Tara N. Weaver
Fayetteville
Summary
Strategic customer sales leader with extensive experience in driving growth for Kraft Heinz brands. Expertise in exceeding targets, leading joint business planning, and generating revenue through effective customer relationships and negotiations. Strong background in sales, category management, and supply chain, with a focus on talent development and cross-functional collaboration.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
Work History
Customer Sales Lead
Kraft Heinz
Rogers, AR
03.2022 - Current
- Managed strategic sales efforts for Velveeta, Jet Puffed, Jell-O, Bakers, Kraft Caramels, Certo, and Sure-Jell brands to enhance market presence and drive $450M in sales at Walmart.
- Exceeded 2024 AOP target by $8.4 million through strategic growth of pod by 2.3% and enhancement of display metrics by 1.2%.
- Exceeded 2023 AOP target by $4.3M through strategic growth of pod by 4.7% and enhancement of display metrics by 13%.
- Executed negotiations for 2025 dessert joint business plan, securing 4.5% growth in point of distribution and achieving 98% display ACV during peak season.
- Oversaw program execution and sales leadership for 2024 Fight Hunger Program, achieving incremental revenue growth of +$18M RSV through strategic team collaboration.
- Developed and implemented pricing strategies and negotiation tactics for 2024 Joint Business Plan, generating an additional $2.2 million in gross sales value.
- Collaborated with Walmart buyer to design and implement pectin merchandising program, enhancing product visibility and driving sales performance.
- Implemented targeted actions within Walmart club area to drive category dollar share growth, achieving a notable increase of 1.8 points in 2023.
Customer Category Manager & Account Manager
Kraft Heinz
Rogers, AR
02.2020 - 03.2022
- Cultivated and maintained key relationships with Walmart to optimize sales performance of Classico Pasta Sauce and Wyler's, achieving $68M in revenue.
- Exceeded annual operating plan target by $6.9 million through strategic growth of pod by 8.4% during joint planning and negotiations.
- Managed trade operations for KSB platform, balancing P&L across $2.6B GSV to support profitability.
- Facilitated negotiations with post auditors to resolve issues, resulting in cancellation of $1.2 million in claims and improved compliance.
- Executed item setup cost modifications and maintained accuracy in Item 360, improving inventory management efficiency.
Customer Sales Analyst- Meals and Desserts
Kraft Heinz
Rogers, AR
02.2018 - 02.2020
- Drove revenue increase of $2.8 million and 9-point share growth for stuffing and gravy in Q4 2019 by effectively tracking inventory, creating strategic sales opportunities, and optimizing promotional activities.
- Formulated and executed a comprehensive plan for 2020 Fight Hunger campaign, achieving an increase of $1.5 million in net sales value.
- Executed line reviews, presenting 40 new items and enhancing distribution by 120k points.
- Analyzed market trends to identify whitespace opportunities, driving innovation initiatives.
- Leveraged Tableau, MicroStrategy, Retail Link, Nielsen, and insights platforms for data analysis and visualization.
Sr. Analyst- Supply Chain (CPFR) - Meals and Desserts
Kraft Heinz
Rogers, AR
07.2015 - 02.2018
- Leveraged GRS data, POS trends, and inventory insights to generate accurate demand signals, enhancing collaboration with supply chain and sales counterparts.
- Evaluated inventory and conducted root cause analyses, providing replenishment solutions for 200 items to maintain optimal stock levels during key promotions.
- Coordinated meetings with Walmart replenishment and business unit partners to ensure effective execution of seasonal strategies.
Customer Category Lead-Cheese and Dairy
Kraft Heinz
Rogers, AR
04.2014 - 07.2015
- Achieved 98% fill rate target by proactively preventing product cuts and ensuring timely, complete shipment of promotional orders.
- Managed inventory loading processes, ensuring timely delivery for promotional initiatives.
- Analyzed WM inventory levels to identify opportunities for improved operational productivity.
Transportation Analyst II
PAM Transport
Tontitown, AR
07.2012 - 04.2014
Ecolab QSR Senior Territory Sales Representative
Ecolab
Little Rock, AR
05.2007 - 07.2012
Fleet Manager
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.
Lowell, AR
08.2004 - 06.2006
Education
Bachelor of Science - Transportation Logistics
University of Arkansas
Fayetteville, AR05-2005
Skills
- Sales strategy execution
- Training and development
- Key account growth
- Sales negotiations
- Creative problem solving
- Executive communication
Timeline
Customer Sales Lead
Kraft Heinz
03.2022 - Current
Customer Category Manager & Account Manager
Kraft Heinz
02.2020 - 03.2022
Customer Sales Analyst- Meals and Desserts
Kraft Heinz
02.2018 - 02.2020
Sr. Analyst- Supply Chain (CPFR) - Meals and Desserts
Kraft Heinz
07.2015 - 02.2018
Customer Category Lead-Cheese and Dairy
Kraft Heinz
04.2014 - 07.2015
Transportation Analyst II
PAM Transport
07.2012 - 04.2014
Ecolab QSR Senior Territory Sales Representative
Ecolab
05.2007 - 07.2012
Fleet Manager
J.B. Hunt Transport Services, Inc.
08.2004 - 06.2006
Bachelor of Science - Transportation Logistics
University of Arkansas