Technical Sales Manager - Plant Proteins Sales & Marketing

Overview

Technical Sales Manager - Plant Proteins

Louis Dreyfus Company is a leading merchant and processor of agricultural goods. Our activities span the entire value chain from farm to fork, across a broad range of business lines. We are active in over 100 countries and employ approximately 18,000 people globally.

Responsibilities

• Support Global Commercial Director in the design of US commercial strategy for the plant proteins business (definition of sales objectives and business goals, growth targets, customer portfolio, strategy accounts plan, commercial activities, marketing activities, team and LDC capability building).
• Deliver the US commercial strategy.
• Be LDC representative and point of contact for US customers across their entire buying cycle, ensuring first-class service and a positive customer experience with all LDC functions.
• Represent LDC for US customers requiring technical support, in close collaboration with the applications team.
• Deliver business goals and growth targets for the defined customers portfolio, through managing existing business, developing new customers and customer projects, with differentiated and innovative products and creating new cross-selling opportunities.
• Conduct sales and account development activities including on-site visits and technical support to achieve pipeline, revenue goals and objectives.
• Nurture customer relationships, ensuring a positive customer experience across all LDC functions, across the entire customer buying cycle.
• Manage internal relationships and network across departments (Applications team, R&D, supply chain, finance, quality, etc.) to ensure flawless communication and customer service.
• Manage pricing, contracts and sales forecasts and supply chain in collaboration with Supply Chain.
• Manage technical support and product development support for customers, with the applications team, for the formulation of plant-based foods and sports nutrition products using plant proteins and related solutions.
• Work with applications team to analyze customer processes and formulations; provide recommendations on ingredient selection and process adjustments for cost savings, quality improvements and new product opportunities in target accounts.
• Support technical teams in trials related to customer projects (prototyping, development or tuning of recipes/processes) with or without customers present.
• Network with customers, industry players and partners; build relationships within the food industry and visit LDC facilities; participate in conferences and events.
• Record and share relevant customer activities and project updates via regular reporting and CRM tools.
• Takes full responsibility for delivering on commitments, meeting deadlines, and achieving results with minimal supervision.

Qualifications & Experience

• Five (5) or more years of experience in the food industry as sales, business development or technical scientist.
• Experience within Pea Proteins sales
• Experience in R&D product development and go-to-market.
• In-depth knowledge in Food Science.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Commercial acumen and persuasive skills; ability to negotiate and close deals.
• Strong understanding of market dynamics, customer needs, and business drivers to make sound commercial decisions.
• Advanced negotiation skills to negotiate win-win outcomes and drive growth.
• Growth mindset; actively seeks knowledge and applies creative thinking to solve problems.
• Ability to work proactively with continual drive for results; anticipate customer needs and create new solutions.
• Willingness to challenge the status quo and improve processes for value creation.
• Adaptable and able to thrive in dynamic environments; remains effective under pressure.

Additional Information

• Equipment Used: Typical office equipment: PC, printer/scanner.
• Working Conditions: Domestic and international travel up to 50% of the time.
• Interacts with personnel in other departments and Company locations; with middle and senior management.
• Occasionally extensions of regular working hours to complete time-sensitive projects or respond to emergencies.
• Employee Supervision: No direct supervision.
• Decision Making/Accountability: Creating and executing effective Plant Proteins sales strategy for North America.

What We Offer

We provide a dynamic and stimulating international environment with career development opportunities in one of the largest private companies in the world.

• Comprehensive benefits program including medical, dental and vision care coverage, flexible spending account plans, employee assistance program, life insurance and disability coverage.
• 401k with Company Match.
• Family-friendly benefits including childbirth and parental leave, fertility and family-building benefits.
• Paid Time Off (PTO) and Paid Holidays.
• Flexible work available (not applicable to all roles).

Diversity & Inclusion

LDC is an equal opportunity employer committed to diversity, equity and inclusion. We encourage people of all backgrounds to apply.

Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO)

Louis Dreyfus Company provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Sustainability

Sustainable value is at the heart of our purpose as a company; we are committed to creating fair and sustainable value for our people, partners, communities and the environment.