The Business Development and Key Accounts Manager will be responsible for developing new business, growing existing accounts, and helping build the systems that support salesat ROUSSEAU.
Our B2B portfolio includes:
- Wholesale and retail partnerships
- Hotels, restaurants, wineries, and hospitality partners
- Corporate gifting and employee recognition programs
- Weddings, private events, and branded gifting
- Strategic regional and national accounts
This is a hands on role for someone who can independently identify opportunities, initiate conversations, prepare proposals, follow up consistently, and develop lasting client relationships.
The successful candidate will also help establish the foundation of our sales function by implementing a CRM, organizing our pipeline, creating account plans, developing sales processes, and providing reliable forecasting and reporting.
Key responsibilities:
Business development
- Identify and pursue new wholesale, hospitality, corporate gifting, wedding, event, and partnership opportunities
- Research prospective organizations and connect with buyers and decision makers
- Conduct outreach through email, telephone, networking, referrals, events, and in person meetings
- Lead client conversations to understand their needs, budgets, volumes, timelines, and objectives
- Present ROUSSEAU’s products, capabilities, and story with warmth and confidence
- Prepare proposals, quotations, product recommendations, and gifting solutions
- Maintain thoughtful and consistent follow up throughout the sales process
- Negotiate opportunities within approved pricing, margin, payment, and production parameters
- Represent ROUSSEAU at tastings, industry events, conferences, and client meetings
Key account management
- Build trusted relationships with existing wholesale, hospitality, and corporate clients
- Develop plans for priority accounts and identify opportunities for continued growth
- Increase order frequency, seasonal participation, and product assortment where appropriate
- Reconnect with former clients, inactive accounts, and promising past opportunities
- Plan ahead for holiday gifting, seasonal launches, and recurring client programs
Sales systems and reporting
- Recommend, implement, and maintain an appropriate CRM system
- Organize existing client, lead, and prospect information
- Establish clear pipeline stages, qualification standards, and follow up practices
- Build and maintain a reliable pipeline of qualified opportunities
- Create target account lists by sector, region, and priority
- Develop outreach templates, proposal tools, and account planning resources
- Prepare regular sales forecasts and pipeline reports
- Track meaningful performance indicators, including revenue, account growth, conversion rates, and sales cycles
- Help create a practical and repeatable sales process for the company
Internal collaboration
- Work closely with production and operations to confirm capacity, timelines, pricing, customization requirements, and delivery expectations
- Collaborate with marketing and design on catalogues, presentations, proposals, and sales materials
- Communicate confirmed orders and client expectations clearly to internal teams
- Share meaningful feedback about customer needs, market opportunities, packaging, pricing, and products
- Ensure that client commitments reflect what ROUSSEAU can deliver beautifully and profitably
Qualifications
- Four or more years of experience in business development, account management, consultative sales, or a related commercial role
- Demonstrated experience independently generating and developing new business
- Experience working with a CRM and managing a structured sales pipeline
- Experience preparing proposals, quotations, presentations, or account plans
- Strong prospecting, organization, and follow up skills
- Excellent written and verbal communication
- Confidence discussing pricing, budgets, volumes, timelines, and purchasing decisions
- Ability to manage several client relationships and sales opportunities at once
- Sound commercial judgment and respect for profitability
- Ability to work independently while collaborating closely with leadership and operations
- Comfort working within a growing company where some processes are still being developed
- Proficiency with email, spreadsheets, presentations, and standard digital business tools
- Ability to travel locally and occasionally travel outside Nova Scotia
Assets
Experience in any of the following areas would be considered an asset:
- Premium food and beverage
- Consumer packaged goods
- Wholesale or specialty retail
- Hotels, restaurants, tourism, or hospitality
- Corporate gifting or promotional products
- Luxury products
- Weddings, events, or venue sales
- Regional or national account management
Previous experience in the chocolate industry is not required.
Who will thrive in this role
This opportunity will suit someone who enjoys opening doors, developing trusted relationships, and creating structure where processes are still evolving.
You are comfortable initiating conversations, asking thoughtful commercial questions, and following opportunities through to a clear decision. You are organized, accountable, and able to manage multiple clients and sales cycles without losing sight of important details.
You will bring both ambition and care to the role, pursuing meaningful growth while respecting ROUSSEAU’s standards, production realities, and long term relationships.
Work arrangement
This is a full time, permanent, hybrid position based in Halifax.
The successful candidate will divide their time between working from the ROUSSEAU atelier and office, working remotely, visiting clients, and attending relevant events.
Regular in person involvement will be required for product education, tastings, samples, sales planning, and collaboration with the team.
This is not a fully remote position.
Compensation and benefits
- Base salary of $60,000 to $65,000 per year, based on experience
- Eligibility for a performance based incentive program tied to agreed sales and business development objectives
- Extended health care benefits
- Employee Assistance Program
- Hybrid working arrangement
- Product education and participation in tastings, client events, and industry activities
The details of the performance based incentive program will be discussed with shortlisted candidates and confirmed as part of the employment offer.
How to apply
Please submit your résumé and a brief cover letter explaining your interest in the position.
In your cover letter, please share an example of a client or sales opportunity that you independently identified and developed. We would also be interested in learning about any experience you have creating or improving a CRM, sales pipeline, account plan, or sales process.
ROUSSEAU Chocolatier is committed to creating a respectful and welcoming workplace. We encourage applications from qualified candidates of all backgrounds and experiences.
Pay: $60,000.00-$65,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental care
- Disability insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Extended health care
- Flexible schedule
- Life insurance
- Mileage reimbursement
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Halifax, NS
