Strategic Development Manager

Strategic Development Manager- Fresh & Premium Foods Attractive Salary, Benefits, Company Car, Bonus 36.5 Hour week (Hybrid) Who are we? At Henderson Group, we are proud to be one of the leading foodservice providers to the retail and hospitality industry in Ireland. Our group encompasses Henderson Wholesale, Henderson Retail, Henderson Foodservice and Henderson Group Property. We employ over 5,000 staff and have been placed 5th in Ulster Business Top 100 Companies 2024. We're an ambitious team that cares about our people and the community in which we live. Henderson Foodservice are well known within the foodservice industry. We are passionate about quality, from our products to our service and our people, providing the best solutions to our customers. We source and supply a vast range of over 7,000 fresh, frozen, ambient and non-food products. We supply into all sectors of our industry and have over 6,500 customers including hotels, restaurants, bars and pubs, coffee shops, retail, fast food, QSR, health and welfare, education, workplace catering, bakery and leisure. Following another year of record growth, our team continue to exceed targets and delivered a sales increase of 20% across Ireland last year. In the past year, the company has announced a series of new and exclusive premium supplier contracts including K&G McAtamney Wholesale Meats, Koffmanns and Premier Foods Wholesale Produce, resulting in the investment of this new strategic role as we seek to accelerate our growth in these categories. Awarded Institute of Hospitality Supplier of the Year in 2023, we have also achieved and maintained Gold accreditation against the Investors in People standard framework in 2020 & 2023, in recognition of our commitment to investment in people. This year, our team are proud to have been awarded the Deloitte Best Managed Companies award for the 11th consecutive year, as well as Best B2B eCommerce Website of the Year in Ireland. Joining our team will offer you a positive and supportive environment to enjoy success within our market leading brand. A look into the role We have ambitious plans to continue to grow our business across the island of Ireland and want to continue to build on our success to offer the best selection of Fresh and Premium foods to our valued customers. To support these plans, we are excited to be recruiting for a newly created role of Strategic Development Manager, to lead in the strategic development, direction & achievement of the overall fresh & premium foods performance of Henderson Foodservice Limited (HFL). The purpose of this role is to drive revenue, margin and market share growth in emerging fresh and premium categories for HFL, expanding our customer base in key target sectors (e.g. hotels, restaurants, bars) across the island of Ireland, and developing new business opportunities within the customer and supply base. The role involves understanding the market, trends, supply base and customer needs within these categories and ensuring that we are competitively positioned to optimise sales and margin success in these areas. Reporting to our Sales Director, the successful candidate will develop and lead a team of fresh & premium foods category specialists, and will work closely with colleagues across our sales, trading and operations teams to develop and implement strategic sales plans to achieve revenue targets, expand market share, and maximize profitability within the fresh and premium foods categories. This senior role will be very well suited to a customer- focused candidate with highly developed leadership, negotiation and influencing skills and a proven track record of working successfully in business-to-business sales within the foodservice industry. Working as Strategic Development Manager you will: Set and review KPI targets for fresh & premium food categories in line with the company growth strategy. Analyse & interpret weekly & monthly sales/ margin performance & make recommendations with regards to focus & direction of key fresh & premium foods categories. Identify & present opportunities by category, customer, sector, channel & region. Lead and implement actions as appropriate. Prepare reports for the Sales & Commercial Director & HFL Board outlining fresh & premium foods strategy & performance, future actions and market/ competitor trends. Identify and pursue new business opportunities within the fresh & premium foods categories. Prospect, engage, and negotiate with potential clients to secure new accounts and partnerships. Lead, mentor, and inspire the Category Specialists & Development Chef to achieve individual and collective sales goals. Provide guidance, coaching, and support to enhance sales performance and professional development. Develop skills and knowledge across the Category, Sales & Telesales teams of key fresh and premium foods categories, through development & successful execution of training plans with key supply partners & through the HFL Development Chef. Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key customers, including owners, chefs, food service managers, purchasing agents, and other decision-makers. Understand customer needs, preferences, and market trends to tailor sales strategies and solutions accordingly. Work closely with the Sales Management team to achieve channel specific category targets, utilising the category specialists and development chef internally and externally with customers. Work collaboratively with the Trading & Replenishment team to continually enhance the fresh & premium foods proposition offered to customers by HFL, including supporting with category & range development, product sourcing, forecasting needs in line with seasonal demand and market trends, and developing successful supplier partnerships. Liaise with the Contracts & Trading teams on successful completion of tenders. Build strong cross-functional relationships across the business, including sales teams, marketing, trading/ re-order, operations/ transport, and finance, to align category sales efforts with overall business objectives and ensure seamless execution of key sales initiatives. Skills for Success Joining us as the Strategic Development Manager for Fresh and Premium Foods, the minimum criteria youll need is: A strong background of working successfully in business-to-business sales, with a minimum of 5 years previous experience working in a Foodservice sales role at a senior level. Minimum of 2 years experience of successfully managing people, demonstrating achievement of targets. Ability to develop and execute successful sales strategies to include customer sector segmentation, category and geography opportunity. Proven experience of developing new business and/or strategic categories into key markets & customer sectors. Demonstrated track record of building strong customer relationships and successful customer service propositions. Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and sales management software/ CRM systems. Proven ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and adapt to changing market conditions. Results-driven mindset with a track record of achieving and exceeding sales & margin targets. Current knowledge of the Foodservice market, industry trends, market dynamics, and competitive landscape. Full driving license. A good standard of general education- GCSE English & Mathematics (Grade C and above) or equivalent. The Attributes youll need include: Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills. Strategic thinker with analytical problem-solving capabilities and commercial acumen. Customer focused, with the ability to build successful relationships at all levels. Curiosity & flair for developing category/sector knowledge to seek out new business opportunities in key markets. Strong analytical skills to interpret and action commercial information. A positive leadership style, with the ability to develop & coach direct reports & others within the wider team to achieve targets. It is desirable if you have: Previous experience of developing sales within Meat, Produce and/or Premium Foods categories within the Irish Foodservice Market. Experience of developing new categories and new markets within the Foodservice industry. Extensive knowledge and experience of working in the Irish Foodservice market with a wide network of customer and supplier relationships. Business related third level qualification. Are we right for you? As part of this role, it will be important that you feel aligned with the values that we live and work by. Ambition We always strive to be better. We seek new challenges and look for ways to do things better. Customer First We provide exceptional service. We put customers at the heart of everything and support our communities. Teamwork We succeed together. We help colleagues to succeed, and we share our knowledge and skills. Integrity We are fair, honest and ethical. We treat everyone with dignity and respect. We are inclusive and champion diversity. The Reward The impact you can make with Henderson Group goes far beyond your day to day. You will be part of a business that places our local communities at the heart of what we do. In the last year Henderson group staff and retail stores raised over £1 million for charity partners. You will have the balance necessary to enjoy your job and your life. We will help you to feel proud of what you do and achieve. And we will be here to celebrate your success. We value employee development and heavily invest in our people, and our business has been recognised externally for delivering excellence in employment. Benefits include attractive salary, company car or allowance, bonus, contributory pension scheme, healthcare, life assurance, employee assistance programme, social club, Perks Offers/Discount scheme throughout UK/Ireland, staff discount (grocery/fuel) at SPAR/EUROSPAR Henderson Group company-owned stores and many more. This is a full-time position working 36.5 hours per week. Hybrid and flexible working arrangement available. Completed applications must be submitted online by midnight on 27th October 2024. *Applicants should note that we reserve the right to apply the desirable criteria if required at shortlisting stage. We are an equal opportunities employer. Skills: Strategic Thinking Commercial Acumen Sales Development Leadership Benefits: Bonus Company Car Healthcare Pension Staff Discounts