DIRECTOR OF STRATEGIC CLIENT SUCCESS (TRAVEL REQUIRED)

The Director of Strategic Client Success is responsible for driving the retention of priority accounts by fostering strong internal collaboration and ensuring high levels of client satisfaction through operational excellence. This role focuses on supporting long-term client partnerships by proactively engaging with the operations, culinary, marketing, and Elev8 Hospitality teams to anticipate, address and deliver client needs. Key responsibilities include developing and executing strategies to optimize contract renewals, facilitating internal processes for client feedback analysis, and providing actionable insights to improve service delivery and business growth.

The Director of Strategic Client Success plays a pivotal role in coordinating onsite fresh eyes team, driving action plans driven by client culture and WITY. Success in this position requires excellent problem-solving skills, strong interpersonal abilities, and a commitment to exceeding client retention objectives ensuring a 95%+ annual client retention rate. Operational experience in the foodservice hospitality is required with candidate having well-rounded experience in multiple functions in our business.

This position reports to the Senior Director of Growth & Retention Marketing and requires extensive travel, approximately 50% of the month.

Operational Excellence Initiatives

• Develop and manage 'fresh eyes' site visits from observation to action plan development and implementation in conjunction with operations, culinary, marketing and Elev8 Hospitality.
• 'Fresh-eyes' process requires both a strategic and hands-on approach to be successful.
• Working with CMO and Senior Leadership with clear site on what is coming out to bid w/in 2 years working; targeting accounts that are coming up for rebid.
• Low-touch and high-touch responsibilities include:
• Develop and manage a client intake form to assess needs
• Client meetings
• Activate initiatives such as information organization, report creation, and dashboard development to streamline processes.
• Assess opportunities for innovations to support client needs.
• Support and facilitate client future-forward symposium (virtual and/or in-person).

Facility and Performance Reviews

• Support facility reviews with senior leadership to identify at-risk locations, including a review of financials, quarterly business reviews, and client correspondence.
• Analyze data to recommend actions that enhance client value and satisfaction.
• Communicate effectively with senior leaders and executives within client organizations.
• Maintain detailed records of client interactions, inquiries, comments, and issues, along with associated action plans.
• As needed, communicate with clients through in-person meetings, telephone, and electronic correspondence.

Strategic Account Management

• Develop contract extension and renewal strategies to preempt competitive bid situations through systematic account assessment, internal team communication, action planning and implementation and client interviews as appropriate.
• Establish strong cross-functional relationships with operations, support, and resource teams (culinary, marketing, Elev8 Hospitality) to ensure regular communication and high execution levels of action plans.
• Maintain detailed reports for assigned client facilities.

Training and Coaching

• Provide coaching and training for operations on client retention and engagement skills. Lead the development, delivery, and training for DMs and above on various client-facing business resources, including:
• Quarterly Business Reviews
• Support client memos/newsletters as needed
• Create and coordinate operational training sessions for DMs and above to enhance retention and engagement skills, improve service levels, and support ongoing development opportunities.
• Recognize and address "red flags" for facilities and at-risk clients.
• This role is pivotal in maintaining strong client relationships, driving satisfaction, and ensuring the successful execution of Eurest's retention strategies.

• Operational expertise
• Project management skills
• Excellent relationship-building skills, verbal and written skills
• Creative problem-solving and negotiating effectively and influencing with all levels of associates and management
• Impact and Influence; Emotional intelligence
• Financial acumen
• Contracted services operational acumen
• Leadership presence
• Holding self and others accountable
• Strategic business thinking
• Ability to manage all aspects of working independently without constant direct supervision
• Leadership and project management skills with a proven ability to interact with and motivate others
• Can prioritize workload and meet deadlines for a variety of client relation deliverables

Education and Technical Experience

• The successful candidate will have a BS in Business Administration, Management, Food Science, Nutrition, Marketing, Culinary Arts or Hotel/Restaurant Management; MBA preferred
• 5+ years of experience in Client Relationship Management, preferably in the contract food services industry
• 7-10+ years of experience in restaurant or contract food services hands-on operation roles
• Proficient with Microsoft Windows platform and Office Suite - especially PowerPoint

Work Environment:

• Extensive travel approximately 50% of the month