CLIENT RELATIONS DIRECTOR - K12 FOOD SERVICE - CHARLOTTE, NC

Compass Group•Charlotte, NC

1d•$120,000 - $130,000

About The Position

Chartwells K12's goal is to make sure students leave the cafeteria happier and healthier than they came in, by serving food kids love to eat and creating custom dining programs. With more than 16,000 associates in 4,500 schools, ranging from large public institutions to small charter and private schools, Chartwells K12 is built on decades of food, education and operational experience driven by top culinary, nutrition, wellness, and sustainability talent. For more information, visit www.ChartwellsK12.com. This position is eligible for an Employee Referral Bonus! If you know someone that is qualified for this role, please use the ‘job search’ in PeopleHub to refer your referral and email them a link to apply. Your referral will be able to apply by clicking the link in the email. You can check the status through your profile, accessible via Careers in PeopleHub, by clicking on ‘referral tracking.’ For Employee Referral guidelines, FAQs and the Compass Employee Referral Policy, email [email protected]. Job SummaryJob Summary:As a Client Relations Director (CRD), you’ll support and partner with Chartwells K12 Leadership teams to develop a strong client relations/retention culture, strengthen our client partnerships and retain existing accounts. You’ll partner with a diverse group of functional leaders to best position Chartwells K12 for account preservation and growth.

Requirements

Education & Experience: Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent experience required. Candidates with a minimum of 5 years in client relations and/or operations leadership, ideally within K12 contract food service, is highly preferred.
Functional Experience: Strong background in Client Relations/Retention, Operations, and/or sales is highly preferred. Candidates with expertise in these areas will have a distinct advantage in driving client partnerships and retention strategies.
Skills: Confirmed aptitude in managing contract management, RFP processes, developing proposals and proformas, analyzing financial data, training, presenting and establishing positive relationships with clients and senior leaders. Outstanding communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
Technical Proficiency: Strong knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Smartsheet).
Travel: Must be able to travel extensively (60%+).

Responsibilities

Portfolio Management: Coordinate and assist Client Relations Directors (CRDs) in managing their client relations/retention portfolios. Emphasis on retention strategies that revolve around quality, service, innovation, and value.
Strategic Collaboration: Work closely with Operations, Finance, Marketing, Culinary, Procurement, Legal and Nutrition leaders to develop comprehensive retention plans that include operational, financial, relationship, proposal and rebid strategies.
Client Engagement: Cultivate strong client relationships through site visits, interviews, calls, and engagement. Serve as an additional point of contact for addressing customer concerns and facilitating resolution. Champion quality, service, innovation, and value that Chartwells K12, and broader Compass organization, can deliver to clients.
Team Leadership: Lead, mentor, and coach CRDs and CRM’s in your portfolio, providing guidance on relationship management, client relations/retention challenges and strategy. Set and supervise team performance metrics.
Retention & Negotiation: Support rebid and contract renewal processes, ensuring proposals and financial proformas align with both client needs and business goals.Standard Methodologies & Continuous Improvement: Share retention standard methodologies across the organization, continuously improving processes and driving higher performance standards. Develop and provide client relations/retention training as needed throughout your portfolio.