Business Development Lead - Toronto - Griffith Foods

Description

Canada Sales Lead

Griffith Foods is the caring, creative product development partner helping food companies meet the evolving needs of consumers while sustaining the planet. As a family business founded in 1919 and headquartered in Alsip, Illinois USA, Griffith Foods is known for true, collaborative innovation guided by the purpose, "We Blend Care and Creativity to Nourish the World." The company's product capabilities range from seasonings and marinades to coating systems and sauces that are better for people and better for the planet.

Location : Hybrid in Scarborough, ON (average 10‑12 days per month in office).

Vacancy Status : This posting is for an existing vacancy.

Role Summary

The Canada Sales Lead functions as the head of sales for Canada, delivering country‑level sales targets and driving execution against the North American Long‑Range Plan (LRP). This senior position leads a team of approximately 29 professionals, reports to the General Manager of Canada, and has a dotted line to the North America Head of Sales. It offers the opportunity to serve as a key member of the Canadian Leadership Team and play a pivotal role in Griffith Foods achieving its 2030 Aspirations.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the country's sales leader and a member of the Canadian Leadership Team to develop and execute segment‑specific business plans to achieve revenue, volume, pricing, portfolio, and contribution margin targets while meeting overall P&L objectives.
• Translate global and regional strategies into actionable business unit priorities, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and long‑term vision.
• Lead and inspire a high‑performing sales team, fostering accountability, collaboration, customer focus, and commercial excellence to deliver growth and profitability.
• Manage multiple segment P&Ls and working capital, driving disciplined commercial decisions that support sustainable, profitable growth within the unit and across the region.
• Partner cross‑functionally with Culinary, R&D, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Operations, while collaborating with U.S. and Mexico counterparts to ensure integrated execution, timely customer solutions, operational excellence and a unified "One North America" approach that reinforces shared strategic priorities.
• Drive opportunity management, forecasting, and new product development pipeline visibility, leveraging analytics and sales tools to uncover insights and accelerate business results.
• Accelerate B2B customer relationships across broad categories including protein processors, food processors, retail, QSR and foodservice.
• Build and maintain strategic customer relationships through robust account planning, including retention, acquisition, penetration and innovation tactics. Serve as the key link between local markets and North American customers to ensure shared success.
• Champion strategic initiatives in health & nutrition, sustainability, and alternative protein, aligning execution with our vision for a better food future.
• Lead commercial transformation, including evolving go‑to‑market strategies, organizational structure and change management to strengthen competitiveness.

Preferred Experience & Qualifications

• Proven track record as a change leader with an aptitude for people leadership and development, having led a total departmental team of approximately 29 and $100million or more of accountability.
• Demonstrated success operating within a matrixed organization, effectively balancing priorities between the country sales team and regional commercial team to deliver shared objectives.
• Embrace ambiguity and display influence without formal authority while building alignment with senior stakeholders to drive results.
• Lead customized and portfolio product solutions through cross‑functional collaboration, ensuring alignment and execution across key functions.
• Strong commercial acumen in pricing strategy, value capture and margin management, with a track record of developing and executing sales strategies that surpass business objectives.

Core Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing or a related field.
• At least 10 years' experience in sales or business development within food, CPG or ingredients industry, including at least 5 years in a people leadership role.
• Sales leadership experience in a CPG, food, food service or B2B team, emphasizing collaborative decision‑making and cross‑functional alignment.
• Prior commercial change leadership and transformation experience.
• Willingness to work onsite in Scarborough a few days per week and additional days for leadership meetings and other business needs.
• Willingness and ability to travel up to 20% of the time, primarily domestic and some travel to the U.S. or Mexico for leadership meetings.

What Will Set You Apart

• MBA or master's degree in business, marketing or a related field.
• 7+ years of people leadership.
• Meat / seafood processor or CPG or B2B sales leadership experience.

Benefits

• Generous defined contribution retirement plan
• Company car
• Health and group benefits (100% of premiums paid by Griffith Foods)
• Paid top‑up for pregnancy, parental and compassionate care leave
• Education reimbursement program
• Life event recognition and on‑the‑job recognition
• Career development and growth opportunities
• Annual wellness allowance
• Terms and conditions apply.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Griffith Foods is an equal opportunity employer. We respect and seek to empower each individual and support the diverse cultures, perspectives, skills, and experiences within our workforce. We are committed to building a team that represents a variety of backgrounds, we celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. We will work with applicants requesting accommodation at any stage of the recruitment process. If you need assistance or require accommodation please contact :

Work Flexibility

Griffith Foods Canada embraces the "Our Work, Your Way" work‑flex model, offering flexibility while fostering collaboration. Employees within commuting distance are encouraged to come together and work in the office for three days during the last week of each month to build connections and collaborate on shared projects. Flexibility to attend onsite meetings at our Scarborough office or other locations is required.

Additional Information

At Griffith Foods, you can be a member of a globally connected team known for true, collaborative innovation, guided by our purpose to blend care and creativity to nourish the world. We are a family‑owned business founded in 1919 and headquartered in Alsip, Illinois USA. Our product capabilities range from seasonings and marinades to coating systems and sauces that are better for people and better for the planet.

We aim to create a regenerative future and build food systems that are sustainable and resilient for both people and the planet. A sustainable supply chain enables us to deliver high‑quality products in a way that supports the growers and farming communities.

Artificial Intelligence Disclosure : We do not use artificial intelligence (AI) in our hiring process. All applications are reviewed using standardized screening questions to ensure alignment with job requirements.

Senior level and employment details

• Seniority Level: Executive
• Employment Type: Full‑time
• Job Function: Sales and Business Development
• Industries: Food and Beverage Manufacturing