Director of Business Development – Education Full Time

The short version

We’ve launched the Education division at Upper Crust and are seeking ambitious professionals to help establish, grow, and shape this exciting new vertical from day one. This is more than a traditional business development role, it’s an opportunity to create lasting partnerships. You’ll not only win new accounts, but also remain closely involved, nurturing the relationships that drive long-term success and client retention. If you have experience selling food service management services and are excited by the opportunity to shape a vertical rather than follow an established playbook, we’d love to hear from you.

What you’ll own

You’ll grow sales across Higher Education and Independent K-12 in a multi-state territory, with a named target-account list inside each state. The job runs end to end:

• Build and maintain a rolling one-to-three-year pipeline, mapped to competitor contract expirations by fiscal year. Pipeline work never stops — it’s the spine of the role.
• Get in front of the people who decide: university CFOs, VPs of Student Life, Directors of Housing, Presidents, and Heads of School. Learn each account’s situation, then stack rank by priority.
• Position UCFS ahead of the RFP, partnering with finance and marketing to craft a compelling proposal.
• Understand each buyer’s unique decision-making process and strategically guide them toward an outcome that results in a successful partnership with us.
• Stay on the account after the close. You’re the relationship that holds it, and the proof that we deliver what we promised.

Who you’ll work with

You’ll report directly to the Head of Education, VP of Strategic Sales. The first 90-120 days are hands on: building territory and target lists together, visiting current and prospective accounts, and getting sharp on our sales pro forma tools — which differ between Independent K-12 and Higher Ed. You’ll work shoulder to shoulder with operations, marketing, and accounting, and you’ll sit with our COO, CFO, and CEO. Weekly sales meetings keep the feedback close and the roadblocks small.

What we’re looking for

Must-haves

• Proven hunter in a sales role
• Food service management sales experience. Higher Education is ideal, but cross vertical experience in independent K-12 carry over
• Cross-functional fluency in food service: you understand operations, accounting, and marketing well enough to guide a deal.
• Comfortable with 50–70% travel
• Entrepreneurial to the core. We’re a fast-growing company building a new vertical, not a layer inside a national giant.

Nice-to-haves

• Direct Higher Ed dining or Independent K-12 management experience
• An existing network among heads of school, business officers, and university leadership.
• Plugged into the associations where this work lives (NACUFS, NAIS, NBOA, state independent-school associations).

What we offer

• Base salary and overall compensation depending on experience
• A real seat at the table in a vertical we’re betting on — with a direct line to leadership and room to grow as the business does.

Location & travel

Territory-based and remote, organized by state. Expect 50–70% travel — this is a role you do in the room, on campus, and across the table.

We show up for the people we feed and the partners we serve. If that’s how you sell, we’d like to talk.