Director of Sales - Foodservice (South Central)

The Director of Sales – Foodservice is responsible for driving sales growth and market share within an assigned geographic territory. This role will focus on expanding penetration in the foodservice channel, including restaurants/operators, distributors, C & C, contract feeders, and institutional accounts. The ideal candidate has strong industry knowledge, established relationships, and a proven ability to lead strategic sales initiatives and build long-term customer partnerships. This role manages brokers for the assigned territories and helps brokers achieve performance aligned with our company objectives. In collaboration with the role’s supervisor, this role manages trade spend for assigned territories aligned with company objectives.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and execute regional sales plans to meet or exceed revenue targets.
• Manage and grow relationships with foodservice distributors in assigned territories (e.g., Sysco, US Foods) and key end-user accounts.
• Identify and secure new business opportunities through proactive prospecting, presentations, and negotiations.
• Train and support broker partners and field sales reps to align with company goals and sales strategies.
• Monitor competitive activity, industry trends, and customer needs to adjust strategies as needed.
• Provide accurate sales forecasts, pipeline updates, and performance reports to senior management.
• Collaborate with Marketing, R&D, and Operations to deliver customer solutions and ensure fulfillment excellence.
• Represent the company at industry events, trade shows, and customer meetings.
• Ensure compliance with pricing strategies, trade spend budgets, and promotional programs.
• Maintain the highest possible level of personal and business credibility in carrying out the overall objectives of the company.

AS A KEY TEAM MEMBER WITHIN THE KETTLE CUISINE TEAM YOU ARE EXPECTED TO:

• Model and support Kettle’s Core Values and safety culture
• Actively contribute towards a strong, committed, and collaborative team
• Plan work, track results and resolve variances

QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE

• 5+ years of progressive sales experience in the foodservice industry.
• Strong understanding of distributor networks, GPOs, and regional/national account dynamics.
• Demonstrated success in managing a multi-state territory with complex customer and channel layers.
• Exceptional interpersonal, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Self-motivated, organized, and results oriented.
• Proficiency in CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce) and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Ability to travel up to 70%.

REQUIRED ATTRIBUTES

• Self-starter able to conceptualize and drive initiatives forward with limited oversight
• Positive attitude and motivated by contributing to the overall success of the team
• Able to develop strong and deep relationships with internal and external stakeholders
• Creative problem-solving skills
• Obsessive attention to detail, well organized and able to juggle many different projects at once
• Comfortable moving at a fast pace and in ambiguous environments
• Passionate about food and helping foodservice operators succeed in their businesses
• Willing to address difficult situations head on with patience and respect