Director of Business Development - Florida

Whitsons Culinary Group•Jacksonville, FL

13d•$100,000 - $175,000

About The Position

Whitsons Culinary Group is seeking a strategic, results-oriented Director of Business Development to accelerate growth within its Food Service Management division. The role leads business development initiatives, expands market presence, and secures new food service management partnerships. It owns the full sales lifecycle, from identifying opportunities and developing relationships through proposal development, contract negotiation, and profitable growth. The position builds relationships with executive decision-makers and collaborates with Operations, Finance, Culinary, Marketing, and executive leadership to develop customized, financially sound solutions. It maintains a strong sales pipeline, achieves revenue targets, and pursues sustainable growth. The position is full-time and exempt, with standard hours Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; flexibility and extended hours, evenings, or weekends may be needed during peak business cycles or travel periods. Up to 50% travel is required. Work is primarily in a company or home-office setting, with a moderate noise level in the company work environment.

Requirements

At least 5 years of successful B2B business development or contract sales experience within food service management.
Demonstrated success generating new business and developing and closing complex, multi-year contracts.
Experience with RFPs and formal procurement processes.
Strong understanding of pricing, financial models, margins, labor assumptions, food costs, and contract structures.
Exceptional relationship-building, prospecting, presentation, and negotiation skills, including executive-level presentation and negotiation.
Ability to manage long and complex sales cycles while continually developing new opportunities and future pipeline.
Strong CRM discipline and experience with pipeline management and reporting.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Sales, Marketing, Hospitality, or a related field.
Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
Willingness to travel up to 50%.
Ability to frequently sit, stand, walk, talk, and hear; use hands and fingers to feel, handle, or operate objects, tools, or controls; and reach with hands and arms. Occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Close vision and ability to adjust focus are required.

Nice To Haves

MBA preferred.
Experience in contract dining, K-12, higher education, healthcare, behavioral health, senior living, residential services, hospitality, facilities management, or another outsourced-services industry.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute strategies to identify, pursue, and secure new food service management contracts.
Engage C-suite executives, school administrators, healthcare leaders, procurement professionals, and other key decision-makers.
Use market intelligence, networking, and proactive outreach to identify potential contracts, upcoming RFPs, and new market opportunities.
Manage complex, multi-year sales opportunities, including presentations, proposals, competitive bidding, and contract negotiations.
Partner with Operations, Finance, Culinary, Marketing, and executive leadership to develop customized, financially sound solutions.
Build and maintain a strong sales pipeline, achieve revenue targets, and drive sustainable, profitable growth.
Develop long-range sales strategies, pursue new business and strategic partnerships, and expand across food service sectors.
Build influential partner relationships to support retention, profitability, and long-term value.
Use syndicated data and market insights to inform fact-based selling, category growth strategies, and innovation opportunities.
Lead complex negotiations and communicate effectively with senior internal and external stakeholders.