Client Development Manager

If you are a passionate self‑starter who is driven to make a real difference to people and feel a sense of purpose and pride in your work, then you may be the perfect team member to join our mission.

We are looking for a Client Development Manager (CDM) to support in enhancing our proposition through bringing to life our ‘Passion for Service’ value. The role will have a key emphasis on supporting both existing and new customers, with a clear view of keeping customers longer and enabling us to grow faster.

apetito has seen significant growth within the Education sector, through a clear focus of providing exceptional quality meals to students in Academies, Independent Schools, and Special Schools. Our proposition is genuinely revolutionising school catering with the highest quality food, which is the safest in the market and coupled with the broadest range, offering something for everyone. We help schools overcome cost and recruitment barriers through our UK‑first pre‑prepared system, allowing schools to save money and reallocate funds to improve learning.

To our customers, the Client Development Manager (CDM) will be the face of apetito and is crucial to the success of apetito partnerships.

As well as deliver on our ‘Passion for Service’, you will be pivotal to the retention of business and securing long term partnerships with customers.

Through understanding of customers’ needs, you will identify and convert opportunities to grow revenue within your customer base.

This role is suited to a real self‑starter. After a thorough induction you will be responsible for managing your own diary and ensuring you allocate your time wisely, ensuring customer service levels and relationships are sustained as well as delivering on growth opportunities across your customer base of around 40‑50 customers.

You will need to prioritise your time based on customer needs as well as revenue and growth opportunities within your estate.

Although this is a remote role, you will frequently work with other colleagues from within the team – a cohesive team culture is really important to us.

The ideal candidate will be based in or around Northampton, with the ability to cover a territory spanning Northamptonshire and the M1 corridor across the Midlands and South of England, enabling effective customer engagement and regular on‑site presence.

Four days per week will be spent in the field with customers with one day working from home. Some overnight travel will be required.

Due to the nature of this role an Enhanced DBS will be required.

apetito is the UK’s leading food supplier to the health and social care sectors serving more than 1,300 care homes, healthcare and education settings.

1. Meeting sales targets
2. Growing business with existing customers
3. Maintaining relationships with customers to ensure their continued satisfaction
4. Being a genuine partner to your customers
5. Launching new customers
6. Training staff
7. Improving the dining experience for pupils
8. Sharing our expertise in food and nutrition
9. Helping the nursery/school manage its food budget
10. Working on business development opportunities
11. Contributing to a positive team environment
12. Working effectively alone and in a team

Retention

• Retention is the key challenge of the CDM role. The targets set are to achieve 97% Account & Value retention on existing accounts.

Mobilisations

• A key element of this role is to ensure that we mobilise our service excellently. This will involve introducing our system, training staff and ensuring that they are appropriately skilled to continue the service.

Business Development

• To work closely with and support KAM’s to develop group opportunities for further business development.

Relationships

• External relationships are obviously key to the success of this role, but CDM’s are required to work closely and collaborate with other divisions, to include Marketing, CS&D and Product development, Healthcare, LA and WFF.

The CDM would typically manage a portfolio of around 40 customers with a key focus on budget control, delivering training needs, product presentations and dispute resolution.

The role will also be expected to promote apetito throughout the Education marketplace through extensive networking.

Essential skills & Experience

• Field based account management experience
• Highly organised approach to time management
• Good commercial and analytical acumen
• Able to identify operational issues quickly and plan an effective solution
• A consultative approach to influence people and outcomes
• First‑rate communication, both written and verbal
• Confidence in leading meetings and presenting information
• Adaptable to relate and engage with staff at all levels including C‑suite
• Proven background in training

Desirable

• Experience of food/nutritional standards
• Experience in Catering industry
• Experience of the Education sector
• Good Networking experience
• Degree qualification
• Food Hygiene training
• Nutritional training (Dietician, Nutritionist, SALT etc.)

Personal Qualities

• Able to demonstrate gravitas and credibility with senior level stakeholders
• Resilient, tenacious and determined – persistent in pursuit of achievement
• Strong influencing, negotiating, listening and communicating skills
• Strong team working skills at all levels within an organisation, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and excellence in delivery
• Must display a passion for this role and the business that we operate

Due to the geography of this role and the nature of working with customers in school and nursery settings, flexibility with working hours will be needed.

Travel to customers across the region and to national events, including overnight stays, will be a regular requirement – typically one night per week.

A company car is provided to facilitate this and a clean (or virtually clean) driving licence is essential.

As this role involves working in settings with children it will require an Enhanced DBS.

Benefits

• Competitive salary – accredited Living Wage employer
• Company car
• 25 days holiday per year, plus bank holidays
• Option to purchase up to 5 additional days holiday per year
• Generous annual bonus scheme
• Pension scheme – employer matched contributions up to 5%
• Life assurance scheme worth 2x annual salary
• Free turkey or voucher at Christmas
• apetito perks scheme including salary sacrifice options and retail discounts

As a family‑owned business, we take great pride in being a company that makes a real difference and is dedicated to creating outstanding meals to be proud of.

We develop a range of products designed to enhance health and well‑being for all our customers.

We are driven by a passion for service and dedicated to feeding some of the UK’s most vulnerable people.

We proudly support British food and farming, focusing on using the best ethical and sustainable produce in alignment with our goal to reach Net Zero by 2040.

Our ethical standards are recognised by the ETI and we are an accredited Living Wage employer.

Learn more about apetito’s commitment to a more sustainable future.

We embrace inclusion, empowering individuals from diverse backgrounds.

Our commitment to making a real difference extends to customers, communities, and staff and we’re on a mission to build an inclusive workplace where everyone reaches their full potential.