AMI is growing rapidly! We are seeking high-energy, passionate individuals seeking a career in the dynamic international food and beverage industry.
Current Positions
Manager – International Sales
Company
Located in Seattle, Washington, Athena Marketing International (www.athenaintl.com) (AMI) is a highly specialized international business development, marketing and consulting firm serving the global food, beverage, nutrition and consumer products industries. Our mission is to build profitable, market sustainable food, beverage and consumer brands worldwide.
Position Summary
The Manager – International Sales can play a key role in building a world-class professional services firm. This position will report to the President, and will support our international customers in over 130 countries worldwide. There will be close interaction with our other Sales and Marketing executives, both internal and external. The successful candidate must be willing to be a “hands on” enabler in the current high growth phase of our company.
This position will have the responsibility for managing our worldwide international distributor/importer/retailer customers. She/he will open new customer accounts and grow existing international customer sales. This role will also be responsible for researching various import procedures and regulations in a large variety of countries worldwide. The Manager – International Sales will ensure that export sales are managed in compliance with U.S. and international regulations. An understanding of export documentation required in various markets is preferred for this role.
The winning candidate will ideally have spent time in a food and beverage or Consumer Packaged Goods manufacturing company, preferably with international Sales and/or inside sales responsibilities. She/he may also have worked in a smaller, resource-restricted environment that requires a hands-on, entrepreneurial management style. This role requires a detailed, “roll up the sleeves” type person who thrives on making things happen. Being a global company, AMI employees often work closely with our worldwide customers on different time zones.
This is a full-time, 40-hour per week position.
Major Responsibilities
- Manage all assigned export markets and client brands to ensure each international customer is managed properly and professionally with outstanding sales growth.
- Advise specific documentation and procedures required for foreign market entry
- Assist clients with processing of international Purchase Orders to ensure efficient importation of products at foreign destinations
- Communicate with international customers and U.S. government agencies on a timely basis
- Improve international customer satisfaction by providing timely invoices, pricing, product updates, features and benefits, and relevant market research
- Solicit international customer feedback and use it to improve AMI service levels
- Identify, assess and recruit qualified international distributors and importers of food, beverage, and consumer packaged goods.
- Expand AMI clients’ international sales and distribution and increase their global brand exposure.
- Manage and attend international trade shows and major industry events; international travel will be required.
- Conduct appropriate market research in foreign countries to understand category and competitors.
- Correspond with and build a network of international distributors and importers to increase sales.
- Conduct due diligence of potential foreign distribution partners.
- Develop effective business relationships with key U.S. government and international officials, food and beverage industry representatives and trade organizations worldwide to ensure that the interests of AMI are effectively promoted and protected.
KEY SELECTION CRITERIA
Ideal Experience
- A proven Sales professional with 3-7 years of successful progression in a food, beverage or consumer goods company.
- A track record of international Sales experience would be valuable, and a clearly articulated desire to build a world-class professional services company.
- Knowledge of export processes, purchasing and regulations for food and beverage products is preferred but not required.
- Experience with food manufacturing, ingredients and technical issues would be beneficial.
- Knowledge of foreign import regulations and requirements is helpful.
- Experience building Sales teams as well as forming solid business relationships and contacts at all levels of organizations.
- Freight forwarding and international logistics background would also be helpful.
- Demonstrated ability to work with business executives of foreign cultures.
Aptitudes and Skills
- Outstanding organizational and analytical capabilities.
- Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to recognize needs of customers. Good leadership skills, detail oriented, and accurate.
- Strong verbal and written skills, as well as MS Office computer skills.
- High initiative and self-directed – able to work independently.
- Strong time management skills.
Compensation
Athena Marketing International (AMI) offers a competitive compensation package that includes base compensation commensurate with a candidate’s background and experience, bonus opportunities, health care benefits and employer-contributed 401(K) plan.
Send this information to:
Athena Marketing International
5506 Sixth Avenue South, Suite 206
Seattle, WA 98108 U.S.A.
Tel: +1 (206) 749-9255
Fax: +1 (206) 624-8826
Sales & Customer Service Associate
Company
Located in Seattle, Washington, Athena Marketing International (www.athenaintl.com) (AMI) is a highly specialized international business development, marketing and consulting firm serving the global food, beverage, nutrition and consumer products industries. Our mission is to build profitable, market sustainable food, beverage and consumer brands worldwide.
Position Summary
The Sales & Customer Service Manager has the opportunity to play a key role in building a world-class global snack food brand. This position will report to the President initially, and will support our U.S. and international customers worldwide. There will be close interaction with our Sales and Marketing executives, including our international sales offices, as well as Operations, Supply Chain, and Production. The successful candidate must be willing to be a “hands on” enabler in the current high growth phase of our company.
This position will have the responsibility for managing our worldwide database including consumers and customers. She/he will open new customer accounts and maintain existing customer records. This role will also be responsible for researching various import procedures, packaging guidelines and regulations in a large variety of countries worldwide. The Sales & Customer Service Manager will ensure that export sales are managed in compliance with U.S. and international regulations. Furthermore, a thorough understanding of export documentation required in various markets would be helpful for this role, although not required.
The winning candidate will ideally have spent time in a food and beverage or Consumer Packaged Goods manufacturing company, preferably with Sales, Customer Service and/or Inside Sales responsibilities.
She/he may also have worked in a smaller, resource-restricted environment that requires a hands-on, entrepreneurial management style. This role requires a detailed, “roll up the sleeves” type person who thrives on making things happen. Being a global company, employees often work “around-the-clock” with our worldwide customers.
This is a part-time, 20-hour per week position with the possibility of becoming a full time position depending on performance.
Major Responsibilities
- Process Purchase Orders including wholesale, e-commerce sales, Amazon.com, and Costco.com.
- Support Sales and Marketing colleagues, as well as Supply Chain, Production and Social Media.
- Manage all assigned customers to ensure each customer is managed properly and professionally with excellent customer service.
- Complete new customer set-up forms
- Assist customers with processing of Purchase Orders
- Communicate with all customers on a timely basis with concise information
- Manage and attend U.S. and international trade shows and major industry events; international travel may be required.
- Conduct appropriate market research in U.S. and foreign countries to understand various food and beverage categories and competitors.
- Correspond with and build a network of U.S. and international customers to increase sales.
- Database development and entry; contribute to building the world’s leading database for the global
food, beverage and nutrition industry.
- Conduct e-mail marketing, social media, blogging and white papers with relevant messaging & topics.
- Manage all company domain names, websites and social media accounts.
- Sending samples to prospective customers.
- Office management.
- Manage and train college interns.
KEY SELECTION CRITERIA
Ideal Experience
- Sales and/or Customer Service experience; food, beverage or consumer goods work experience is preferred.
- A track record of sales and customer service experience would be valuable, and a clearly articulated desire to build world-class food, beverage and nutrition brands.
- Knowledge of export processes, purchasing, and packaging regulations for food products is helpful but not required.
- Experience with food manufacturing, ingredients and technical issues would be beneficial, particularly purchasing food ingredients, but also not required.
- Knowledge of foreign import regulations and requirements would be helpful.
- Sales & customer service experience preferred.
- Demonstrated ability to work with business executives of foreign cultures.
- Experience with social media, blogging, Shopify, and e-commerce retailers.
Aptitudes and Skills
- Outstanding organizational and analytical capabilities. Good written and verbal communication skills.
- Ability to recognize needs of customers, and quickly act to solve customer issues.
- Good leadership skills, detail oriented, and accurate.
- Strong verbal and written skills, as well as MS Office computer skills.
- High initiative and self-directed – able to work independently.
- Strong time management skills.
Compensation
Athena Marketing International (AMI) offers employees a competitive compensation package that includes
base compensation commensurate with a candidate’s background and experience.
Send this information to:
Athena Marketing International
5506 Sixth Avenue South, Suite 206
Seattle, WA 98108 U.S.A.
Tel: +1 (206) 749-9255
Fax: +1 (206) 624-8826
AMI Internships
Position Summary
All Athena Marketing International interns have the opportunity to become an integral part of the AMI team and play a vital supportive role. The AMI internship program is designed to allow student interns the opportunity to learn first-hand about the business of international trade, export marketing and international sales. The internship involves interacting with international business professionals, conducting market research and participating in the daily operations of this dynamic company providing international importers, distributors and retailers with unique U.S. food and beverage products. The goal of the internship program is to enable our interns to build upon their educational background and gain valuable real-world experience in international business.
Major Responsibilities
The responsibilities of this internship include, but are not limited to the following:
- Assist AMI’s export marketing, internet marketing, and international trade associates in the research of foreign markets and client companies.
- Assist in the development and coordination of export promotional programs, recruitment for overseas trade events, organize business briefings, and provide a variety of assistance for international programs conducted by AMI.
- Provide direct assistance to the AMI team in the development and execution of AMI’s strategic consulting and client export marketing plans.
- Assist with the coordination of international trade events and AMI educational activities.
- Support the AMI team with any current programs for clients, foreign delegations and dignitaries.
- Work directly with AMI leadership and principals on potential special projects.
- Assist the AMI staff with some administrative duties.
Upon completion of this course, the student will have:
- Become familiar with the type of work and the working environment related to the field of export marketing and the workings of a company such as AMI;
- Acquired work experience in an area of export marketing, international trade and international business development;
- Applied knowledge and skills from marketing and other international courses to actual marketing problems and situations.
Responsibilities of AMI
The firm agrees to expose the student to the type of work which he/she would encounter in an entry level professional position. It agrees to provide appropriate personnel to oversee the project(s) assigned to the student, and the resources needed to accomplish the work. While the student is not an employee of the firm, the company will treat the student as it would any employee, and expect the same degree of responsibility from the student.
The supervisor may be asked to provide a written evaluation of the student’s performance to the faculty advisor at the end of the program, to provide the student with a periodic evaluation of his/her performance, and to consult with the faculty advisor when and if necessary.
Eligibility
An internship with Athena Marketing International is available to graduate and undergraduate University and Community College level students in Washington State involved in an accredited internship program within their school and with the expressed permission from their institution. Qualifications: Excellent communication skills, verbal and written. A good attitude and basic computer knowledge (windows, excel) is required.
Working Hours
There is an expected time commitment of at least 12 hours per week in the AMI office. AMI interns are given challenging and unique professional experiences and we serve as an invaluable reference.
Next Available Internship Position
Internship positions with Athena Marketing International are available on an ongoing basis. Spots are open based on availability and need.
Applying for an Internship with AMI
To apply for an internship with Athena Marketing International submit the following information:
- Cover letter expressing interest
- Resume
- Dates and Times Available for Internship
- Transcript
- 3-5 page writing sample
Send this information to:
Athena Marketing International
5506 Sixth Avenue South, Suite 206
Seattle, WA 98108 U.S.A.
Tel: +1 (206) 749-9255
Fax: +1 (206) 624-8826
