Overview
ZERO ERA is seeking a proactive and detail-oriented Government & Institutional Sales Representative to help expand our business across senior living, healthcare dining, schools, universities, hospitality, public sector, and institutional foodservice channels.
ZERO ERA creates tea fiber–based sustainable everyday essentials, including disposable cutlery, cutlery sets, straws, personal care products, and travel amenity items. Our products are designed as PFAS-free, lower-plastic alternatives to conventional plastic products for organizations seeking safer material choices, sustainability improvements, and practical foodservice solutions.
This role will focus on developing opportunities with senior living groups, retirement communities, healthcare facilities, school districts, universities, government buyers, municipalities, foodservice management companies, and distributor partners such as Gordon Food Service, Sysco, EPS, and other institutional purchasing networks.
The ideal candidate is organized, professional, comfortable with formal outreach, and able to manage long sales cycles, pilot programs, procurement documents, and follow-ups with institutional buyers.
Responsibilities
- Identify and pursue new business opportunities with senior living groups, retirement communities, healthcare dining programs, schools, universities, municipalities, government agencies, and institutional foodservice operators.
- Contact purchasing managers, foodservice directors, nutrition directors, facility managers, sustainability officers, and procurement teams through email, phone, LinkedIn, vendor portals, and direct outreach.
- Search, track, and review bid opportunities through government procurement platforms, school district portals, Bonfire, SAM.gov, PlanetBids, IonWave, Biddingo, BC Bid, MERX, and other bid systems.
- Prepare and organize bid documents, product specification sheets, compliance forms, certifications, insurance documents, pricing sheets, case-pack information, and sample requests.
- Support senior living and healthcare pilot programs by preparing outreach materials, sample kits, feedback forms, and follow-up communication.
- Develop relationships with foodservice distributors such as Gordon Food Service, Sysco, EPS, and regional distributors when customer demand or pilot interest exists.
- Present ZERO ERA products as PFAS-free, food-contact-ready, lower-plastic, and compostable-format alternatives for dining, hospitality, healthcare, senior living, and institutional use.
- Maintain detailed records of all outreach activity, buyer communication, bid deadlines, submitted documents, follow-ups, and opportunity status.
- Coordinate internally with management, suppliers, and logistics partners to confirm product availability, lead times, MOQ, case pack, pallet information, pricing, and delivery requirements.
- Monitor public sector, healthcare, senior living, school, and foodservice trends related to sustainability, plastic reduction, PFAS-free purchasing, and compostable product adoption.
Qualifications
- Experience in B2B sales, institutional sales, government procurement, foodservice sales, bid coordination, or business development is preferred.
- Experience with senior living, healthcare, education, hospitality, foodservice distribution, government bids, or public sector sales is an asset.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills in English.
- Cantonese or Mandarin is an asset, but not required.
- Comfortable with formal emails, phone outreach, LinkedIn outreach, procurement forms, bid portals, and follow-up tracking.
- Strong organizational skills and attention to detail, especially when managing deadlines, documents, compliance requirements, and buyer information.
- Ability to understand and communicate product benefits such as PFAS-free positioning, food-contact readiness, compostable product formats, lower-plastic alternatives, and tea fiber–based materials.
- Familiarity with spreadsheets, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, CRM tools, procurement portals, or bid tracking systems is an asset.
- Able to work independently, prioritize multiple opportunities, and manage long sales cycles from first contact to pilot program, quote, bid submission, or distributor follow-up.
- Previous experience with GFS, Sysco, healthcare procurement, school foodservice, senior living groups, government tenders, or institutional buyers is a strong plus.
Why Join ZERO ERA
This is an opportunity to help build a growing sustainable products brand in senior living, healthcare, education, foodservice, and public sector channels. You will play a key role in introducing safer, lower-plastic everyday products to organizations that serve residents, patients, students, guests, and communities every day.
ZERO ERA is looking for someone who is organized, persistent, professional, and excited to grow a purpose-driven brand through meaningful institutional partnerships and long-term business development.
Pay: $20.00-$30.00 per hour
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Flexible schedule
- Work from home
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Vancouver, BC
