Sales Manager-Business Development

Remote Sales Manager, Business Development focused on driving revenue growth through new customer acquisition and expansion of co-manufacturing partnerships with emerging brands, established CPG companies, retailers, and foodservice organizations.

Responsibilities

• Create and implement a yearly sales plan to drive revenue growth and acquire new customers.
• Identify, pursue, and close co-manufacturing opportunities aligned with strategic growth objectives.
• Develop and implement a proactive prospecting plan targeting emerging brands, established CPGs, retailers, foodservice operators, brokers, and private label customers.
• Personally generate qualified opportunities through outbound prospecting, referrals, broker relationships, networking, trade shows, conferences, and existing professional connections.
• Build relationships with emerging brands, established CPGs, retailers, foodservice organizations, ingredient suppliers, consultants, brokers, distributors, and other industry partners.
• Maintain a healthy pipeline of qualified opportunities and use CRM tools to manage sales activity and forecasts.
• Respond to inbound inquiries and qualify prospects based on strategic fit and manufacturing capabilities.
• Lead discovery meetings to understand customer needs, manufacturing requirements, commercialization timelines, and long term partnership opportunities.
• Coordinate customer visits and prepare commercial proposals in collaboration with Operations, R&D, Commercialization, and Finance.
• Negotiate commercial terms and support contract negotiations through onboarding and production launch.
• Consistently achieve or exceed targets for sales activity, pipeline health, customer acquisition, revenue, and gross margin.
• Develop annual account growth strategies for key customers.
• Partner with Account Manager(s) to conduct regular business reviews and identify opportunities for additional products and manufacturing programs.
• Expand existing customer relationships through cross selling, new product introductions, and strategic account planning.
• Build long term partnerships that promote customer retention and sustainable revenue growth.
• Leverage existing relationships across the food manufacturing ecosystem to generate qualified opportunities.
• Develop strategic partnerships with ingredient suppliers, packaging providers, equipment manufacturers, consultants, brokers, distributors, retailers, and industry organizations.
• Represent The Olive Oil Factory at industry trade shows, conferences, networking events, and customer meetings to raise market awareness and generate qualified leads.
• Build a sustainable referral network that consistently yields high quality sales opportunities.
• Maintain an active presence in the food manufacturing and CPG community through industry associations and professional organizations.
• Help build scalable and repeatable sales processes that support ongoing business growth.
• Maintain accurate customer records, opportunity tracking, pipeline management, and sales forecasts within the CRM.
• Track key performance indicators including sales activity, pipeline health, conversion rates, customer acquisition, revenue growth, and gross margin.
• Recommend improvements to sales processes, reporting, and customer engagement practices as the organization expands.
• Create standardized sales materials, account planning templates, and engagement processes that improve sales effectiveness.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Food Science, or related field, or equivalent industry experience.
• 3 to 5+ years of direct sales, account management, or business development experience within food manufacturing, co-manufacturing, private label, ingredient solutions, packaging, or branded CPG food companies.
• Demonstrated success generating new business through prospecting, networking, referrals, trade shows, and strategic relationship development.
• Proven ability to source, negotiate, and close complex manufacturing partnerships.
• Experience managing opportunities from initial engagement through commercialization and production launch.
• Existing relationships within food and beverage brands, CPG companies, brokers, ingredient suppliers, consultants, retailers, distributors, or foodservice organizations.
• Experience using CRM systems to manage sales pipelines and customer activity.
• Strong presentation, communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
• Self-motivated with the ability to work independently in an entrepreneurial, execution-focused sales environment.
• Willingness to travel approximately 30 to 50 percent.

Technologies

• CRM

Benefits

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Employee assistance program
• Flexible schedule
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Experience

• Direct sales, account management or business development: 3 years (Required)
• Food manufacturing or co-manufacturing: 3 years (Required)
• Private label or branded CPG food: 3 years (Required)
• Generating new business: 3 years (Required)
• Selling condiments, beverages, or specialty foods: 3 years (Required)

Willingness to Travel

• Approximately 50% travel preferred

Work Location

• Remote

Pay

• USD 120,000 - 140,000 per year