K-12 Business Development-South Carolina

Taher•Columbia, SC

About The Position

Taher is seeking accomplished, entrepreneurial sales leaders to drive new-business growth within its K-12 and education dining portfolio. The role is primarily responsible for developing business within an assigned priority market, building relationships, creating opportunities, and presenting Taher’s culinary, nutrition, and operating capabilities as compelling solutions for prospective education partners. Candidates may be hired at the Director or Vice President level based on experience, industry relationships, demonstrated sales results, and the scope of the assigned market. The position requires executive-level relationship building, disciplined pipeline development, and the ability to navigate complex public-sector procurement and RFP processes. The sales leader works closely with Operations, Culinary, Nutrition, Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Procurement, and other internal partners to ensure pursued and won business is financially sound, operationally executable, and aligned with Taher’s long-term strategy. The role leads opportunities from initial discovery through solution development, proposal, presentation, negotiation, and transition to Operations, and may remain involved through implementation as needed. The successful candidate is an entrepreneurial, persistent, relational, and commercially disciplined growth leader. They create opportunities, build genuine relationships, and pursue profitable, executable, sustainable sales. They must be comfortable engaging with stakeholders ranging from superintendents and CFOs to school boards, operations executives, chefs, and frontline leaders, while representing Taher’s culture, capabilities, and values with credibility. Extensive travel throughout the assigned market and nationally may be required as business needs dictate.

Requirements

Significant progressive experience in business development, sales, strategic growth, or client acquisition, with demonstrated success winning complex new business.
Demonstrated ability to develop new relationships and new-logo revenue rather than primarily managing existing accounts.
Experience navigating formal RFPs, public procurement, and multi-stakeholder decision processes.
Strong financial acumen, including the ability to understand pricing, budgets, margins, labor models, pro formas, and business cases.
Exceptional executive communication, presentation, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
Ability to influence across functions and lead through collaboration in an entrepreneurial, family-owned environment.
Ability and willingness to travel extensively throughout the assigned market and nationally as business needs require.
Ability to build genuine relationships and create opportunities rather than relying primarily on inbound leads.
Ability to combine urgency with sound judgment and to collaborate effectively across the organization.

Nice To Haves

Experience in K-12 foodservice, education services, contract dining, hospitality, facilities services, or another complex outsourced-services environment is strongly preferred.
Relevant industry relationships and demonstrated sales results may inform appointment at the Director or Vice President level.

Responsibilities

Build and execute a strategic sales plan focused on new K-12, independent school, and education partnerships across assigned and emerging markets.
Develop and maintain a disciplined pipeline with account priorities, decision makers, contract timing, next steps, probability, and potential value.
Create opportunities through direct outreach, referrals, networking, conferences, professional associations, and market intelligence.
Build relationships with superintendents, business officials, school administrators, boards, procurement leaders, and other stakeholders before formal solicitations are released.
Develop a growth strategy for the assigned priority market and identify other approved opportunities aligned with Taher’s strategy.
Lead qualified opportunities from discovery through solution development, proposal, presentation, negotiation, and transition to Operations.
Lead responses to RFPs, RFQs, and other formal procurement opportunities, ensuring proposals are differentiated, accurate, and responsive to client needs.
Partner with Finance and Operations to develop pricing, budgets, pro formas, staffing assumptions, and commercial terms that support profitable, sustainable growth.
Coordinate discovery meetings, site visits, tastings, finalist presentations, and executive-level conversations.
Document sales-process commitments and ensure they are understood internally and operationally achievable.
Develop long-term relationships with prospective clients and influential education leaders across target markets.
Maintain an active presence in school nutrition, education, procurement, and administrative professional networks and associations.
Represent Taher at conferences, trade shows, district meetings, and relevant community or industry events.
Understand prospects’ goals, financial considerations, operational challenges, culture, and community expectations, and tailor Taher’s approach accordingly.
Maintain responsiveness, follow-through, and professional credibility throughout long sales cycles.
Engage Operations early in qualified pursuits so operating leaders can shape solutions and understand commitments before award.
Collaborate with Culinary, Nutrition, Finance, Marketing, Human Resources, Procurement, and other functions to build integrated client solutions.
Create a disciplined Sales-to-Operations handoff after contract award and remain engaged through implementation when needed.
Partner with leadership to evaluate opportunity quality, strategic fit, risk, financial return, and organizational capacity before advancing major pursuits.
Lead, develop, and align a high-performing sales team around market priorities, pipeline discipline, and measurable growth expectations.
Establish consistent sales practices, account planning, forecasting, opportunity reviews, and follow-through across the team.
Promote accountability for sales activity and outcomes while reinforcing collaborative selling with Operations and internal partners.
Provide leadership with regular pipeline forecasts, market intelligence, competitive insights, and recommendations for growth investment.
Monitor competitor activity, contract expirations, enrollment and demographic shifts, procurement cycles, and emerging client needs.
Maintain strategic target-account lists by geography and prioritize prospects based on fit, timing, relationship access, and commercial potential.
Identify underserved markets, partnership opportunities, and service concepts that can strengthen Taher’s competitive position.
Use win/loss insights and client feedback to improve positioning, pursuit strategy, and sales execution.