Leadership Development Program Associate

About the Role

The Leadership Development Program (LDP) at Acosta Group is a full-time, salaried opportunity that prepares participants for a pivotal cross-functional role within the organization. Over 18 months, participants will rotate through 5–6 organization subgroups, including Retail, Foodservice, Business Intelligence, Sales, and Marketing. This rotational structure provides a comprehensive understanding of Acosta's business and the consumer-packaged goods (CPG) industry. Participants will gain hands-on experience, receive executive mentorship, participate in leadership training, and broaden their cross-functional knowledge.

Key Responsibilities

• Retail Field Execution:
• Gain experience in the roles of Retail Coverage Merchandiser and Retail Business Manager.
• Elevate knowledge and skills in:
• Acosta Group’s foundational business and culture
• Customer and client relationships
• Fiscal year planning for in-store execution
• In-store selling of client products
• Self-leadership and supervisory management
• Retail-specific technology
• CPG industry
• Foodservice:
• Gain exposure to how CORE Foodservice partners with brands, distributors, and operators.
• Key learning areas include:
• Understanding the foodservice channel and customer dynamics
• Developing strategic and tactical selling skills
• Building strong relationships with key partners and operators
• Delivering solutions to drive measurable results for clients
• Business Intelligence:
• Engage as a Corporate Analyst and Associate Business Manager.
• Elevate knowledge and skills in:
• Collecting and analyzing syndicated scan data
• Delivering high-impact strategic value to clients and customers
• Conducting data analysis for strategic selling and negotiating
• Techniques for identifying trends and patterns in data
• Using data to drive decision-making and strategy
• Building customer and client relationships
• Headquarter & Omnichannel Sales:
• Gain experience as a business manager, honing skills in effective sales and relationship building with clients and retailers.
• Elevate knowledge and skills in:
• Advanced selling techniques
• Consumer data planning, tracking, and analysis
• Prioritizing requirements to serve as a strategic partner in headquarter-selling
• Translating client and customer needs into practical business objectives
• Delivering high-impact strategic value to clients and customers
• Managing, growing, and maximizing accounts
• Achieving client and customer objectives related to sales, productivity, profitability, and marketing strategy
• Fostering customer and client relationships
• Best-in-class e-commerce knowledge and techniques
• Brand Advocacy Solutions:
• Engage as an account coordinator working directly with clients and customers.
• Elevate knowledge and skills in:
• Coordinating and executing Assisted Sales & Training (AS&T) programs
• Collaborative efforts between strategy and creative teams
• Coordinating and assisting client services teams on the execution of activations, programs, and live events
• Understanding Mosaic’s consultative approach and its ROI delivery to clients
• Additional Rotation:
• A customized rotation to align with participant interests, skillsets, and organizational priorities.

Qualifications

• Education:
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or a related field.
• Academic Standing:
• Minimum GPA: 3.25
• Skills & Attributes:
• Passion for diverse subjects including Retail, Foodservice, Business Intelligence, Sales, and Marketing.
• Proactive, dependable, and personable.
• Exceptional organizational, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Willingness to ask questions, acknowledge mistakes, and continually deepen knowledge.
• Strong leadership skills; capable of providing concrete examples of leadership from previous projects or work experiences and articulating specific contributions.
• Ability to assess processes meticulously and formulate well-informed, tangible proposals.
• Technical Proficiency:
• Proficient in computer applications such as Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.
• Other Requirements:
• Must have access to a personal vehicle and maintain a valid driver's license to fulfill travel requirements.