HOSPITALITY BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT SPECIALIST

Salary Range: $59,700 to $77,700

Position Summary:

The Hospitality Business Development Specialist provides specialized account oversight for hospitality customers while partnering with Account Managers.

This role is primarily accountable for GPO compliance, identifying sales opportunities, demand planning, and account performance. Using hotel Food & Beverage experience, the Specialist monitors occupancy, banquet activity, seasonal demand, and purchasing trends to identify opportunities and anticipate customer needs.

The position works closely with Sales, Purchasing, and Operations to ensure appropriate inventory, product breadth, and service support. The Specialist owns the follow-through on identified opportunities and compliance gaps, while the Account Manager maintains overall ownership of the customer relationship.

Essential Duties:

Hospitality Customer Support

• Supports Hospitality Accounts in partnership with assigned Account Managers, providing a higher level of service and industry-specific support to hotel Food & Beverage operations.

• Understands Hotel Operations including restaurants, banquets, catering, room service, pool/beach operations, employee dining, and other Food & Beverage outlets.
• Builds Working Relationships with hotel Food & Beverage teams to understand upcoming business levels, operational changes, menu needs, and anticipated demand. 

• Supports Account Managers with customer follow-up, product research, order-related needs, inventory communication, and coordination with internal departments.

• Provides Product Solutions based on customer operational needs, tourism trends, labor challenges, menu changes, and anticipated business levels.

Demand Planning & Forecasting 

• Monitors Hotel Occupancy Trends and works with customers to understand projected occupancy, group business, and other factors that may impact Food & Beverage demand.
• Plans for Banquet & Group Business by proactively gathering information regarding upcoming conferences, weddings, conventions, special events, and other significant banquet activity.
• Forecasts Seasonal Demand by identifying expected increases or decreases in product usage related to tourism patterns, holidays, peak travel periods, shoulder seasons, and property-specific trends.
• Identifies Usage Changes and communicates significant increases or decreases in anticipated demand to Purchasing and the Account Manager.

• Supports Inventory Planning by translating customer occupancy, banquet activity, and historical usage into actionable demand information.
• Maintains Forward Visibility into significant hospitality events and demand changes to reduce the risk of shortages, excess inventory, and last-minute product needs.

Purchasing & Inventory Coordination 

• Partners Closely with Purchasing to proactively communicate anticipated inventory requirements for hospitality customers. 

• Communicates Occupancy Changes and other customer-provided forecasts that may materially impact inventory levels. 

• Reviews Product Availability against anticipated customer demand and escalates potential inventory concerns before they impact service. 

• Coordinates Seasonal Inventory Adjustments when customer demand is expected to increase or decrease.
• Supports Product Rationalization by helping identify products that should be increased, reduced, substituted, or expanded based on hospitality demand.

Product & Operational Solutions 

• Recommends Product Solutions that address changing hospitality needs, including labor-saving products, portion-controlled products, operational efficiencies, and appropriate substitutions.
• Evaluates Product Breadth based on tourism trends, customer demographics, occupancy, menu direction, and evolving guest expectations.

• Identifies Product & Sales Opportunities by reviewing customer purchasing trends, GPO compliance, contract utilization, occupancy, banquet activity, and anticipated demand. Proactively identifies gaps and growth opportunities and partners with the Account Manager to execute recommendations.

• Supports Exclusive Brand Initiatives by identifying appropriate IMA product alternatives and assisting Account Managers with customer conversions.
• Supports E-Commerce Cut & Dry Adoption by assisting hospitality customers with digital ordering, product navigation, and general platform support.
  

Customer Service & Issue Resolution 

• Provides Proactive Customer Support related to orders, inventory availability, substitutions, shortages, damages, discrepancies, and other service needs. 

• Coordinates Internal Resolution by working with Account Managers, Customer Service, Purchasing, Operations, and other departments as necessary. 

• Communicates Clearly and Accurately regarding inventory, lead times, deliveries, product availability, and customer expectations. 
• Escalates Significant Issues to the Account Manager or appropriate leadership when customer relationships, inventory, service, or financial performance may be impacted.

• Performs Other Related Duties as assigned by the Supervisor. 

• Uses the Company's Mission/Vision Statements and Core Values as guiding principles. 

• Leads Secondary Supplier Account Support by serving as the primary internal resource for secondary supplier programs, such as Foodbuy, with accountability for GPO compliance, product alignment, sales opportunities, and overall account performance. Partners with the Account Manager to support customer needs while maintaining program and contractual requirements. 

Qualifications:

• Food & Beverage hospitality experience strongly preferred, including experience within hotel, resort, restaurant, banquet, catering, or other hospitality Food & Beverage operations. 

• Food-service distribution experience is beneficial, however, not required.

• Bachelor's Degree preferred or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.

Days/Hours of Work:  

• Monday through Friday   

• Regular business hours