Business Development Specialist

JOB SUMMARY

The Business Developer will report to the Vice President Sales and will work with the Sales Manager and outside sales team. The position will concentrate on the development of new customer business utilizing strategies and best practices that will further perpetuate long term customer retention of all higher valued accounts.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work independently to research and approach new target customers and customer types in line with company goals and sales strategies.
• Work with merchandising or value-added departments to bring in or create new items to market.
• Create marketing materials to focus on those items. Introduce new items to customers and suggestively sell promotional items.
• Ride-alongs with Mas to assist in closing new accounts, getting better penetration into current accounts, and show new items to new and current accounts.
• Follow up on all items from those visits either solo or with the MA (marketing associate)
• Promote programs and customer support through outside functions such as food shows and farm markets.
• Maintain a good working relationship with all sales, Value added, and operational departments.
• Facilitate inter-departmental communication to solve problems and satisfy customer’s needs.
• Attend all sales meetings as required.

QUALIFICATIONS
Education

• High School diploma or equivalent.
• Associates degree preferred.

Experience

• Five years of produce experience required.
• Working knowledge of a distribution warehouse preferred

Professional Skills

• Good Communicator
• Knowledge of Microsoft Office Applications (Word, Excel, Outlook)
• AS400 experience preferred
• Organized
• Independent-minded and a strategic thinker
• Describe the most important decisions made by this position.
• Most important decisions made fully independently:
• Solution decisions to service customers
• Credits less than $500
• Most important decisions made with review and approval of other individuals or supervisors (include the reviews/approvals required):
• Pricing decisions will be made with input from sales management and merchandising management.
• Credits larger than $500
• Customer target strategies with input from sales management.