The posting
Groupon connects 42 million customers with local experiences - restaurants, events, wellness and travel - and the million-plus merchants who deliver them. Our mission is to get people offline and into the real world at prices that make it possible. We're an AI-native company in the middle of a platform transformation, moving from a deals marketplace to an experience discovery platform that works for customers and merchants at the same time.
Enterprise Business Development Director, Food & Drink
Chicago (35 W. Wacker Dr.); Dallas, Texas, United States; Remote, United States
About Groupon
Groupon connects 42 million customers with local experiences, including restaurants, events, wellness and travel, and with the more than one million merchants who provide them. Our mission is to get people offline and into the real world at prices that make it possible.
We're an AI-native company in the middle of a platform transformation. We're moving from a deals marketplace to an experience discovery platform that works for customers and merchants alike. We operate at global scale, but our culture lets individuals make an immediate impact. If you do well with autonomy, ownership and real results, Groupon is a place to grow your career.
About the Role
As Enterprise Business Development Director for Food & Drink, you'll find and close new Enterprise partners. These include national and multi-market restaurant brands, multi-unit franchise groups, hospitality groups, and food and beverage destinations. You'll position Groupon as a marketing and customer acquisition channel that fills seats, drives trial and builds repeat traffic. You'll also negotiate strategic, high-impact deals that deliver results for merchants and subscribers.
You'll work within our enterprise sales process, and you'll decide how best to build your pipeline, engage target accounts and structure profitable partnerships. You'll work closely with the broader Enterprise Sales and Merchant Development teams so every deal launches successfully.
This role is for you if you're a consultative seller who can open doors with restaurant executives and franchise operators, work through complex organizations, and build commercial offers that make sense for the brand.
What You'll Accomplish
Enterprise acquisition and deal closing
- Find and close new national and multi-market Food & Drink opportunities across QSR, fast casual, casual and upscale dining, bars and breweries, entertainment dining, and food and beverage experiences. You'll use your network, outbound outreach, research and inbound pipeline.
- Re-engage Enterprise restaurant brands that have lapsed or haven't featured on Groupon recently.
- Prospect into targeted, high-value accounts with a consultative, solution-led approach.
- Own the full sales cycle: identification, outreach, pitch, negotiation and close.
Consultative selling and deal structuring
- Learn each brand's operating model, guest profile, daypart and traffic patterns, competitive landscape and unit economics.
- Build data-backed offers that fill off-peak capacity, drive new-guest trial and support new-location launches, while meeting Groupon's objectives.
- Negotiate complex commercial terms within guidelines, including margin, caps, pricing, unit economics, redemption rules and franchise or location participation.
Cross-functional collaboration
- Work closely with Merchant Development for a smooth handoff after close and alignment on long-term brand strategy.
- Partner with internal teams so offers can be executed across locations and are set up to perform.
Operational excellence
- Keep pipeline activity accurate and follow sales processes and CRM expectations.
- Manage several deals at once with strong prioritization and organization.
- Communicate clearly with internal and external audiences, including preparing pitch materials and presenting one-on-one or to small groups such as brand marketing teams, franchise owners and C-suite operators.
What We're Looking For
Required
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Sales, Marketing or a related field.
- 5+ years of Enterprise-level sales experience. Experience selling to restaurant, hospitality, or food and beverage brands is strongly preferred.
- A track record of exceeding revenue and gross profit targets in new business roles.
- Strong consultative selling skills and comfort leading complex commercial conversations.
- Proven ability to negotiate sophisticated deal structures.
- Experience in fast-paced, high-velocity sales environments.
- Familiarity with digital marketing or online guest acquisition strategies.
Preferred
- Experience selling to national chains, multi-unit franchisees or franchisors, or restaurant groups. This includes navigating the line between corporate and franchise decision-makers.
- Background in restaurant technology, delivery, reservations, loyalty or local marketing platforms.
- Understanding of subscription, voucher, performance-based or marketplace business models.
- A strong record of high close rates, particularly on Tiered Merchant Contracts (TMC).
Why You'll Love It Here
- Total compensation: Up to $300,000 (base plus performance incentives) Base salary: $130,000–$150,000
- Hybrid work model: 3 days a week in the Chicago office Remote is possible for the right fit
- Full benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision, EAP, 401(k) match, ESPP, Life and Disability Insurance, FSAs and more
- Real impact: Food & Drink is one of Groupon's most visible categories
- Autonomy and ownership: A chance to shape how major national restaurant brands show up on Groupon
#LI-Hybrid
Groupon is an AI-First Company We’re committed to building smarter, faster, and more innovative ways of working and AI plays a key role in how we get there. We encourage candidates to leverage AI tools during the hiring process where it adds value, and we’re always keen to hear how technology improves the way you work. If you’re passionate about AI or curious to explore how it can elevate your role you’ll be right at home here.
Groupon’s purpose is to build strong communities through thriving small businesses. To learn more about the world’s largest local e-commerce marketplace, click here. You can also find out more about us in the latest Groupon news as well as learning about our DEI approach. If all of this sounds like something that’s a great fit for you, then click apply and join us on a mission to become the ultimate destination for local experiences and services.
Beware of Recruitment Fraud: Groupon follows a merit-based recruitment process without charging job seekers any fees. We've noticed an increase in recruitment fraud, including fake job postings and fraudulent interviews and job offers aimed at stealing personal information or money. Be cautious of individuals falsely representing Groupon's Talent Acquisition team with fake job offers. If you encounter any suspicious job offers or interview calls demanding money, recognize these as scams. Groupon is not responsible for losses from such dealings. For legitimate job openings (and a sneak peek into life at Groupon), always check our official career website at Groupon Careers
