Director of Business Development

General Purpose:

Direct the effective management of all sales activities within the assigned business. Meet or exceed the established operating company sales volumes and margin objectives. Contribute to strategic planning, direction, and goal and/or quota setting for area of sales responsibility in collaboration with senior leadership. Provide technical expertise and guidance to sales teams, sales support, sales administration, customer service, product development, or other related functions.

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

• Formulate, develop, and implement business action plans to achieve goals that are aligned with the overall operating company sales plan. Incorporate key performance indicators into cascading goals and action plans
• Collect, maintain, and report information about competitors, the competitive marketplace, and other topics useful to current and future business planning. Ensure all resources are focused on appropriate priorities to maximize positive impact, and initiate action to reallocate when necessary
• Set clear direction for sales activity within area of responsibility. Work with others in the organization to establish and continuously improve sales processes and to effectively execute action plans. Remove barriers and provide guidance as needed. Redirect sales activity as appropriate
• Create a sales environment focused on fact-based selling, category management, and developing strong customer engagement and relationships. Apply an advanced understanding of syndicated data, sales, and marketing reports; interpret and use the information from these reports to leverage and enhance sales effectiveness
• Provide sales forecasts or related reports to senior leadership for use in strategic planning. Monitor pricing, sales volume, and product mix to ensure that organizational goals are met
• Analyze sales volumes and margins and take necessary actions to achieve desired results. Identify gaps and opportunities by asking appropriate questions and working with finance to obtain financial data. Make decisions and act based on what is best for the division's sales and DFA overall
• Build strong working relationships with others in plant operations, distribution, product development, and business services to maximize effectiveness and efficiency through collaborative effort. Serve on cross-functional teams and participate in production scheduling as needed. Proactively work with others to solve problems for the greater good of the organization
• Work strategically with sales teams and business partners to grow business with current and prospective customers. Drive sales strategies through the organization to the customer, ensuring that sales initiatives are aligned. Lead change initiatives to maximize results
• In addition to sales, oversee pricing, pricing analysis, assist in formula development, package development, financial planning, and analysis
• Will have personal responsibility for all key accounts
• Develop key performance indicators that track margin and volume results for the business
• Work with the customer to explain and justify the company pricing model
• Maintain and nurture existing customer relationships
• Be a primary point of contact for all key customers
• Participate in all customer calls or meetings other than those that are exclusively related to a different functional area
• Review all recurring customer price sheets for accuracy and approval of same
• Review all customer rebate and surcharge calculations and any other pricing matters for accuracy and approval of same
• Review all customer margins monthly and identify and analyze any unexpected changes
• Justify all Store Brand Customer (retailers) price increases using their provided costing templates
• Generate Copack customer proposals and negotiate contracts and contract amendments working with DFA Legal
• Respond to all customer inquiries either directly or indirectly via referral to other company personnel
• Work with customer on product specification change requests
• Acquire a full understanding of low acid beverage formulations, packaging types the company offers, and industry trends
• Assist and coordinate with other DFA facilities to help maximize financial results company-wide
• Assist and coordinate with other DFA sales team members regarding technical knowledge acquisition and to support overall sales efforts
• Acquire a comprehensive understanding of industry innovation trends to keep DFA ahead of competitors (first to market)
• The requirements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed by the employee, but is not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Other duties may be assigned as required

Education and Experience:

• Undergraduate degree in business, sales, marketing, engineering, or related technical curriculum preferred (or equivalent combination of experience and education)
• 12 or more years of food or beverage manufacturing experience; product development or related is a plus
• Experience in low acid UHT beverage is preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Complete knowledge of plant operations and all products we offer
• Deep understanding of the customer's needs, preferences and strategic objectives
• Strong leadership skills
• High level of strategic thinking skills
• Strong executor who can assist with strategy development at all levels of the organization to drive business performance
• Able to successfully develop and execute sales strategies that drive business results
• Able to effectively read and interpret financial statements such as balance sheet, income statement, and general ledger; able to understand the business factors that impact revenue and expenses
• Able to coordinate and integrate work efforts cross-functionally
• Able to foster the alignment of goals across all functional areas and form positive working relationships with key people in other departments
• Able to influence people in their opinions, attitudes, or judgments
• Able to demonstrate successful problem solving for critical business issues
• Able to adapt and refocus approach situationally or holistically to meet goals and objectives
• Able to demonstrate excellent customer service skills and solve complex customer demands and problems
• Able to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing
• Able to organize time, energy, and resources effectively to achieve goals (i.e., organizational skills)
• Able to deliver on commitments and deadlines
• Must be able to read, write and speak English

An Equal Opportunity Employer