Business Development Manager

Talent Guardian; Ruislip; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary

Commission structure

London-focused field role

Job summary

Talent Guardian is seeking a driven Business Development Manager to grow a premium restaurant-focused book in London. You will hunt new business and nurture a warm account base, engaging chefs, procurement and operations at executive levels.

The role rewards a self-starting, entrepreneurial approach in a non-corporate environment. The position focuses on premium, established groups and emerging brands, largely in central London, with scope to expand as opportunities arise.

Qualifications

• 3–5+ years of foodservice field sales experience.
• Experience with premium/luxury multi-site restaurant groups preferred.
• Strong proposals and tendering skills.
• Credible in conversations with executive chefs and procurement teams.

Responsibilities

• Grow the business across two motions: premium restaurant groups and emerging multi-site concepts, mainly central London.
• Protect and grow a warm base of accounts through visits, range extension and NPD.
• Open 3–4 new accounts per month, targeting substantial new business.
• Build a secondary pipeline across Mediterranean/European and other HORECA cuisines.
• Lead tenders, pricing and supply proposals and manage multi-site mobilisations.
• Maintain an honest CRM pipeline and accurate forecasting.

Skills

Foodservice sales

New-business development

Account management

CRM

Tools

CRM software

Job description

Talent Guardian is working with a premium fresh and frozen foodservice supplier to find a driven Business Development Manager to grow their core strength: premium restaurant business across London.

This is a hunting, new-business role for a commercial self-starter who's equally credible at an independent restaurant pass and in a procurement boardroom. You'll get a warm handover of a few accounts to start — but the real prize is the book you'll build.

The role

Grow the business across two motions: developing premium, established multi-site restaurant groups, and winning contemporary branded small-group concepts (sushi/Pan-Asian) as they emerge and scale — primarily central London, with scope to branch further where the opportunity's there.

• Protect and grow a warm base of accounts through regular visits, range extension and NPD
• Target premium, brand-led restaurant groups, building relationships with executive chefs, procurement and ops
• Open 3–4 new accounts a month, targeting circa £20k of new business per month
• Build a secondary pipeline across Mediterranean/European and other HORECA cuisines
• Lead tenders, pricing and supply proposals, and manage multi-site mobilisations when you win
• Keep an honest, disciplined CRM pipeline

What we're looking for

• Preferably 3–5+ years of foodservice field sales, ideally into premium/luxury multi-site restaurant groups
• A Pan-Asian/Japanese customer base is ideal; contract catering or travel tendering is a plus, not essential
• Credible at group executive chef and procurement level, and in founder-level conversations with fast-growing chains
• Strong written skills for proposals and tenders
• A commercial, entrepreneurial, self-starting mindset that thrives outside a corporate environment

What's on offer

• Competitive basic salary plus commission
• Field-based, predominantly London and central, with regular office catch-up days
• A premium product range and an autonomous, non-corporate culture