This position will be based out of WRI Europe office or WRI UK office. Existing work authorization is required at the time of application submission. WRI is unable to sponsor visa work authorization for this position. 

About the Program:

Launched in 2019, Cool Food is a unique initiative which brings together a growing number of food service providers, restaurants, retailers, governments, schools, and hospitals, and help them cut their food-related greenhouse gas emissions while serving delicious food. Over the past three years, WRI has been building Cool Food’s foundation. Currently there are nearly 70 members and the next phase is to dramatically scale its impact.

Job Highlight:

Working at the cutting edge of the climate emergency on the climate impact of food, you will be responsible for business development and acquisition of new members for our Cool Food Initiative - Our goal is to grow the Cool Food movement by 2 billion meals a year to 2025. You’ll use your sales acumen and business development experience to recruit new members to the Cool Food movement with a particular focus on organizations that serve food at scale e.g. contract caterers, restaurants, retailers, food manufacturers, universities, and cities.

What will you do:

New member acquisitions (70%):

• Develop and implement SMART recruitment strategic sales plans for Cool Food membership, with a particular focus on Europe and the UK
• Sectors will include contract caterers, restaurants, retailers, food manufacturers and software companies
• Having qualified the leads, write proposals and manage pitches from first lead to signing the agreement
• Work with product and marketing teams to develop sales materials
• Establish productive and professional relationships with key contacts in potential and new members
• Undertake desk research on target markets and contacts to inform outreach plan
• Build list of suitable high level contacts using LinkedIn and other sources across a range of target sectors
• Champion the use of Salesforce to update contacts and log opportunities.

Account engagement and management (20%):

• Build and promote healthy, long-lasting member relations with your new accounts by proactively managing member accounts to grow and develop the accounts.
• Use customer feedback to inform the development of membership packages, resources, and insights in collaboration with the rest of the Cool Food team.
• Liaise with membership engagement colleagues - overseeing a seamless relationship management experience for new members.

Reporting (10%):

• Maintain an updated view of the pipeline and update management team on progress, making recommendations to adjust sales strategy
  
  

What will you need:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in a business or science discipline or 2 additional years of experience required
• Experience: Minimum 6+ years of relevant work experience required
• Experience of using LinkedIn and Salesforce and other sales tools
• Fluency in a second European language (in addition to English), preferably German or French, is an advantage.
• Proven track record in new business development with a record of consistently meeting or exceeding sales and revenue targets
• Strong selling, negotiating, and influencing skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Ability to articulate product and services offering in simple terms (benefits as well as features)
• Experience of relationship management from business development to cultivating longer-term relationships
• Evidence of excellence in managing customer expectations and needs
• Experience with the food sector, ideally within the hospitality or contract catering industry
• Business acumen; an appreciation of business timelines and commercial needs
• Strong project management skills, with an ability to effectively plan and prioritize
• As a part of a small team, you will need to be reliable and willing to take responsibility for the details of projects, meetings, and assignments
  
  

Potential Salary:

The salary range for this position is € 57,000 to  € 68,000 if filled by a candidate located and legally able to work in the Netherlands
The salary range for this position is £44,000 to £53,000 if filled by a candidate located and legally able to work in the United Kingdom
Salary is commensurate with experience and other compensable factors. WRI offers a competitive remuneration and benefits package. 

How to Apply:

Please submit a resume with cover letter by the date of April 11, 2023. You must apply through the WRI Careers portal to be considered. 

About Us: 

Founded in 1982, World Resources Institute (WRI) is an independent, nonprofit global research organization that turns big ideas into action at the nexus of environment, economic opportunity, and human well-being. We are working to address seven critical challenges that the world must overcome this decade to secure a sustainable future for people and the planet: climate change, energy, food, forests, water, sustainable cities, and the ocean. WRI has a global staff of over 1,800 people with work spanning 60 countries. We have offices in Africa, Brazil, China, Europe, India, Indonesia, Mexico, Colombia and the United States, as well as a growing presence in other countries and regions.    
  

The foundation of our work is delivering high-quality research, data, maps, and analysis to solve the world’s greatest environment and international development challenges and improve people’s lives. We work with leaders in government, business, and civil society to drive ambitious action and create change on the ground. Equally important, we bring together partners to develop breakthrough ideas and scale-up solutions for far-reaching, enduring impact.  

  
Our mission and values:  

WRI’s mission is to move human society to live in ways that protect Earth’s environment and its capacity to provide for the needs and aspirations of current and future generations.  

Our values are shared ideals that bind us together: Integrity, Innovation, Urgency, Independence, Respect.   

Our culture:

WRI is committed to advancing gender and social equity for human well-being in our mission and applies this principle to our organizational and programmatic practices. We are committed to providing equal opportunities in employment, we embrace all diversity and encourage women, the LGBTQ+ community, persons with disabilities, Afro-descendants, and Indigenous people to apply. Recognizing our strong commitment to gender equality, WRI has also been awarded EDGE certification.  

Our team in Human Resources carefully reviews all applications.