RHH202613

Chief Growth Officer

Managed Food Services

THE COMPANY

Our client is a well-established food management service company in the Midwest.

THE OPPORTUNITY

As a key member of the executive leadership team, the Chief Growth Officer (CGO) will be responsible for developing and executing the organization’s long-term growth strategy. The CGO will be accountable for driving sustainable growth through a thoughtful, intentional approach that champions a unified commercial strategy and ensures alignment across sales, marketing, operations, finance, and client success functions. The ability to translate organizational objectives into actionable sales initiatives will be a vital component of this role. Success will require a strategic, relationship-oriented mindset to accelerate growth while aligning with the organization’s culture and long-term objectives.

This position reports to the Chief Executive Officer and has five direct reports.

JOB DEFINITION

Partnering closely with the CEO and executive team, the Chief Growth Officer will develop and execute comprehensive go-to-market, client acquisition, and client retention strategies tailored to each industry vertical, client segment, and geographic market, ensuring alignment between market opportunities, organizational capabilities, and long-term enterprise value creation. They will define, refine, and continuously strengthen the organization’s competitive advantage by identifying and articulating the unique value propositions that differentiate the company within each market segment it serves. The CGO will establish a disciplined, scalable commercial operating model to set priorities, align on goals, and build a roadmap for sustainable, long-term success, including the design and optimization of the sales process, performance expectations, and key success metrics for each business development and marketing professional. This leader will oversee the development and execution of both strategic and annual sales and marketing plans, ensuring resources, messaging, and activities are aligned to revenue and growth targets. Additionally, the CGO will implement individual sales performance plans that define pipeline requirements, activity expectations, conversion objectives, account development strategies, and professional growth goals for each member of the sales and marketing teams. Through data-driven decision-making, market intelligence, and continuous performance evaluation, the CGO will ensure the organization maintains client retention and a competitive market position while achieving sustainable and profitable growth.

SKILLS

This role requires a grounded, blue-collar executive who combines strategic vision with hands-on execution, excels at building trusted relationships, and possesses the commercial acumen to translate growth opportunities into measurable business results while fostering client and partner relationships that align with the company’s mission, values, and culture. This leader must demonstrate vulnerability and humility, be willing to listen, learn, and leverage the strengths of the people around them, build meaningful relationships across all levels of the organization, possess the hunger to achieve ambitious goals, and have a collaborative mindset to unite teams around a common vision.

Leadership and Management:

  • Develop and execute a comprehensive long-term growth strategy in collaboration with the CEO, Board of Directors, and executive leadership team.
  • Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
  • Identify and evaluate new growth opportunities, including new markets, verticals, geographic expansion, service offerings, strategic adjacencies, partnerships, and acquisitions.
  • Establish growth priorities, performance metrics, and execution plans that support the organization’s strategic growth objectives. Provide regular updates to the Board regarding growth initiatives, opportunities, risks, and performance against strategic goals.
  • Partner closely with Operations and Finance to develop pricing strategies, business models, and investment plans that support growth objectives. Ensuring growth initiatives are operationally scalable and financially sustainable.
  • Partner with the AVP of Marketing to align marketing and business development efforts, ensuring a cohesive approach to brand building, market positioning, lead generation, and client acquisition that supports the organization’s long-term strategic objectives.
  • Guide the development of messaging, thought leadership, market visibility, and communications initiatives.
  • Lead the organization’s business development strategy and pipeline management process.
  • Build, coach, and develop a high-performing business development team focused on sustainable, profitable growth.
  • Personally engage in key client pursuits, strategic opportunities, and complex negotiations.
  • Establish and monitor sales performance metrics, forecasting processes, and growth targets.
  • Ensure business development activities align with the organization’s mission, values, and long-term objectives.
  • Champion effective communication, collaboration, and seamless handoffs between the sales and operations teams. Fostering greater integration between sales/business development, marketing, operations, and client service teams.
  • Develop and execute a comprehensive strategic partnership strategy that accelerates growth, expands market presence, and enhances organizational capabilities by cultivating, negotiating, and managing key alliances, referral partnerships, and joint venture opportunities.
  • Foster and strengthen executive-level relationships with key clients, partners, industry leaders, and stakeholders while leading a proactive client retention strategy focused on long-term relationship development, client success, early identification of retention risks, and the preservation and expansion of recurring revenue.
  • Collaborate with operational leaders to identify opportunities for account growth, cross-selling, and service expansion.
  • Drive alignment across Marketing and Operations teams to optimize processes for contract renewals, extensions, strategic account planning, and continuous improvement of the organization’s RFP and RFQ processes to enhance win rates, client retention, and operational effectiveness.
  • Continuously monitor industry trends, customer behavior, competitive activity, and emerging market opportunities.
  • Provide analysis and recommendations to the executive team regarding growth opportunities and competitive threats.

BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE

  • 10+ years of progressive executive leadership experience in business development, sales, marketing, corporate strategy, or growth leadership roles.
  • Experience leading sales efforts within food service management, hospitality, or contract services organizations, with a proven ability to grow business in public, municipal and K-12 sectors, is strongly preferred.
  • Demonstrated success leading significant growth initiatives, market expansion efforts, partnerships, or acquisitions.
  • Experience building and leading high-performing commercial teams.
  • Strong financial acumen and experience evaluating growth investments, business models, and strategic opportunities.
  • Exceptional relationship-building, negotiation, and influencing skills.
  • Proven ability to operate effectively at both strategic and tactical levels.
  • A sense of humor.

 

Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, finance, management, or a related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
If you have these qualifications and are looking for a challenging career, please submit your Resume using the button below.
Eric Hohauser
President & Lead Consultant
Kate Scott
Director of Executive Recruitment
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