Business Development Manager – Food Service

at  Lock Search Group

North Island, BC (Hybrid)
Do you have proven experience in business development in Food Service or traditional CPG channels Our client, a leading food distributor, is looking for a sharp, high-potential individual to join their team as a Business Development Manager. The ideal candidate possesses a proven track record in Sales and Business Development, showcasing a hunting mentality focused on building and expanding their business. They exhibit the capability to work independently and excel in establishing and maintaining positive business relations with customers, reflecting excellent interpersonal skills.
The role of the Business Development Manager involves nurturing connections with potential clients and facilitating the handover of these accounts to the sales team during the onboarding process. The Business Development Manager will involve a cross-functional team in crafting a comprehensive strategy tailored to meet the needs of prospects, effectively utilizing available resources. This position comes with the flexibility of supporting a hybrid work schedule where a portion of your week can be spent working from a home office. The Territory of this role will cover much of Vancouver Island.

REQUIREMENTS:

• 3-5 years of work experience in a sales capacity preferably in food services industry
• Completed post-secondary education or possesses equivalent experience; CPSA designation is desirable.
• Possesses robust analytical problem-solving skills, with a knack for analyzing reports and extracting insights from data.
• Proficient in expressing information in terms of profit and loss, food cost, and expense ratio.
• Exhibits strong financial acumen and the capability to meticulously plan and execute business strategies.
• Adaptable and embraces change, open to new ideas.
• Displays robust interpersonal skills and the ability to collaborate with and influence various key stakeholders.
• Effective communication skills, with the ability to communicate seamlessly with both internal and external teams.
• Capable of understanding and managing compliance to contracts.
• Adept at learning the use of proprietary CRM tools for planning and forecasting sales growth.
• Demonstrates a track record of meeting deadlines and consistently delivering high-quality results.
• Possesses business and restaurant operations acumen to effectively manage sophisticated customers.
• Proven experience in building trust with prospective customers and successfully securing new business.
• Exhibits skills in consultative selling, networking, and negotiations.
• Holds a valid driver’s license with access to a vehicle, as local travel is approximately 80%.

• Execute the agreed-upon new business plan in harmony with the financial goals of the district and/or region.
• Collaborate with regional sales leaders to formulate a comprehensive business development strategy.
• Utilize insights from advanced analytics to prioritize opportunities and craft an effective business development strategy.
• Take responsibility for prioritizing intel opportunities recommended by other sales team members, processed through Salesforce.
• Develop a creative and impactful sales plan to capitalize on multi-segment opportunities identified through advanced analytics.
• Harness the expertise of a cross-functional sales team to promptly address prospects’ unique concerns, build trust, and shorten sales cycles.
• Coordinate the proposal process for local contracts, ensuring alignment with the client’s needs, concerns, and objectives.
• Work closely with the sales team to expand business development efforts.
• Review weekly, monthly, and quarterly sales objectives and results for target accounts, preparing action plans for improvement when needed.
• Stay informed about emerging market and foodservice industry trends to understand the competitive landscape.
• Cultivate strong working relationships with brokers, distributors, and peers in the foodservice industry.
• Record data and activity on prospect accounts within the CRM, identifying opportunities for promotions, additional services, and distribution avenues that will contribute to increased sales.
• Present and consult with senior-level management on trends in the foodservice industry.
• Attend sales meetings, food shows, customer events, etc., and provide feedback.