Member Business Advisor (Central US)

Everything we do at INFRA delivers value to our members. To ensure our growing membership receives the highest level of service, we are hiring a Member Business Advisor for our Central US region. This is a unique opportunity to grow your career by blending your whole-store, natural foods industry experience, and relationship-driven business development. . If you are looking to use your skills to help increase the impact of a mission-driven organization, start a conversation by submitting your resume and cover letter!

As a member of the Business Advisement team, you will build INFRA’s membership base through relationship-driven business development strategies. You’ll connect with existing members and use your understanding of their needs to ensure engagement is high. The ideal candidate is a connector, a door-opener, a consultant, a do-er, and is equally great with planning, details, and follow through. This means being able to think on your feet and constantly ask “how can we?” when faced with adversity, always keeping the member voice front of mind for the whole team.

What you will own and improve:

Act as the member voice

• Inspire others by communicating member voice, leading by example, and taking a collaborative approach.

Member relationship management

• Develop strong, direct relationships between INFRA and members.
• Partner with Business Advisement team to deliver personalized member support.
• Be aware of, and be able to relate to, the pulse of our industry to our members.
• Partner to ensure successful new member orientation.

Member needs engagement

• Provide regional members with consulting, problem solving, and resource referrals.
• Maintain and improve stakeholder (staff, members, business partners, associate retailers) engagement and communication internally and externally.

Existing member business development

• Leads, or consults on, the development and execution of business development strategies and roadmaps with stages, deadlines, and goals.
• Achieve relationship-driven member business development/growth goals through a variety of tactics, including but not limited to relationship building, consulting, outreach, store visits, and events.
• Ensure accurate and easily accessible member data and information.

Maximize member participation

• Demonstrate perseverance and bravery in engaging, connecting with, encouraging, and supporting independent business owners and leaders in order to maximize participation.
• Facilitate inter-member collaboration and community.
• Support members in their supply agreements with distribution.
• Lead or participate in regional membership in-person meetings, including operational support, training, and educational events.
• Conduct training and webinars using existing INFRA tools such as SPINS key account and CoMetrics, targeted specifically at the regional level.
• Consistently articulate the ROI that INFRA will bring to the member- financially, operationally, and from a values perspective.
• Continually seek new insights that make things more successful, meaningful, or impactful.

Identify program development opportunities

• Provide regional program support, working to continually increase member participation or program iteration
• Be a resource for the ongoing development of operational support programs, including follow-up with members after initial store visits
• Manage and increase participation in pilot group program launches in collaboration with the INFRA team

What you already know:

• The ideal candidate will possess balanced experience with whole-store and distribution/brokerage knowledge, including at least 6+ years experience in the grocery, natural foods, or equivalent industry required
  Experience creating business success and growth strategies using a variety of tactics required
• Depth of financial acumen and experience analyzing and taking action on retail operational financial data for a variety of business sizes. Experience with financial comparison and benchmarking strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of multi-state business practices preferred
• Understanding of membership cooperatives or associations, purchasing cooperative organizations, professional services organizations, or food/service organizations preferred.
• Versatile understanding of how to engage others using a consulting mindset, including facilitation of large meetings, navigating effectively through complex issues, and developing sound recommendations based on effective research.
• Able to establish great working relationships and communicate effectively with any audience, including confident communication and presentation skills.
• Digitally savvy, including comfort with a variety of relationship-focused business technology systems, project management tools, CRMs and learning new systems regularly.
• Enjoy deriving insights from data and using them for smart decision making.
• Able to manage and effectively prioritize multiple projects and deadlines while consistently delivering high quality results.
  
• Experience working with partners in a hybrid (remote + in person) work model preferred

• Travel up to 50% is required for this position.

• This role is preferred to be located out of our INFRA HQ office as a part of our hybrid workforce.

• Preference for home state location within the territory, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas. Home office must be located within 100 miles of a major airport. Current employees may be considered for position outside of the territory, with additional consideration.

INFRA is committed to creating an inclusive workplace. We know that diversity of identities, experiences, and ways of thinking result in stronger lives for all our members and the communities we serve. Research shows that systemically excluded communities may be less confident in applying for positions where as little as one skill doesn’t appear to fit – we welcome your resume and encourage you to apply.

INFRA is a mission-driven organization that strongly believes in rightful living. We provide our employees with robust technology, collaboration, professional development, hybrid work options, flexible schedules, work-life balance, and time in person with our a tight-knit team and members. Each of us receives a full suite of employee benefits including paid vacation and sick time; health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; a health savings account; a 401(k) retirement plan; and more.

Job Details:

Title: Member Business Advisor

Status: Full-time exempt

Reports to: Manager, Business Advisement

Travel required up to 50%

Location: Part of our hybrid workforce. INFRA HQ home-base preferred.

• If remote, preference for home state location within the territory, including Minnesota, Wisconsin, Illinois, Missouri, Arkansas, and Texas. Home office must be located within 100 miles of a major airport. Current employees may be considered for position outside of the territory, with additional consideration.

Pay Info: MSP2 70,000-92,500-115,000