Technical Business Development Specialist

Bay State Milling Job Description

Job Title:                    Technical Business Development Specialist

Department:              VSBU

Reports to:                 Technical Business Development Manager

Location:                    Remote

FLSA Status:             Salaried Exempt

SUMMARY:

The Varietal Solutions Business Unit (VSBU) at Bay State Milling is tasked with commercializing identity-preserved, nutrient-dense and functional versions of plant-based ingredients. The BU has a strategic role within Bay State Milling to build new capabilities and approaches for creating demand for specialty ingredients—including nutrition science, consumer insights, branding, and breeding. As such, much of what the VSBU undertakes is pioneering to generate awareness for these category-defining new offerings. In short, the VSBU is creating and scaling ingredients today that will power the next generation of healthier consumer products tomorrow. One such ingredient is the major focus of this role, HealthSense high fiber wheat flour derived from a unique variety of wheat called High Amylose Wheat.

HealthSense® High Fiber Wheat Flour - Bay State Milling

As a critical member of the VSBU Commercial team, the Technical Business Development Specialist is primarily responsible for generating new business opportunities in line with the business unit’s defined commercial strategy for HealthSense high fiber wheat flour. A key feature of this role is the ability to effectively cultivate new sales opportunities by leveraging his/her substantive technical knowledge and network in specialty ingredients and/or wheat-based foods. This is a highly visible and dynamic position, responsible for driving growth of the VSBU product lines and is accountable for converting prospects to sales through collaboration with customer R&D and Operations teams to commercialize new products made with HealthSense flour.  VSBU customers are primarily wheat-based food manufacturers (bread, breakfast baked goods, tortillas, pizza, pasta, etc). 

This role will be a member of the VSBU commercial team, directly reporting to a Technical Business Development Manager. To be successful, this individual will collaborate with other functions, including Sales, Marketing, Business Development, R&D QA, Supply Chain, Cultivar Development and Operations.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• Become a technical subject matter expert on HealthSense high fiber wheat flour (trained by BSM).
• Generate new business opportunities arising from a combination of incoming leads and proactive prospecting within a technical network.
• Use technical skills and background to accelerate interest, initiate and accelerate development projects at target companies, by appealing to a range of audiences including marketing, R&D and innovation teams.
• Proactively collaborate with internal commercial teams to identify opportunity spaces to pursue and to support new business pitches.
• Use technical selling resources such as Jobs To Be Done framework, protein and fiber analyses, and working knowledge of agricultural practices and nutrition to advance customer projects to completion.
• Use customer relationship management tools to manage specific customer opportunities through the sales funnel.
• Attend trade shows, speaking events and contribute to media as a credible, technical thought leader.
• Collaborate with R&D, marketing and 3^rd parties to create and present finished product concepts and prototypes to demonstrate the efficacy and relevance of HealthSense.

ALLOCATION OF TIME:

• Up to 40% travel

QUALIFICATIONS: To perform this job successfully, and individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.  The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Direct experience in a food-related R&D, innovation, and/or technical sales position, with a demonstrated ability to drive projects through the new product development process. Experience with wheat-based foods preferred.
• Proven experience in a technical role (6-10 years) with customer facing experience a plus
• Skilled in the ability to communicate information and insights internally and externally in a clear, concise manner—verbally and in written communications.
• Proven ability to deliver data-driven recommendations and analysis and apply them in clear, compelling manners.
• Demonstrated ability to influence a variety of stakeholders, including functional and cultural backgrounds, seniority, and internal/external.
• Ability to work independently and within a cross-function team to effectively handle multiple projects and influence stakeholders while driving toward competing deadlines.
• Superior ability to represent Bay State Milling with professionalism, integrity, and diplomacy.
• Strong organizational skills, able to juggle various priorities in a dynamic, fast-paced environment while also at times being a strong independent contributor able to thrive with autonomous decision-making.

ADDITIONAL QUALIFICATIONS:

• Experience in the food industry promoting new-to-the-world products, especially in a start-up environment
• Sincere passion for food innovation and providing solutions that will drive improved consumer health
• Strong desire to win and generate growth
• Knowledge of agriculture and nutrition science a plus

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelors degree in food science, bakery science, cereal science or related disciplines
• Minimum of 6 years of applicable professional experience in a food, culinary and/or baking role
• Experience working in food ingredients is preferred

LANGUAGE SKILLS

• Fluent in English
• Ability to communicate effectively in verbal and written formats is critical

OTHER SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Fluent in Microsoft office programs
• Ability to network and extract information from sources

PHYSICAL DEMANDS: The physical demand described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform he essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ordinary ability to see, hear and speak
• Ability to travel domestically and sometimes internationally

WORK ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.  Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Primarily an office environment, remote or at a Bay State Milling facility
• Comfortable working in food product development lab/pilot plant/manufacturing environments
• Comfortable with performing business needs while traveling