Sr. Business Development Manager (QSR Packaging)

HTI is assisting a global packaging company with their search for a dynamic Senior Business Development Manager for the U.S. market. This company manufactures sustainable paper and cardboard food packaging products for the fast food restaurant (QSR) and convenience store industries.

Please note: Applicants must have experience selling products to the fast food restaurant (QSR) industry, preferably to national and key accounts, in order to be considered.

• Base salary range is $135,000 - $155,000 / year (plus bonus), depending on experience and education
• Remote role with the ability to work from home when not traveling for customer meetings or visits to the company’s main U.S. manufacturing facility in South Carolina
• Can be located anywhere in the continental U.S. within ~1 hour of a major airport
• Travel: ~25-40%

Requirements:

• Must have 5+ years of proven success selling products to the QSR industry, with recent ownership of national or key accounts; experience selling to convenience store chains is preferred.
• An established network of active buying relationships across national QSR and convenience store chains, including their purchasing organizations, with the ability to open doors and create qualified opportunities.
• Must have a Bachelor’s degree in Business or a related field of study.
• High level of professionalism and motivation.
• Familiarity with distributor partnerships and purchasing co-ops within the QSR industry.
• Ability to establish credible relationships with internal and external stakeholders at all levels.
• Sound analytical and problem-solving skills, with strong commercial judgment.
• Strong interpersonal, written communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage competing demands and deliver on deadlines and sales targets.
• Sound negotiation skills.
• Proficient in CRM systems (Salesforce) and MS Office, including PowerPoint and Excel.
• Demonstrable business acumen and P&L awareness.
• A disciplined approach to business processes and pipeline management.

Desirable experience:

• Experience with food packaging for the fast food restaurant (QSR) industry.
• Familiarity with the US regulatory landscape for foodservice packaging, including single-use plastics and PFAS restrictions at state and municipal level.
• Experience working with supply chain, including import supply chains and their lead times.
• An understanding of commercial objectives and how the P&L can be impacted.

Summary:

The Business Development Manager - USA will assist with building the company’s commercial presence in the US market. This role owns the new business pipeline across QSR (fast food restaurants) and convenience store channels and manages and grows existing US accounts, playing a key supporting role to the VP of Sales for North & South America in executing the market strategy. The role will be focused on converting established customer relationships into profitable, durable business while upholding the company’s reputation for delivering on its promise of quality and service to all internal and external customers.

Job duties include:

• Drive market growth and new business development pipelines and support the VP of Sales on major new business activity.
• Open doors with national QSR chains and convenience store retailers, drawing on established relationships with buyers and their purchasing organizations to create qualified opportunities.
• This role carries a high level of autonomy to develop alternative approaches and solutions, working closely with the VP of Sales to ensure all opportunities are developed and implemented.
• Navigate US buying structures, including distributor partners and purchasing co-ops, and manage the dual relationship between brand and buying organization through RFP and contract cycles.
• Develop winning relationships through transparent communication with all key customer stakeholders across our accounts.
• Effectively manage existing USA customers (both global brands and local) and ensure positioning as supplier of choice with full retention of business.
• Position the company’s sustainable packaging range against evolving US regulatory requirements, including state and municipal single-use plastics and PFAS restrictions, and against customer sustainability commitments.
• Develop and maintain baseline and promotional forecasts for all accounts and manage stock levels and aged stock targets with the Supply Chain team, allowing for import lead times when required.
• Raise RFQs and IQs through Salesforce, with authority to quote customers. Maintain active customer information in Salesforce and work with the Customer Service team to drive efficiency and improve sales outcomes.
• Develop and play the lead role in quarterly review meetings with active customers, targeting continuous improvement and new business opportunities at every review.
• Ensure excellent relationships with key external customers and their purchasing and distribution partners.
• Prepares pricing database maintenance forms, quality complaints and credit notes.
• Analyze performance and trends in the US market to identify opportunities for account growth and operational efficiency.