Client Partnership Director - Central

Overview of the Role  

• The Director, Client Partnership – Central is a strategic, client-facing leadership role responsible for translating the client’s national priorities into an actionable Central region strategy and ensuring alignment and execution across the sales organization. 
• This role serves as a key connection between client leadership, CA Fortune and partner agency leadership, wholesaler leads, downstream retail business leads, and dedicated support functions. 
• Location: Remote
• Salary range: $110,000 - $115,000 based on experience, qualifications, and skills
• The Director works closely with wholesaler leads to understand performance, opportunities, and priorities across AWG and UNFI Conventional Central, then connects those strategies to the downstream retailer business leads responsible for execution. 
• The Director will lead and develop three dedicated team members: Sales Planning Manager – KeHE & UNFI Spec.; Deductions Manager; and Sr. Client Partnership Manager, Central & East – KeHE & UNFI Spec. 
• Success in this role requires strategic thinking, strong client leadership, the ability to influence across a matrixed organization, and the ability to turn data and client priorities into clear strategies, actions, and accountability. 

What You’ll Do at C.A. Fortune       

Client Partnership & Strategic Leadership 

• Serve as a strategic partner to client leadership across the Central region, developing a deep understanding of the client’s brands, business priorities, financial objectives, and go-to-market strategies. 
• Translate national client priorities into clear Central region strategies and priorities. 
• Lead regular client business reviews, planning meetings, performance updates, and strategic discussions. 
• Provide the client with a holistic view of Central region performance, including key risks, opportunities, trends, and recommended actions. 
• Proactively identify business needs and bring forward solutions and recommendations rather than simply reporting results. 
• Ensure client priorities are clearly communicated throughout the organization and translated into actionable plans. 
• Build trusted client relationships through strategic thought leadership, transparency, responsiveness, and consistent follow-through.

Central Region Strategy & Execution 

• Lead development of the overall Central region strategy in partnership with the client, wholesaler leads, CA Fortune leadership, and partner agencies. 
• Partner closely with AWG and UNFI Conventional wholesaler leads to understand wholesaler performance, distribution opportunities, customer dynamics, and business priorities. 
• Connect wholesaler strategies to the downstream retailer business leads responsible for execution, ensuring teams understand the priorities, opportunities, and desired outcomes. 
• Create alignment across wholesaler and downstream retail strategies so the organization is working toward common client objectives. 
• Identify opportunities to expand distribution, improve promotional productivity, address assortment gaps, and drive incremental growth across the Central region. 
• Establish clear ownership and accountability for execution, monitor progress, and ensure risks or gaps are addressed. 
• Serve as an escalation and problem-solving resource when execution barriers require broader cross-functional or client alignment.

Planning, Forecasting & Business Performance 

• Lead the Central region planning process, ensuring customer and wholesaler plans collectively support client objectives and regional growth priorities. 
• Maintain a holistic view of shipments, consumption/POS, distribution, promotional performance, forecasts, inventory, and trade investment to understand overall business health. 
• Partner with Sales Planning, wholesaler leads, and business leads to identify forecast risks and opportunities and develop recommended actions. 
• Ensure promotional strategies align with client guardrails, funding, brand priorities, and broader regional objectives. 
• Partner with Insights and Sales Planning to turn data into actionable strategies for the client and sales organization. 
• Regularly assess performance against plans and ensure appropriate adjustments are made when results, customer dynamics, or client priorities change.

Team Leadership & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Directly manage, coach, and develop three dedicated team members: Sales Planning Manager – KeHE & UNFI Specialty; Deductions Manager; and Client Partnership Manager – KeHE & UNFI Specialty. 
• Establish clear roles, priorities, expectations, and accountability across the dedicated team. 
• Provide strategic leadership and oversight of the KeHE and UNFI Specialty business through the dedicated Client Partnership Manager and Sales Planning Manager. 
• Lead through influence across a matrixed organization, partnering with CA Fortune, CA Carlin, wholesaler leads, downstream business leads, Sales Planning, Insights, Operations, and client teams. 
• Ensure the right stakeholders are connected early, and that communication, ownership, and timelines are clear across teams. 
• Coach the team to think beyond individual tasks and accounts and understand how their work connects to broader client and regional objectives. 

Operational Excellence & Client Service 

• Establish effective operating rhythms across the client, wholesaler leads, downstream business leads, and dedicated support team. 
• Ensure client requests, priorities, and action items are communicated to the appropriate owners and followed through to completion. 
• Maintain strong working knowledge of the client’s planning, forecasting, trade management, reporting, and deduction processes. 
• Ensure the Central team consistently meets client reporting requirements, planning deadlines, and business commitments. 
• Continuously identify opportunities to simplify processes, strengthen communication, improve accountability, and elevate overall client service. 

What You Should Bring to the Table  

• 8+ years of Consumer-Packaged Goods, brokerage, client management, sales leadership, or related industry experience. 
• Demonstrated ability to develop strategy and translate client priorities into actionable business plans. 
• Strong understanding of the grocery and CPG go-to-market environment, including the relationship between manufacturers, wholesalers/distributors, brokers, and downstream retailers. 
• Proven ability to lead and influence across a complex, matrixed organization. 
• Experience leading, coaching, and developing direct reports. 
• Strong analytical and business acumen with the ability to connect sales, POS, distribution, forecasting, promotional, and syndicated data into a broader business story. 
• Proven ability to build trusted relationships with senior client and internal leadership. 
• Ability to identify business risks and opportunities and develop clear, actionable recommendations. 
• Strong executive presence with the ability and confidence to lead strategic discussions and present to senior audiences. 
• Excellent written and verbal communication, organization, prioritization, and follow-through. 
• Proficient in Excel and PowerPoint.

You Will Stand Out if You Have 

• A Bachelor’s Degree. 
• Previous experience leading a national or regional CPG client partnership. 
• Experience working within the AWG, UNFI, and/or KeHE ecosystems. 
• Experience working across multiple broker or agency organizations to execute a common client strategy. 
• Experience with syndicated data including Nielsen, Circana/IRI, or SPINS. 
• Experience with trade promotion management and forecasting systems. 

What We Offer 

• PTO & Sick Days
• 11 paid company holidays per year
• 1 Floating Holiday 
• 2 paid volunteer days per year 
• 3 months fully paid parental leave (regardless of gender) 
• Medical, dental, and vision 
• Monthly cell phone allowance 
• Paid company life insurance 
• 401k with company match 
• Bonus eligible
• Summer hours (half day Fridays from Memorial Day thru Labor Day) 
• Work from home flexibility 

Come As You Are 

C.A. Fortune is committed to making our company more inclusive. Diversity fuels our innovation and better connects us to our clients, our colleagues, and our communities. Based on research, we know that women and other marginalized groups tend to apply to roles only when their experience perfectly matches the job description. That said, we encourage you to apply if you meet the majority of qualifications, especially if this role aligns with your career trajectory.