Business Development Manager

Mercer Milling is seeking a Business Development Manager to help grow profitable revenue and improve gross margin across the Northeast. This onsite role in Liverpool, NY focuses on building new business, expanding distribution, and deepening relationships with strategic dairy customers while delivering practical dairy nutrition solutions.

You will lead account planning, provide technical consultative support, and use sales, margin, and market analytics to guide forecasting, pricing, and prioritization. Reporting to the General Manager and serving on the Leadership Team, you will own key customer and formulation request workflows to ensure products meet nutritional, regulatory, quality, and manufacturing specifications.

Key Responsibilities

• Drive revenue and margin growth across assigned accounts and territories
• Identify, develop, and close new business opportunities with a target of 5–10 new accounts annually
• Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with key customers and industry stakeholders
• Represent Mercer Milling at trade shows, industry events, and customer engagements
• Support industry membership organization activities (e.g., NEAFA)
• Expand distribution channels and increase product adoption across the region
• Develop and execute account-specific growth plans for key customers
• Understand customer business models to identify opportunities to deliver added value
• Serve as the primary point of contact for strategic accounts and ensure a high-quality customer experience
• Proactively manage customer expectations and resolve issues as needed
• Provide consultative support on dairy nutrition solutions, including premix and ingredient applications
• Collaborate with internal nutrition experts to deliver technically sound and effective feeding programs
• Engage with nutritionists, consultants, and feed manufacturers to support product positioning and usage
• Translate technical nutrition concepts into practical, customer-focused solutions
• Stay current on industry trends, feeding strategies, and innovations in dairy nutrition
• Own all customer and nutritionist formulation requests, including developing and maintaining formulas, managing formulation software and raw material data, and ensuring finished products meet nutritional, regulatory, quality, and manufacturing specifications
• Work with the Quality team to develop reformulation strategies for quality hold and non-conforming inventory to maximize product recovery, minimize waste, and meet customer and manufacturing standards
• Analyze sales, margin, and market data to identify trends, risks, and growth opportunities
• Contribute to forecasting and business planning processes
• Monitor account performance and take action to improve profitability and retention
• Use data to inform decision-making and prioritize sales efforts
• Gather and communicate competitive market intelligence, including pricing trends and customer needs
• Support the monthly pricing process with insights on market dynamics and customer behavior
• Identify emerging opportunities and threats within dairy and feed markets
• Partner with internal teams (nutrition, operations, and leadership) to align on customer needs and business priorities
• Collaborate with preferred vendors to promote products and develop joint opportunities
• Support supplier discussions and negotiations as needed
• Contribute to broader organizational strategy as a member of the Leadership Team

Requirements

• Strong technical knowledge of dairy nutrition, feed ingredients, herd performance, and the Northeast agricultural market
• Proven ability to drive sales growth and manage customer relationships
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret and act on data
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills
• Ability to translate technical information into customer-focused solutions
• Highly organized, self-motivated, and results-oriented
• Resilient with a growth mindset and strong problem-solving capabilities
• Valid driver’s license and ability to maintain an acceptable driving record
• Ability and willingness to travel as required
• Ability and willingness to attend evening/weekend events occasionally

Minimum Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in dairy nutrition, technical services, account management, consulting, or commercial roles within the dairy, feed, or animal nutrition industries
• Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, Agricultural Business, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• Demonstrated success in managing customer relationships and growing revenue in a market-based, consultative role
• Demonstrated experience translating customer or industry needs into practical commercial solutions
• Experience working directly with dairy producers, nutritionists, consultants, and feed manufacturers preferred

Tools

• Formulation software

Compensation

USD 100,000 - 150,000 per year.

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• LTD
• HSA and FSA
• PTO and Sick
• 401(K) with 401(k) matching
• Cell phone reimbursement
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible spending account
• Health insurance
• Parental leave
• Prescription drug insurance

Physical Requirements

• Prolonged periods of sitting, driving, and working on a computer and mobile devices
• Frequent standing, walking, and moving between customer locations, trade shows, and industry events
• Ability to work in varied environments, including farms and feed mill facilities, with potential exposure to dust, noise, and temperature changes
• Must be able to lift, carry, and/or move up to 50 pounds (e.g., samples, materials, and equipment)

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Revenue growth and gross margin performance
• New account acquisition (5–10 annually)
• Customer retention and account expansion
• Market share growth within the Northeast region
• Forecast accuracy and pipeline development
• Customer satisfaction and relationship strength