersey

About the role

The Senior Sales Manager, New Jersey will be entrusted with owning and executing the commercial strategy for the state of New Jersey, translating Kiva Confections' corporate vision into a clear, actionable, and results-driven sales plan. This leader will architect the district coverage model, designing territory structures and prioritizing high-potential retail accounts to maximize distribution and brand presence across the state. They will own the end-to-end sales lifecycle for key accounts, balancing strategic category planning with hands-on execution to ensure consistent performance against ambitious revenue and margin targets. The role requires building and deepening strategic retailer partnerships, aligning Kiva's premium confection portfolio with category opportunities and planogram expectations to drive sell-through. They will champion forecast accuracy and pipeline discipline, leading rigorous opportunity stage management and forecasting rituals to ensure reliable revenue projections. Success in this position demands strong commercial acumen and the ability to coordinate cross-functionally with marketing, finance, and operations to shape trade activity, define promotions, and optimize pricing within strict regulatory boundaries. The ideal candidate is a people leader who coaches, develops, and holds a team of sales professionals accountable while fostering a culture of collaboration, compliance, and data-driven decision-making to adapt to evolving market dynamics.

Key facts

What you'll do

• Own the commercial strategy and execution for the New Jersey market, developing and managing a state business plan that aligns with Kiva Confections' growth objectives.
• Architect new district coverage by designing territory plans that prioritize high-potential stores and optimize route efficiency for maximum productivity.
• Build and deepen strategic retailer relationships by aligning Kiva brands with category opportunities, planogram expectations, and in-store execution standards.
• Champion forecast accuracy through disciplined pipeline reviews, opportunity stage management, and consistent forecasting rituals to ensure reliable revenue predictability.
• Shape trade activity by defining and leading promotions, pricing strategies, and display placements that meet regulatory rules while maximizing sell-in and brand visibility.
• Coordinate closely with operations to align inventory, distribution, and in-store availability for key accounts, ensuring product presence and freshness.
• Guide, coach, and develop a team of sales professionals through regular feedback, performance tracking, and strict target management to drive individual and team excellence.
• Forge and nurture partnerships with marketing and finance to ensure campaigns are measurable, budget-efficient, and aligned with overarching brand and sales goals.
• Maintain strict compliance and governance by adhering to state cannabis regulations and internal control procedures, mitigating risk and ensuring audit readiness.
• Analyze market trends, competitor activity, and sales data to identify insights and adjust strategies for improved market share and profitability.
• Lead cross-functional collaboration to resolve operational issues, streamline processes, and support new product launches in the marketplace.
• Own key performance indicators such as sales growth, distribution depth, sell-through rates, and customer satisfaction to drive continuous improvement.
• Develop and manage the sales budget for the territory, monitoring variances and taking corrective actions to stay on plan.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for strategic retail partners, ensuring exceptional execution and relationship satisfaction.
• Drive the adoption of Salesforce, Microsoft Office, and internal tools to maintain accurate sales records, forecasts, and pipeline visibility.

Requirements

• Must hold a state license that allows cannabis sales in New Jersey, ensuring eligibility to operate within the regulated market.
• Must bring a minimum of three years of experience in a related field, demonstrating a track record of managing complex information and communicating clearly across functions.
• Must have a proven record of achieving and sustaining high sales performance in previous roles, showing consistent overachievement against targets.
• Must understand pricing, promotions, distribution, and inventory management within a regulated setting, applying this knowledge to drive profitable growth.
• Must reside in New Jersey, as this role requires physical presence to manage relationships, execute plans, and comply with jurisdictional requirements.
• Must be able to lead and influence cross-functional teams, aligning stakeholders around clear priorities and shared objectives.
• Must demonstrate strong data literacy, using insights to inform decisions, forecast accuracy, and performance optimization.
• Must adhere to strict compliance standards and internal control procedures, ensuring all activities remain within legal and regulatory frameworks.

Nice to have

Preferred qualifications include prior experience in confection and related consumer categories, providing familiarity with product types and retail dynamics. Candidates should possess a skill set that leverages tools such as Salesforce, Microsoft Office, and specific product knowledge involving confection, cannabis, Kiva, Terra, Petra, Lost Farms, and Camino. Experience with Kiva Chocolate and related artistic tools is advantageous, as it supports deeper partner conversations and category education.

Practical notes

This is a full-time position with compensation structured between 130,000 USD and 180,000 USD per year. The role offers the opportunity to lead sales strategy and execution in New Jersey, driving revenue growth, market share, and profitability within a dynamic and regulated market. The successful candidate will report to senior leadership and be accountable for delivering against ambitious business objectives in one of the fastest-growing cannabis markets.