Director of Sales

Adecco Permanent Recruitment is partnering with a well-established wholesale distribution company in the food and produce supply space based in Branford, Connecticut. Our client is seeking a Director of Sales & Business Development to build and lead a formal sales organization from the ground up while driving immediate revenue growth. This is a high-impact, on-site leadership role offering strong earning potential, long-term growth opportunity, and the ability to shape the company’s sales strategy and future team structure. The ideal candidate will come from wholesale distribution, food, produce, or closely related.

**This client is not offering relocation assistance.

Key Responsibilities

• Design and implement a comprehensive sales strategy, including structure, processes, KPIs, and reporting frameworks.
• Build and formalize a system to capture, track, and convert internally generated leads into long-term customers.
• Personally engage in business development activities, including prospecting, relationship building, and closing strategic deals.
• Develop and implement CRM tools, pipeline management processes, and forecasting methodologies.
• Expand existing customer relationships through increased engagement, product offerings, and account strategy development.
• Lead contract and bid opportunities, including RFP responses and large-scale account pursuits.
• Collaborate with internal teams to align sales efforts, improve pricing strategies, and identify growth opportunities.
• Hire, train, and lead a growing sales team, establishing a culture of accountability and performance.

Qualifications and Must-Haves

• 8 years of progressive experience in sales or business development, including experience building or scaling a sales function.
• Proven success in a player coach role, balancing individual contribution with team leadership.
• Experience working within or influencing hybrid sales models, including internal teams and external representatives.
• Strong ability to design and implement sales processes, systems, and performance metrics.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and executive-level relationship management skills.
• High level of ownership with the ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Experience within wholesale distribution, food, produce, or related industries is highly desirable.

**Minimum base salary $120k (flexibility to increase). Additional commission and/or bonus incentive plan will be created per the candidate selected for the role and designed to align with base and total target compensation expectations.

Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision

Equal Opportunity Employer/Veterans/Disabled

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The Company will consider qualified applicants with arrest and conviction records in accordance with federal, state, and local laws and/or security clearance requirements, including, as applicable:

• The California Fair Chance Act
• Los Angeles City Fair Chance Ordinance
• Los Angeles County Fair Chance Ordinance for Employers
• San Francisco Fair Chance Ordinance

Massachusetts Candidates Only: It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.