Director of Business Development - SAGE Dining Services

Are you adept at selling services and can successfully lead the efforts of a North American team as the Director of Business Development?

SAGE Dining Services® is a leading provider of incredible healthful dining to private schools and private colleges across North America. Our mission is to create exceptional dining experiences, that delight the senses, inspire minds and foster community. It isn't just at special events, it is at every opportunity, and it is all the senses, not just taste, and we do it in educational venues, where our communities gather and enjoy one another.

We believe in real food, cooked from scratch, sourced locally, when possible, and served with a smile from our Team Members who enjoy creating their menus as the communities appreciate what they do.

SAGE's accolades include the Daily Record's Empowering Women Award and Maryland's Most Admired CEO Award (Tina Rodriguez) as well as Newsweek's List of America's Greatest Workplaces 2024. In 2022, SAGE was recognized as the Food Service Operator of the year by the International Food Service Manufacturers Association, otherwise known as the Silver Plate award.

This position is in Lutherville, MD, at our Home office, a suburb of Baltimore. We offer an incredibly collaborative environment. Working at SAGE House offers an incredible synergy which will enhance your success as experts in strategy, finance, purchasing, etc., are steps away. Everyone has the mission: Creating exceptional dining experiences that delight the senses, inspire minds and foster community.

What you'll get:

• Growing mission based company.
• Collaborative team environment.
• Competitive wages and benefits.
• Beautiful offices with free parking.

What you'll do:

• Develop and implement comprehensive business development strategies with a focus on relationship-based selling to achieve growth objectives and expand market presence. Research and identify target markets, build relationships, perform in-depth presentations, strategic analysis, and drive execution of implemented plans.
• Establish and manage an effective business development program to maximize growth. Monitor and optimize the pipeline to ensure a consistent flow of qualified leads and opportunities, and accurately forecast future new business wins. With the VP of Sales, help oversee and manage the sales pipeline from initial contact to final sale.
• Identify and qualify high-potential targets based on market analysis, client needs, and strategic fit. Develop criteria for assessing the viability of prospects and ensure alignment with company goals. Evaluate the risk of decisions, actions and proposals as compared to the potential opportunity.
• Analyze market trends, client needs, and competitive landscape to identify new business opportunities, drive innovation within the company and tailor strategies accordingly. Understand competitor strengths and weaknesses to drive differentiated selling.
• Act as a mentor, providing guidance, support, and training to drive individual and team performance. Support SAGE sellers in targeted prospecting, proposal design.
• Work closely with other departments (e.g., marketing, events, operations, strategy and innovation) to align business development efforts with overall company goals and enhance client offerings. Supports the sales organization in high value customer-facing sales scenarios; specific but not limited to: proposals, presentations, events and trade shows. Partner with Strategy on Relationship strategy, including sales-related action plans related to red-flag/retention-risk analysis.
• Monitor and report on key performance metrics, providing insights and recommendations to senior management and sales team on business development activities and outcomes.
• Cultivate and maintain long-term relationships with key clients, stakeholders, and partners.
• Represent the company at industry events, conferences, and networking functions to build brand awareness and establish new connections.

What you'll need:

• Minimum of 10 years of experience in business development, sales, or a related field, with a proven track record in relationship-based selling for services, and closing business based on the company’s goals and expectations.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, or a related field. Advanced degree or relevant certifications are a plus.
• Ability to think strategically and develop actionable plans to drive business growth and address market challenges.
• Demonstrated ability to motivate a team effectively. Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Familiarity with Salesforce software and other business development tools. Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially MS Excel.
• Deep understanding of client needs and the ability to create tailored solutions that deliver value and foster long-term relationships.

About SAGE

Working for SAGE means being part of a community. You’d work alongside creative, enthusiastic Team Members who share your passion for culinary excellence. You’d also make a difference in an academic community and bring excitement to the dining hall with made-from-scratch, Chef-inspired recipes that delight students, faculty, staff, and parents.

SAGE embraces the uniqueness of everyone in our family: Team Members, suppliers, guests, and client communities. Our diversity fuels our innovation, which drives our growth. Every voice matters.

Guided by our founding principles of respect and partnership, we offer fulfilling careers for Team Members, market access for small local suppliers, and a joyful celebration of inclusiveness and multiculturalism through the fresh, authentic, and yummy foods we serve.

Positions at SAGE provide competitive wages and benefits, with hours that offer a better work-life balance than those at a restaurant. We create careers, not just jobs, with significant opportunity for growth and promotion. Team Members learn SAGE Standards and enhance their skill set through extensive training in food safety, allergen awareness, and preventing eating disorders.

SAGE has enjoyed steady, organic growth for the past 30 years, and we now serve independent schools and private colleges across North America. We continue to grow and raise the bar in food service for the educational market to create exceptional dining experiences that delight the senses, inspire minds, and foster community. Come, rise with us!

Successful final candidates for the position may be required to fulfill location-specific health and safety requirements.

This job advertisement should not be misconstrued as an offer of employment or a comprehensive listing of position responsibilities/expectations.

Equal Opportunity Employer.

If you are a candidate living in California, or applying for a position in California, please visit https://www.sagedining.com/blog/post/156768/california-consumer-privacy-notice-to-california-employees-and-job-applicants for information regarding SAGE's California Privacy practices.