Senior Sales Representative

Pinnacle Recruitment; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Pinnacle Recruitment is seeking a Sales Executive to expand our client’s footprint in the foodservice market. The role focuses on identifying B2B opportunities, building strategic relationships with distributors and restaurant groups, and driving revenue growth across commercial channels.

The ideal candidate will have a proven background in foodservice sales, strong business development skills, and the ability to close opportunities while collaborating with cross-functional teams.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of B2B sales experience, preferably in food manufacturing or foodservice distribution.
• Proven success in new business development, account acquisition, and revenue growth.
• Established relationships with major foodservice distributors.
• Experience selling food products or value-added food solutions into commercial foodservice channels.
• Strong understanding of foodservice distribution networks and pricing structures.

Responsibilities

• Identify, prospect, and develop new B2B sales opportunities within the foodservice industry.
• Build and maintain relationships with broadline and regional distributors, restaurant groups, and commercial operators.
• Develop relationships with key decision-makers including purchasers and procurement teams.
• Drive new customer acquisition while growing existing accounts.
• Manage the full sales cycle from prospecting to closing, including presentations and negotiations.

Skills

B2B foodservice sales

New business development

Relationship building

Negotiation

CRM platforms

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Self-motivated

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Marketing or related field

Tools

CRM software

Sales reporting tools

Job description

Our client, an established and growing organization in the food manufacturing industry, is seeking a driven and results-oriented Sales Executive to expand its presence within the foodservice market. This individual will be responsible for developing new business opportunities, building strategic customer relationships, and driving revenue growth across commercial foodservice channels. The ideal candidate will have a proven background in B2B foodservice sales, strong business development capabilities, and established relationships with foodservice distributors, restaurant groups, and other commercial foodservice customers. This position requires a proactive, relationship-driven sales professional who understands the complexities of the foodservice industry and can successfully identify, pursue, and close new business opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Identify, prospect, and develop new B2B sales opportunities within the foodservice industry.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with broadline foodservice distributors, regional distributors, restaurant groups, and commercial foodservice operators.
• Develop strategic relationships with key decision-makers, including purchasing managers, category managers, procurement teams, and executive leadership.
• Drive new customer acquisition while identifying opportunities to expand existing accounts.
• Develop and execute sales strategies to achieve revenue, volume, and profitability objectives.
• Manage the full sales cycle, from prospecting and initial customer engagement through product presentations, negotiations, and closing.
• Collaborate with internal operations, production, logistics, and customer service teams to ensure customer satisfaction and successful order fulfillment.
• Negotiate pricing, product programs, and customer agreements while maintaining profitability.
• Monitor industry trends, competitor activity, and market opportunities to identify areas for business expansion.
• Represent the organization at industry trade shows, customer meetings, networking events, and foodservice conferences.
• Maintain accurate sales forecasts, pipeline activity, customer information, and performance metrics through CRM systems.
• Provide market intelligence and customer feedback to support product development and long-term business strategies.
• Travel as needed to develop customer relationships, attend industry events, and support business development initiatives.

Qualifications

• Qualifications & Experience Minimum of 5 years of B2B sales experience, preferably within food manufacturing, foodservice distribution, or related industries.
• Demonstrated success in new business development, account acquisition, and revenue growth.
• Established relationships with major foodservice distributors.
• Experience selling food products, ingredients, or value-added food solutions into commercial foodservice channels.
• Strong understanding of foodservice distribution networks, purchasing processes, pricing structures, and customer requirements.
• Proven ability to independently manage a sales territory, develop a pipeline, and execute strategic sales initiatives.
• Strong negotiation, presentation, relationship-building, and communication skills.
• Experience working with CRM platforms and sales reporting tools.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-motivated, goal-oriented, and comfortable operating in a business development-focused role.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field preferred; equivalent industry experience will be considered.

Required Skills

• Proven background in B2B foodservice sales.
• Established relationships with foodservice distributors, restaurant groups, and other commercial foodservice customers.
• Proactive, relationship-driven sales approach.
• Strong understanding of the complexities of the foodservice industry.
• Ability to successfully identify, pursue, and close new business opportunities.
• Strong negotiation, presentation, relationship-building, and communication skills.
• Experience working with CRM platforms and sales reporting tools.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with cross-functional teams in a fast-paced environment.
• Self-motivated and goal-oriented.

Preferred Skills

• Experience selling food products, ingredients, or value-added food solutions into commercial foodservice channels.
• Experience working directly for a food manufacturer and selling through distribution channels.
• The ideal candidate is a true hunter with an established network in the foodservice industry who thrives on identifying new opportunities, opening doors, and building long-term business partnerships.
• This individual should be comfortable engaging directly with distributors and foodservice operators, navigating complex sales cycles, and developing creative solutions to meet customer needs.

Pay range and compensation package

• What This Opportunity Offers Opportunity to play a key role in expanding an established organization's foodservice market presence.
• Ability to develop and manage strategic customer relationships.
• Collaborative environment with opportunities to influence sales strategy and business growth.
• Long-term career growth potential within a developing sales organization.
• Compensation: Competitive and commensurate with experience.