If you’re driven by the passion to do something meaningful that changes lives, Nestlé is the place for you. Nestlé USA is one of seven operating companies that make up Nestlé’s presence in the United States. We’re in 97% of American homes, and as the leading food and beverage company, our goals are to continue to deliver quality food and beverage products, strengthen our local communities, and reduce our environmental and climate impact.
We’re determined to challenge the status quo and be better tomorrow than we are today. As individuals and teams, we embrace our entrepreneurial culture and have created a workplace where collaboration is essential, courage is rewarded, speed is expected, and agility is the norm to delight our consumers every single day. Here, you will find limitless opportunities to learn and advance your career and feel empowered to succeed in the workplace and beyond. Because our focus is not only on nourishing our customers, but also about enriching you.
This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.
The Nestlé Professional Solutions at Nestlé USA leverages its position as the world’s largest food and beverage company to bring brands that you enjoy in your home, to other areas of your life such as the workplace, restaurants, hotels, and your neighborhood College or University. Our portfolio of products and solutions includes beloved brands such as Stouffer’s, Coffee mate, Nescafé, and Starbucks. With our extensive networks and industry knowledge, we offer unparalleled support and guidance to foodservice operators, ensuring their success in a competitive market. We strive to contribute to a healthier future by providing the finest ingredients and operational knowledge to every type of foodservice operation. The strength of our trusted brands is supported by a team of skilled professionals who are dedicated to deepening their industry experience. Our team of culinary experts and skilled product developers partner closely with foodservice professionals to generate creative, branded food and beverage solutions that address a wide variety of needs. Our employees thrive on opportunities to grow and develop within the food-service industry, ensuring that we are always at the forefront of industry trends and innovations.
Nestlé Professional Solutions is hiring a Manager, Culinary Strategy to lead a team of culinary experts and skilled product developers that partner closely with our foodservice sales team to generate innovative food & beverage solutions that address a wide variety of operator needs. The Manager, Culinary Strategy role is responsible for leading a strategic culinary selling team of chefs. This role involves executing culinary strategies, fostering innovation, and ensuring the delivery of exceptional culinary experiences to our customers.
This role will support the eastern region in the following areas: Ohio, Florida, and Atlanta.
Responsibilities:
- Culinary Thought Leadership: Foster a culture of creativity, collaboration, and continuous improvement within the culinary team.
- Product Strategy: Identify opportunities for food and beverage products and capabilities that align with customer needs and drive revenue growth. Provide guidance and support in developing culinary-focused sales presentations and proposals to enhance customer engagement and drive business success.
- Team Management: Manage and mentor a team of talented chefs, providing guidance, training, and support to ensure consistent culinary excellence. Empower team members to take ownership of their work and encourage their professional growth.
- Menu Innovation: Lead the development of strategic menu concepts that exceed customer expectations, align with brand standards, and drive customer satisfaction. Collaborate with cross-functional teams to create innovative menu solutions that are on-trend, unique, and elevate the culinary experience.
- Customer Engagement: Meets regularly with key customers to facilitate, navigate, and influence productive culinary dialog that builds confidence and strengthens business partnership.
- Quality Assurance: Establish and maintain culinary standards and procedures to ensure consistent quality across all culinary operations including food safety regulations, sanitation standards, and brand guidelines.
- Culinary Training and Development: Implement training programs to enhance the skills and knowledge of the culinary team. Stay updated with industry best practices and provide ongoing training to ensure the team is equipped with the latest culinary techniques and trends.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including marketing, sales, and operations, to align culinary strategies with overall business objectives.
Skills/Qualifications:
- Deep understanding of food manufacturing processes and experience interacting with product development.
- Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with cross functional teams and build relationships with key customers contacts.
- Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects, teams, and collaborate with multiple business partners (sales, marketing, R&D, supply chain, QA).
- Entrepreneurial spirit with the strong desire to grow segments and develop new business.
Requirements:
- Bachelor’s degree in culinary arts, food science, or a related field preferred
- 6-8 years of restaurant or foodservice selling experience required
- 4 years’ experience in a culinary selling role, working with corporate chain restaurants and large volume foodservice operators.
- 2 years’ experience leading, building and developing teams.
- Knowledge of marketplace, channel and industry trends, competitors, and leading customer strategies.
- Knowledge of food safety regulations and sanitation standards.
- Ability to travel up to 40%