Job Description:
The Head of Branded Sales - Gulf Fuel will lead the national sales strategy and execution for Gulf’s branded fuel business, driving growth across distributor and retail partnerships while developing and leading a remote sales organization.
This leader will be responsible for both expanding existing customer relationships and developing new business, with a focus on growing branded locations, fuel volume, market share and profitability. The role requires a highly commercial, relationship-driven sales leader who can navigate complex, long-cycle negotiations and build lasting partnerships in a competitive fuel market.
Success will require a leader who is humble, driven, and resourceful, with the ability to build credibility with customers, develop the sales team and deliver sustainable growth.
Leadership Profile
The successful candidate will be:
- Humble and hungry: Driven to win with team success paramount to personal recognition.
- Relationship-oriented: Comfortable investing the time required to build trust and credibility with customers.
- Commercially savvy: Able to negotiate sophisticated deals while balancing volume, margin and long-term value.
- Resourceful: Able to find creative solutions to provide value for customers beyond price.
- Resilient: Comfortable operating in a demanding sales environment with complex negotiations and long sales cycles.
- A developer of people: Focused on coaching, empowering and strengthening the sales organization rather than personally owning every customer relationship.
- Customer-focused: Willing to be present and engaged when key customers and relationships require senior leadership attention.
Key Responsibilities
Sales Strategy and Growth
- Develop and execute the national sales strategy and business plan for Gulf’s branded fuel and franchise businesses.
- Drive growth across both existing and new markets, customers and territories.
- Identify opportunities to expand the Gulf-branded network, increase fuel volume and improve overall account performance.
- Establish and manage sales goals and performance metrics, including site count, average gallons per site, total fuel volume and margin per gallon.
- Build a strong pipeline of new business opportunities while recognizing the long sales cycles associated with distributor and retailer relationships.
- Monitor market conditions, customer needs and competitive activity to adjust sales strategies and identify opportunities for growth.
Distributor and Retailer Partnerships
- Build and maintain strong relationships with distributors, retailers, fuel station operators and other channel partners.
- Serve as a trusted senior partner to key customers, maintaining strong engagement with the organization’s most important accounts.
- Strengthen existing partnerships and develop new customer relationships while expanding into new territories and markets.
- Develop creative, value-driven solutions that differentiate Gulf beyond price and strengthen long-term customer loyalty.
- Partner with customers to identify opportunities to increase volume, improve performance and expand the Gulf brand.
Contract Negotiation and Deal Development
- Lead complex, long-cycle negotiations for fuel supply agreements, pricing, volume commitments and related commercial terms.
- Develop deal structures that balance customer needs with Gulf’s growth and profitability objectives.
- Partner with Legal, Finance and other internal stakeholders to evaluate and finalize commercial agreements.
- Navigate challenging negotiations with persistence, sound judgment and a solutions-oriented approach.
- Maintain strong customer relationships throughout the negotiation and contracting process.
Team Leadership and Development
- Lead, coach and develop a geographically dispersed sales organization.
- Set clear expectations and accountability while empowering the team to own customer relationships and results.
- Invest in the development of sales leaders and team members, building stronger commercial and relationship-management capabilities.
- Foster a culture of servant leadership, teamwork, accountability and shared success.
- Model a team-first leadership approach focused on collective results rather than individual recognition.
Cross-Functional Partnership
- Collaborate closely with Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance and Legal to develop competitive customer solutions and support growth.
- Ensure sales strategies and customer commitments are aligned with broader business priorities and financial objectives.
- Bring customer and market insights back into the organization to help inform commercial strategy and decision-making.
Experience and Qualifications
Required
- Significant progressive experience leading sales, business development or commercial growth within a complex B2B environment.
- Demonstrated success developing and executing growth strategies across both existing customers and new business.
- Experience leading complex, high-value negotiations and managing long sales cycles.
- Strong commercial and financial acumen, including experience evaluating pricing, margins, volume and overall deal economics.
- Proven ability to build long-term relationships with distributors, retailers, business owners or other channel partners.
- Experience leading and developing geographically dispersed or remote sales teams.
- Track record of delivering growth against measurable sales and financial objectives.
- Strong executive presence, communication and stakeholder-management skills.
- Ability to operate effectively in a highly competitive market where differentiation requires more than being the lowest-cost provider.
Preferred
- Experience within branded fuel, petroleum, convenience retail or a related distribution/channel-driven industry.
- Existing knowledge of fuel distribution, branded dealer relationships or similar commercial models.
- Experience expanding a business into new markets or territories.
- Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, marketing or a related field.
Fueled by Growth, Driven by You
At RaceTrac, our people make the difference. Whether you’re working in a store, at our corporate office, or on the road, you’ll be part of a team that brings energy, innovation, and a passion for serving others every day. We support each other, celebrate wins big and small, and create opportunities for growth at every level. With four operating divisions RaceTrac, RaceWay, Energy Dispatch, and Gulf - there’s always a new challenge to take on and a new path to pursue. Join us and discover how far your career can go.
To see what #LifeatRaceTrac is like, visit our LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram pages.
#Gulf
Responsibilities:
- Develop and implement sales strategies, business plans, and growth initiatives to promote and sell the Gulf brand and to distributors, retailers, and fuel station owners.
- Identify market opportunities, customer segments, and competitive positioning strategies to drive sales volume, market penetration, and brand awareness.
- Set sales targets, KPIs, and performance metrics, and monitor sales performance, market trends, and competitive activities to achieve revenue goals and business objectives.
- Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with fuel distributors, retail partners, gas station owners, and channel partners to drive brand loyalty, customer satisfaction, and business growth.
- Collaborate with distribution channels to develop customized sales programs, marketing promotions, and incentives to attract new customers, retain existing customers, and increase sales volume.
- Lead contract negotiations for fuel supply agreements, pricing terms, volume commitments, and marketing support with distributors, retailers, and fuel station operators.
- Ensure contract compliance, pricing consistency, and profitability in fuel sales transactions, while mitigating risks and resolving contract disputes or issues.
- Review, analyze, and approve contract proposals, terms and conditions, and legal agreements in collaboration with legal and finance teams.
- Conduct market research, competitive analysis, and customer surveys to assess market demand, pricing trends, customer preferences, and competitive positioning for the branded fuel product.
- Analyze sales data, performance metrics, and market insights to identify growth opportunities, market segments, and product enhancements to drive sales effectiveness and market share.
- Lead and mentor a sales team, including sales managers, account executives, and sales representatives, providing guidance, coaching, and performance feedback to achieve sales targets and objectives.
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, operations, supply chain, and finance, to align sales strategies with business goals, product launches, and promotional campaigns.
- Foster a culture of excellence, teamwork, and customer focus within the sales organization, promoting continuous learning, skill development, and professional growth.
Qualifications:
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment with RaceTrac without regard to their race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, or federal laws, rules, or regulations.
