Our client is North America’s most successful independent developer of new foods and beverages for food manufacturers. They work with both large and small clients to help them identify new business and product opportunities, formulate the early prototypes, develop the branding, positioning, and packaging, test them with consumers, and commercialize the winning products in contract manufacturing plants or in the clients’ own facilities.
They are an employee-owned company that operates at a lightning-fast pace, which allows their clients to be smarter and quicker in getting new products to market. They provide hands-on resources to their clients, but more importantly, they provide expertise, insight, and award-winning creativity across food categories, segments, and channels.
They have a new opportunity for a Client Sales Manager at their location in the San Francisco Bay Area, which includes a 20,000 square foot food development lab, brand development studio, consumer research facility, and an on-site pilot manufacturing plant.
As Client Sales Manager, you will be responsible for identifying and developing new clients, writing the proposals for engagement, and managing the innovation projects you bring in. You will be supported, but you will have the utmost freedom to chart your own path to success.
You will work independently. Since the Company does not have a formal training program for this position, being able to take the initiative is critically important to your success.
This Company’s business is high touch. It is relationship-based. You must be comfortable with one- on-one selling, establishing long-term client relationships, and delivering world-class client and project management.
You must have the flexibility, personality and collaboration skills necessary to work cross-functionally with their creative team, food technologists, chefs, branding and design team, and clients. You must be able to engage in strategic conversations with clients that range from the most inexperienced of start-up founders to the seasoned marketers, researchers, and R&D members within the largest of their multinational clients.
You will have a jump-start on success if you have a network of contacts in the food and beverage industry through years of work in it, and attendance at industry events.
You will need to be able to think creatively to solve innovation challenges. This includes recommending the appropriate innovation methodology, identifying new business and product opportunities for the clients, and working with the development teams to cleverly design products that resonate with consumers and generate profits for their clients.
You should have the ability to give an engaging and energetic client presentation, as well as develop and write it yourself.
Food As a Way of Life
A job at this Company will immerse you in the world of food. You must be passionate about food and beverage. The more you can articulate your passion, the more interested they will be in interviewing you. At our client company, food is not just their business; it’s their life.
They also like to have fun. It’s food, after all!
Minimum Experience
o Proven sales / business development experience.
o Project management experience.
o An undergraduate degree in a related field.
o 5+ years’ in the CPG or foodservice/restaurant industry.
o Demonstrated creativity in solving problems or business challenges.
Experience That Will Set You Apart
o Food manufacturing or Food Science knowledge or degree.
o Restaurant or grocery operations experience.
o Creative arts.
o A graduate degree in a related field.
o 10+ years’ in the CPG or foodservice/restaurant industry.
Compensation
o Salary will be based upon experience.
o This is an employee-owned company, providing you the opportunity for profit-sharing.
o You can expect a rich package of benefits, including 401K, health, dental, Health Savings Account, Flexible Spending Account, breakfast, lunch, and snacks Monday- Friday in the office, and participation in their ESOP (Employee Stock Ownership Plan).
You must be able to travel with little advance notice.
All applicants for this position must be authorized to work in the United States now and in the future without requiring sponsorship.
For additional information, please contact Moira McGrath, (954) 428-3888 or moira@foodscience.com.