Director of Strategic Partnerships - Aramark Corrections

The Director of Strategic Partnership (DSP) is the client relationship management owner of a portfolio of existing accounts within a specific geographic territory. The DSP has direct responsibility for account growth and retention through the application and execution of comprehensive, client-facing strategies in partnership with operations and functional leaders across the region. A successful DSP is a client advocate and directs and leads the efforts for advancing our market position and developing our value proposition at our existing accounts.

They are expected to provide keen analysis to:
• establish relationships with our clients.
• help identify and align with our clients’ goals and aspirations.
• create customized solutions based on mutually beneficial strategic considerations.
• communicate the differential advantages of Aramark, resulting in long-term development and industry-leading client retention and growth rates.

Candidates must have a demonstrated ability to lead client engagement planning and execution and to collaborate with operations leadership and functional support partners to develop, lead, and execute customized account strategies for our existing client partners. A successful DSP must be able to proactively identify, anticipate, and communicate potential obstacles, challenges, and/or issues at a client account that could adversely impact our ability to retain the account and partner with operations leadership in developing and executing client customized retention strategies. 

Job Responsibilities

• Lead external client relationship building to gain a deep and validated understanding of our clients’ strategic objectives and pains. 
• Lead internal relationship building to successfully partner within a matrixed organization, relying on internal subject matter experts and operational leaders to develop solutions meeting our clients’ strategic objectives and pains. 
• Perform objective account diagnostics and relationship analysis to ensure proactive address of retention risks and/or offering proactive innovation resulting in long-term client retention. 
• Develop and manage account planning and execution strategies, annual account objectives development, thorough wiring plans, formalized client communications, client business review process, proposal development, client presentations, and contract negotiations.  
• Identify growth opportunities and retention risks through the application of Aramark reporting and analysis tools. 
• Be our client advocate within Aramark to proactively renew and extend contracts by developing long-term win-win value propositions with our client partners. 
• Ensure client stakeholder(s) have wiring plans, meetings are scheduled and strategically executed throughout year, and documented. 
• Lead the strategic account management process, ensuing key account meetings are held with region leadership each year. 
• Develop an independent perspective on the strength of our partnerships through direct client engagement. 
• Ensure delivery of client expectations within the contract portfolio. 
• Lead RFP processes when current contracts expire or competitive bids arise within portfolio. 
• Develop and lead our internal deal approval process to obtain company approval for rebids and/or vertical growth.

Key Competencies

• Effective use of deliberate influence strategies to impact, shape, or re-direct the behaviors of others without formal authority. 
• Promote a spirit of cooperation within each business unit and Aramark to best leverage capabilities and resources to serve client needs. 
• Possess a genuine desire and ability to understand the marketplace and changing needs of clients and respond accordingly with proactive solutions that target these needs. 
• Demonstrate a solid understanding of the broader market picture and apply it to make mutually beneficial business decisions in a mature service industry. 
• Ability to successfully build alliances and influence key decision-makers. 
• Manage customer relationships through creative problem-solving and customer savvy at the C-level of client organizations. 
• Ability to identify and apply quantifiable client-centered performance metrics and operational results to existing and proposed services. 

• Effective use of deliberate influence strategies to impact, shape, or re-direct the behaviors of others without formal authority. 
• Promote a spirit of cooperation within each business unit and Aramark to best leverage capabilities and resources to serve client needs. 
• Possess a genuine desire and ability to understand the marketplace and changing needs of clients and respond accordingly with proactive solutions that target these needs. 
• Demonstrate a solid understanding of the broader market picture and apply it to make mutually beneficial business decisions in a mature service industry. 
• Ability to successfully build alliances and influence key decision-makers. 
• Manage customer relationships through creative problem-solving and customer savvy at the C-level of client organizations. 
• Ability to identify and apply quantifiable client-centered performance metrics and operational results to existing and proposed services. 

Qualifications

• BA/BS is required for this position. MBA preferred.  
• A minimum of 5 years of account management or sales-related experience.
• Operational acumen and savvy, including technical understanding and financial proposal development. 
• Experience with large clients selling complex services/solutions.
• Demonstrated excellence in written and oral communication skills. 
• Knowledge of all Microsoft Office applications. 
• Experience with a CRM, specifically Salesforce, and other sales enablement tools strongly preferred. 
• Effective multi-tasking in a high pressure, high reward environment.

Education