Director of Business Development – Corporate Distribution

Position Overview

The Director of Business Development – Corporate Distribution is responsible for establishing, developing, and maintaining strategic business relationships across the distributor enterprise (Corporate, Regional, Area, and Local Market). This role leverages structured business planning processes—including Joint Business Planning (JBP), Annual Operating Plans (AOP), and long-term Strategic Business Planning—to drive sales, profitability, and category growth. The position requires a strong background in foodservice distribution, contract negotiation, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver sustainable results.

Key Responsibilities

• Joint Business Planning (JBP): Lead the JBP process with distributors, including discovery meetings, innovation summits, business reviews, and collaborative AOP development. Incorporate Supply Chain and Logistics leadership meetings annually.

• Strategic Growth: Utilize business insights, market data, and customer priorities to align portfolio activation with consumer, operator, and market demand.

• Innovation & Culinary Activation: Partner with Culinary and R&D teams to develop and commercialize new products, address product assortment gaps, and support distributor growth initiatives.

• Contract Negotiation: Lead negotiations for new and renewal contracts, including RFP processes, ensuring profitability and long-term growth.

• Marketing Activation: Manage and execute distributor-focused marketing initiatives to support sales and brand objectives.

• Broker Network Leadership: Build, execute, and measure distributor broker network AOPs. Conduct regular meetings with broker and distributor sales leadership to reinforce KPIs and drive accountability.

• Sales Incentives: Design and implement broker sales incentives that align with distributor KPIs and annual growth plans.

• Data Utilization: Leverage distributor operator data to develop targeted sales plans, identify opportunities, win back lost business, and drive new product distribution.

• Operational Performance: Monitor fill rates, on-time delivery, and forecasting accuracy; track category share performance with key distributors.

• Field Support: Partner with Zone Managers and Business Development Managers to support area business reviews, overcome challenges, and replicate successful practices.

• Non-Commercial Support: Collaborate with Healthcare and Hospitality teams to advance distributor initiatives, including participation in healthcare summits and non-commercial conferences.

• Pipeline Management: Maintain and update the sales opportunity pipeline monthly; ensure timely execution of administrative requirements.

• Training & Commercialization: Lead new product introductions and provide training for zone and broker teams on awarded distributor business.

• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Marketing, R&D, Operations, Legal, Finance, and Supply Chain to ensure alignment and execution of distributor strategies.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required.

• Valid driver’s license.

• Minimum 10 years of progressive foodservice sales experience.

• At least 5 years managing distributor headquarter or regional relationships.

Skills & Abilities

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).

• Strong negotiation, presentation, and strategic selling skills.

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.

• Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional initiatives.

• Strong analytical skills with the ability to leverage insights into actionable plans.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and communicate direction clearly.

Supervisory Responsibilities

• No direct supervisory responsibility, but must effectively communicate distributor strategies and ensure alignment with field sales teams, national account teams, and broker networks.