Key Account Manager Dairy

Microlub; Leeds; On-site; GBP 45,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

Microlub is seeking a commercially minded ingredient specialist to build our presence in the dairy sector. We are a University of Leeds spin-out, developing next-generation protein technologies that help food manufacturers reduce fat while maintaining texture and mouthfeel.

This role connects science with customer needs to drive trials, partnerships and growth. The role is based at Nexus in Leeds, with regular travel to UK customers and partners and occasional international travel.

Qualifications

• Experience selling ingredients or technical solutions to food manufacturers, ideally within dairy.
• Understanding of ingredient functionality and the journey from formulation to production.
• Evidence of personally creating and converting new business opportunities.
• Confidence working with both technical specialists and commercial decision-makers.

Responsibilities

• Build new relationships across customer NPD, innovation, technical, procurement and commercial teams.
• Understand formulation challenges and develop a clear technical and commercial case for MicroLub’s technology.
• Guide opportunities from initial discovery through samples, customer trials, negotiation and commercial agreement.
• Develop existing relationships into repeat business and broader application opportunities.
• Own your pipeline, forecasts and account plans, bringing customer insight back into the business.

Skills

Commercial mindset

Relationship building

Account management

Technical understanding of ingredients

Communication with technical and商业决策者

Education

Relevant degree

Job description

Can you turn ingredient science into a compelling reason for a customer to change their formulation?

MicroLub is looking for a commercially minded ingredient specialist to build our presence in the dairy sector.

A University of Leeds spin-out, we’re developing next-generation protein technologies that help food manufacturers reduce fat while maintaining texture and mouthfeel. We’re looking for someone who can connect that science with customer needs—and turn promising conversations into trials, partnerships and commercial growth.

The opportunity

You’ll help shape our dairy-sector approach, identify priority customers and open doors with manufacturers, brands and industry partners.

Working closely with our scientific and technical colleagues, you’ll:

• Build new relationships across customer NPD, innovation, technical, procurement and commercial teams.
• Understand formulation challenges and develop a clear technical and commercial case for MicroLub’s technology.
• Guide opportunities from initial discovery through samples, customer trials, negotiation and commercial agreement.
• Develop existing relationships into repeat business and broader application opportunities.
• Own your pipeline, forecasts and account plans, bringing customer insight back into the business.

This is a hands-on role with scope to influence where we focus and how we grow. You’ll need to enjoy creating opportunities as much as developing established accounts.

What you’ll bring

You may currently be a Technical Sales Manager, Technical Account Manager, Business Development Manager, Dairy Market Manager or ingredient-sector Account Manager.

You’ll bring:

• Experience selling ingredients or technical solutions to food manufacturers, ideally within dairy, dairy alternatives, protein beverages, desserts or nutrition.
• An understanding of ingredient functionality and the journey from formulation and trial to commercial production.
• Evidence of personally creating and converting new business opportunities.
• Confidence working with both technical specialists and commercial decision-makers.
• The persistence and organisation to keep complex customer projects moving.

We’d also welcome applications from customer-facing applications or innovation professionals who have already taken on commercial responsibility and want to develop their sales career.

A relevant degree is useful, but equivalent industry experience is equally valued.

Why MicroLub?

You’ll join a growing food-technology business where your customer insight and commercial contribution can directly shape the next stage of development. You’ll work alongside the people developing the technology and help customers explore what it could make possible in their products.

The role is based at Nexus in Leeds, with regular travel to UK customers and partners and occasional international travel.