Sales Specialist

We are currently seeking a motivated, customer-focused, and highly organized Sales Specialist to join our team. The Sales Specialist will identify new business opportunities, build and maintain customer relationships, promote PastryStar’s clean-label bakery and pastry ingredients, and support sales growth. This role is responsible for prospecting, qualifying leads, understanding customer needs, presenting product solutions, preparing quotes, following up on samples and proposals, and coordinating with internal teams to deliver a professional customer experience. What you'll do Identify and pursue new business opportunities with bakery, foodservice, distributor, and other prospective customers. Prospect through outbound calls, emails, referrals, industry research, and tradeshow leads to build a qualified sales pipeline. Assess customer needs, applications, purchasing requirements, and business priorities to recommend suitable PastryStar products. Present PastryStar’s product portfolio, clean-label ingredients, brand story, and value proposition to prospective and current customers. Build and maintain customer relationships through regular outreach, timely follow-up, and responsive account support. Prepare accurate quotes, proposals, product information, and sales presentations in accordance with approved pricing and company policies. Coordinate product samples, application information, and demonstrations; follow up on customer feedback and next steps. Collaborate with Customer Service, R&D, Marketing, Operations, and leadership to address product questions, availability, order requirements, and customer concerns. Identify opportunities to grow existing accounts through additional products, applications, and repeat business. Support tradeshows, customer visits, product demonstrations, and industry events, including lead capture and post-event follow-up. Maintain accurate CRM records of customer contacts, sales activities, opportunities, quotes, and follow-up commitments. Track progress toward assigned sales goals and report on pipeline activity, account opportunities, forecasts, and results. Monitor customer feedback, market needs, and competitor activity; share insights with internal teams. Coordinate with internal teams to communicate customer expectations and support a smooth handoff from sales to order fulfillment. Support sales-related inquiries, customer retention efforts, special projects, and other duties as assigned. Qualifications Strong verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present products, ask effective questions, and communicate clearly with customers. Customer-focused approach with the ability to build rapport, understand customer needs, and maintain professional relationships. Excellent organization and attention to detail when managing contacts, quotes, follow-ups, and customer requirements. Knowledge of sales prospecting, lead qualification, consultative selling, account management, and pipeline tracking. Ability to work independently while collaborating with Customer Service, R&D, Marketing, Operations, leadership, and outside partners. Proficiency with Microsoft Office; experience using CRM systems to manage customer information and sales opportunities preferred. Ability to review sales data, identify opportunities, maintain forecasts, and recommend practical next steps. Professional judgment, confidentiality, and negotiation skills, with the ability to work within approved pricing and company policies. Ability to learn PastryStar’s product lines, clean-label ingredients, customer applications, and brand positioning. Willingness to travel as needed for customer visits, tradeshows, distributor meetings, or other company-related sales activities. Goal-oriented, proactive, and team-focused attitude with a willingness to support company goals and assist with other duties as assigned. Education and Experience Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Communications, or a related field required; equivalent related experience may be considered. 2–4 years of sales or account management experience preferred, ideally in food manufacturing, bakery, pastry, foodservice, B2B sales, consumer packaged goods, or a related industry. Experience prospecting, qualifying leads, preparing quotes, presenting products, and managing customer follow-up preferred. Experience working with distributors, customer service teams, product teams, or cross-functional departments preferred. Experience using CRM systems, tracking sales opportunities, and preparing sales activity reports is a plus, such as Salesforce, HubSpot, Dynamics 365. Experience with bakery ingredients, food applications, product samples, or customer demonstrations is a plus. Job Type: Full-time Salary Range: $50,000-$65,000 PastryStar is more than a food manufacturer—it’s a team driven by passion, craftsmanship, and innovation. Founded by a French pastry chef and rooted in over 35 years of expertise, we create high‑quality, clean‑label ingredients that help professionals bring exceptional desserts to life. At PastryStar, we don’t just make products—we solve problems, elevate standards, and build something meaningful together. The pay range for this role is: 50,000 - 65,000 USD per year (Laurel, MD) #J-18808-Ljbffr