Business Development & Growth Strategy Manager - Hybrid

Description

Hissho Overview

Hissho Sushi is the second-largest sushi franchise in the country, proudly operating in over 2,600 locations across 80 retail partners, including grocery stores, universities, hospitals, airports, and more. Our franchise-first model is built on a foundation of operational excellence, innovation, and strong retail relationships. We are committed to supporting our franchisees and delivering exceptional service and products to our customers.

Role Overview

Hissho Sushi is seeking a high-potential, detail-driven, and relationship-oriented Manager of Business Development & Growth Strategy to help build and scale our commercial growth engine. This role will work closely with the SVP of Strategic Growth and will play a foundational role in shaping how Hissho identifies, prioritizes, and enters profitable new markets.

This is not a traditional “sales” role. It is a strategic, operational, and relationship-focused position designed for an individual with strong potential for future leadership growth who is energized by supporting executive strategy and creating the structure that allows growth to scale. 

What This Role Exists to Do

• Help architect Hissho’s long-term business development strategy and help execute against these strategies by leveraging our Broker network and internal Hissho resources.
• Build the foundational processes, tools, and communication rhythms that will allow our growth efforts to scale.
• Serve as the connective tissue between data, brokers, retailers, internal teams, and executive leadership.
• Own the quality, consistency, and thoughtfulness of all business development communication and correspondence.
• Translate market intelligence, performance data, and field insights into clear prioritization and strategic direction.
• Ensure all growth initiatives align with Hissho’s long-term profitability model and franchise-first philosophy.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Support & Growth Architecture

• Partner closely with the SVP of Strategic Growth to design and evolve Hissho’s go-to-market and expansion strategy.
• Help define new target customer prioritization using industry data (i.e. SPINS data, broker intelligence, retailer feedback, and competitive insights).
• Support the development of long-term growth roadmaps and channel strategies aligned with company objectives.

Commercial & Financial Acumen

• Develop a deep understanding of Hissho’s business model, unit economics, and franchise profitability structure.
• Partner with Finance, Operations, Supply Chain, and Franchise Relations to evaluate the financial and operational viability of new retailer opportunities.
• Assess revenue potential alongside margin structure, scalability, franchisee impact, and long-term return.
• Contribute to financial modeling, scenario planning, and retailer prioritization grounded in sustainable growth principles.

Sales Operating System & Process Development

• Own and maintain pipeline tracking, target lists, and opportunity management (initially in Excel, with a future transition to a CRM).
• Help design and document future-state systems, workflows, and reporting to support a scalable business development function.
• Serve as a key contributor to CRM implementation and adoption when the organization is ready to transition.

Communication & Relationship Enablement

• Own correspondence, follow-ups, meeting coordination, and relationship across brokers, new retailer targets, and internal stakeholders.
• Ensure exceptional polish in all written and verbal communication.
• Create thoughtful, personalized touchpoints that reflect Hissho’s partnership-driven approach.

Data Synthesis & Insight Generation

• Analyze performance data, market trends, and field feedback to identify growth opportunities and risks.
• Translate complex information into clear, actionable insights for leadership.
• Prepare summaries, briefs, and recommendations that support strategic decision-making.

Storytelling & Presentation

• Build and refine sales decks, growth narratives, and strategic presentations.
• Apply strong visual and editorial judgment to ensure materials are clear, compelling, and on-brand.
• Support leadership in articulating Hissho’s value proposition to retailers, brokers, and partners.

Requirements

The Profile We’re Looking For

Experience & Skill 

• 5–10 years of experience in business development, sales operations, commercial strategy, marketing, consulting, or a related field.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills with a high standard for polish, clarity, and detail.
• Strong organizational and analytical capabilities; comfort working with data, spreadsheets, and evolving systems.
• Ability to build professional, visually strong presentations and written materials.
• Digital fluency, including comfort with LinkedIn and modern research, prospecting, and communication tools.
• Experience in grocery, retail, CPG, foodservice, or broker-supported sales environments is a plus, but not required.

Personal Attributes

• Service-oriented and support-driven; takes pride in enabling leaders and teams to perform at their best.
• Capable of working cross-functionally and leading through influence.
• High attention to detail and follow-through; notices and values the “little things” that build trust and credibility.
• Approachable, engaging, and emotionally intelligent, with the ability to build relationships naturally and authentically.
• Ambitious and high-potential, with a strong desire to grow into larger leadership responsibility over time.
• Comfortable in ambiguity and energized by building structure where none yet exists.
• Curious, coachable, and eager to learn the business deeply before leading it.

Why This Role Is Special

This is a rare opportunity to help build a growth function from the ground up alongside senior leadership. The right candidate will gain:

• The opportunity to directly support profitable, sustainable growth for Hissho franchisees and long-term retail partners.
• A meaningful role in shaping Hissho’s long-term expansion and partnership approach.
• The chance to help design the systems, processes, and culture of a high-growth commercial organization.
• Direct exposure to executive-level strategy and decision-making.

This role is ideal for someone who sees support as apprenticeship, systems as strategy, and relationships as the foundation of sustainable growth.

This job description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. Duties, responsibilities, and qualifications may change as the business needs evolve. Hissho Sushi is an equal opportunity employer.