The Business Development Manager – Fresh Produce for the Asia Region will be responsible for aggressively growing the overall produce business activity with heavy emphasis on retail customer development; creating sales leads, targeting and soliciting new accounts, with face to face meetings and presentations to existing and new accounts. The position will identify, develop and execute a growth strategy within our retail and wholesale verticals focused on the core business models of procurement, supply chain management, grower sales programs, and transportation modes along with logistics. This is a highly visible role, internally and externally, and your ability to work with counterparts in other regions to develop programs, tackle roadblocks, promote innovation and make it happen will be critical to your success.
We will consider candidates who are located on the West Coast of the United States or Asia.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent industry experience
- Minimum 5 years of international produce sales experience (buying and selling)
- Professional experience and knowledge of Asia region strongly preferred
- Established track record for business account development
- Relationship building skills with both internal and external customers
- Ability to remain focused and optimistic in the face of adversity and change
- Proven success collaborating with others to create customized solutions
- Strong orientation toward growth, sales relationship building, negotiation, and financial acumen
- Strategic and creative thinking skills
- Strong verbal and written communication skills
- Strong MS Office skills (including PowerPoint)
- Able to learn and navigate multiple systems
- Ability to work independently across multiple time zones and drive growth through a remote location
- Ability to travel up to 50% (mainly in Asia)
Benefits
We offer a competitive compensation package and excellent benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance, prescription drug coverage, paid holidays and vacation, disability insurance, life insurance, 401K with company match, profit sharing, Employee Stock Purchase Plan, and the opportunity to prosper in a Fortune 500 company.
- Develop tailored solutions that deliver continuous improvement and value to sustain long-term customer relationships.
- Engage and assist resources to identify the best supply chain solutions for customers depending on the complexity of customer demands.
- Participate in face-to-face client meetings and business reviews to help identify new opportunities for continuous improvement and account penetration.
- Assist in the project management and coordination of new customer implementation. Support the transition period by designing standard operating procedures and facilitate cross-functional collaboration.
- Actively participate and contribute to leadership discussions from a market driven and internal perspective.
- Create structure and accountability around business development and sales with current and new customers, with a set of non-negotiables.
- Develop and foster network among division and the enterprise as a whole with Business Development leadership.
- Participate in international tradeshows and conferences.
- Provide budgetary planning, strategic planning and multi-year goal setting strategies.
- Solicit new business through outside and internal channels.
- Work with the account management and category management teams to further penetrate existing accounts and cross sell all service lines.
- Assist in annual budgeting process for newly generated business and accounts.
- Stay informed on advances and trends within the produce, transportation, and supply chain industries.
- Identify unmet, under-valued or unconsidered needs internally and with our customers.
- Have an in-depth understanding of process and operational excellence expectation.
- Have an in-depth understanding of international trading principles (logistics, documentation, costing, and money mechanics)
- Develop and execute innovation projects that solve problems and create value.
