Client Partner - Food & Beverage, QSR & Auto

Accountabilities

• Own and grow a portfolio of 10–20 enterprise accounts across food and beverage, quick-service restaurants, and automotive, balancing existing partnerships with targeted new business opportunities.

• Drive account retention, renewals, upselling, and cross-selling to increase customer value and achieve sustainable year-over-year revenue growth.

• Identify and pursue opportunities within existing and prospective accounts, including new business units, stakeholder groups, and use cases for AI-powered research solutions.

• Support client initiatives such as concept and menu testing, flavor and product innovation, limited-time-offer evaluation, brand tracking, pricing research, vehicle feature prioritization, and path-to-purchase analysis.

• Act as a strategic advisor to senior Consumer and Shopper Insights, Innovation, Menu Strategy, Brand, Customer Experience, and Product Planning leaders, helping them apply research insights to critical business decisions.

• Develop and execute strategic account plans that identify growth opportunities, map stakeholders, prioritize client objectives, and expand commercial relationships.

• Lead complex commercial negotiations for renewals, upsells, and cross-sells in collaboration with sales leadership.

• Partner closely with Customer Success, Research, and Product teams to maximize client outcomes, support adoption, and introduce customers to new platform capabilities.

• Represent the organization at industry conferences, client summits, and customer meetings to strengthen relationships, increase market visibility, and identify new opportunities.

• Maintain accurate sales pipelines, reliable forecasts, and thorough account documentation throughout the renewal and expansion process.

• Deliver against key performance indicators, including new enterprise revenue, net revenue retention (NRR), renewal rates, and sales execution quality.

Requirements

• At least seven years of experience in enterprise account management, client partnerships, or strategic sales within the market research and insights industry.

• Direct experience selling to and expanding relationships with food and beverage manufacturers, QSR or restaurant brands, and/or automotive original equipment manufacturers (OEMs).

• Understanding of how consumer insights, research, innovation, brand, and marketing teams operate within the target industries.

• Demonstrated experience managing strategic relationships with Fortune 500 clients, particularly senior insights professionals, including chief-level, vice president, and director-level stakeholders.

• Proven ability to sell contracts valued at $100,000 or more and manage enterprise relationships worth $1 million or more.

• Experience navigating complex enterprise organizations with multiple business units, stakeholder groups, and buying centers.

• A consistent record of achieving or exceeding revenue growth, renewal, and net revenue retention targets.

• Experience leading commercial negotiations involving six- and seven-figure contracts.

• A consultative, discovery-led sales approach, supported by strong listening, problem-solving, and relationship-building skills.

• Excellent organizational skills and disciplined account planning, pipeline management, forecasting, and sales execution.

• Strong cross-functional collaboration skills, including the ability to coordinate effectively with Customer Success, Research, Product, and sales leadership.

• A proactive, adaptable mindset and comfort operating in a high-growth environment where processes and sales strategies continue to evolve.

Preferred qualifications:

• Experience navigating franchise structures, including relationships between corporate teams and franchisees, or managing multi-brand food portfolios.

• Familiarity with automotive product planning cycles, dealer and OEM dynamics, electric vehicles, or mobility research.

• Background in SaaS, AI, or technology-enabled services that support strategic business decisions.

• Experience managing global or multi-market enterprise accounts.

• Previous success in startup or high-growth environments where teams are building and refining processes as they scale.

Benefits

• Base salary range:$120,000–$160,000, with compensation structured as 50% base salary and 50% variable pay.

• Commission or performance-based variable compensation.

• Equity options.

• Medical, dental, and vision insurance.

• Additional insurance coverage.

• Company-provided laptop.

• One-time technology stipend for onboarding.

• 401(k) retirement plan with company matching.

• Flexible paid time off.

• Remote-first work environment, with office spaces available in designated hubs.

• Opportunities to attend client meetings, industry conferences, and in-person company-wide events held twice a year.

• Opportunity to contribute to a growing AI-powered research business and work with enterprise customers across multiple industries.