Candidates in TX or CA preferred !!
Director of Sales – National Accounts
Job Summary
We are seeking an experienced and driven Director of Sales – National Accounts to champion Kettle Cuisine’s differentiated offerings and expand our footprint with leading national foodservice operators. This individual contributor role leverages Kettle Cuisine’s culinary excellence, customization capabilities, and world‑class manufacturing platform to secure, grow, and support national account partnerships.
National Account Development
- Build multi‑level relationships across customer Marketing, Culinary, Purchasing, Supply Chain, and QA teams to uncover insights, align on needs, and strengthen partnership value.
- Collaborate with internal insights, marketing, culinary, and product development teams to create tailored, operator‑specific solutions.
- Represent Kettle Cuisine’s branded and custom product capabilities—including culinary‑led development, small‑batch craftsmanship at scale, and flexible manufacturing—to national foodservice operators.
- Proactively identify and initiate engagement with high‑potential operators not yet working with Kettle Cuisine, leveraging strategic outreach, industry networks, and market intelligence.
- Drive top‑line growth by delivering best‑in‑class partnerships, differentiated solutions, and consistent, superior execution.
Operator‑Driven Innovation
- Engage directly with operators to understand menu strategy, operational constraints, and evolving culinary trends.
- Partner with operators to develop on‑trend custom soups, sauces, broths, sides, and other kettle‑crafted and sous‑vide items that showcase Kettle Cuisine’s full capability set.
- Work with culinary and marketing teams to deliver compelling product solutions and operator‑ready storytelling emphasizing craftsmanship, quality, and innovation.
Cross‑Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, and Finance to ensure seamless development, trials, and commercialization for new and existing accounts.
- Maintain accurate forecasts, pipeline management, and reporting aligned to strategic growth priorities.
- Actively participate in PMO governance and S&OP processes to ensure organizational alignment and operational readiness.
Qualifications
- 7+ years of progressive foodservice sales experience, including at least 4 years in national accounts or major operator development.
- Proven success partnering cross‑functionally—especially with R&D and culinary—to commercialize custom products.
Skills & Attributes
- Exceptional negotiation, presentation, and relationship‑building skills.
- Proficient in CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce), Microsoft Office Suite, and foodservice analytics.
- Self‑directed, collaborative, and detail‑oriented.
- Passionate about food, culinary innovation, and delivering differentiated solutions that drive operator success.
Skills Required
- 7+ years of progressive foodservice sales experience
- At least 4 years in national accounts or major operator development
- Proven success partnering cross-functionally with R&D and culinary to commercialize custom products
- Proficient in CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce)
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite
- Experience with foodservice analytics
- Exceptional negotiation, presentation, and relationship-building skills
- Self-directed, collaborative, and detail-oriented work style
- Passion for food and culinary innovation
- Candidates located in TX or CA (preferred)
What We Do
Kettle Cuisine is a food production company specializing in high-quality frozen and refrigerated meal solutions. Founded in 1986, they focus on artisan-quality soups, broths, sauces, meats, and sides for foodservice operators and retailers across the United States, utilizing traditional cooking techniques and scratch-made stocks to deliver consistent, safe, and wholesome food options at scale.
