About the Role

We are seeking a Director of Customer Development to join our team in a Remote role. As the Director of Customer Development, you will be accountable for driving profitable sales growth, expanding distribution, strengthening strategic customer partnerships, and leading a high-performing team across national and regional grocery retail, wholesale, and broker channels.

This role is critical to advancing Aspire Bakeries' branded and in-store bakery business through customer development strategies, innovation commercialization, broker leadership, and execution excellence across key customer accounts.

Compensation

• Salary Range: $140K-$175K
• Travel: Required (50%-75%)

Core Accountabilities (What You'll Be Doing)

• Lead strategic customer relationships across national and regional grocery retailers, wholesalers, distributors, and broker partners.
• Develop and execute customer business plans that deliver sales growth, profitability, distribution gains, and market share expansion.
• Drive brand growth through innovation selling, assortment optimization, category development, and new business acquisition.
• Negotiate pricing, contracts, promotional programs, and joint business plans to maximize customer and company value.
• Coach and develop a high-performing sales team through performance management, talent development, and succession planning.
• Direct broker strategy and execution to achieve distribution, placement, promotional, and performance objectives.
• Build wholesale and distributor growth strategies that improve market penetration and support profitable expansion.

Minimum Qualifications (What You Bring to the Table)

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or a related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10+ years of progressive Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) sales and customer development experience.
• 5+ years of experience leading, coaching, and developing sales teams.
• Proven experience managing major grocery retail, wholesale, distributor, or regional retail customer accounts.
• Demonstrated experience leading and managing broker organizations and performance.
• Strong financial acumen, strategic business planning, analytical, and negotiation skills.
• Experience utilizing customer, category, and syndicated data platforms (e.g., Circana, Nielsen) to drive business decisions.

Preferred Qualifications (Extra Ingredients for Success)

• Experience within bakery, fresh foods, frozen foods, or broader food and beverage categories.
• Experience leading regional or national account teams in a multi-channel retail environment.
• Strong understanding of wholesale channel operations and distributor business models.
• Experience commercializing innovation and launching new products with retail customers.
• Advanced knowledge of category management principles and retailer analytics platforms.

Aspire Bakeries LLC values the contribution each Team Member brings to our organization. The final determination of a successful candidate's starting pay will vary based on a number of factors, including, but not limited to location, shift, education, skill, and experience within the job or the industry. The pay scale listed for this position is generally for candidates that meet the specified qualifications and requirements listed in this specific job description. Additional pay may be determined for those candidates that exceed these specified qualifications and requirements. We provide a competitive compensation package that recognizes your experience, credentials, and education alongside a robust benefits program to meet your needs. For union-represented postings, wage rates and ranges are governed by applicable collective bargaining agreements.