Business Development Manager – Fresh Food

Elk Recruitment; Ballinasloe; On-site; EUR 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

Elk Recruitment in Connacht seeks a Business Development Manager – Fresh Food to drive growth across the region. This field-based role focuses on expanding existing accounts, securing new business and increasing product distribution through key retail, convenience, foodservice channels.

You will build strong relationships with senior decision-makers, deliver territory plans, and collaborate with Commercial, Marketing and Logistics teams to meet sales targets and deliver sustainable growth for

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in food sales, FMCG or related commercial environment.
• Proven track record developing existing accounts and generating new business.
• Experience within retail, convenience and/or foodservice would be advantageous.
• Strong commercial awareness and a results-driven approach.
• Excellent negotiation, communication and presentation skills.
• Full clean driving licence.

Responsibilities

• Manage and develop sales across the Connacht region and agreed adjoining territories.
• Develop and implement a structured territory sales plan to deliver agreed sales, distribution and new-business targets.
• Maintain an effective and organised customer call cycle to ensure appropriate coverage of existing and prospective customers.
• Monitor territory performance and prioritise opportunities based on commercial potential.
• Work collaboratively with other Business Development Managers to ensure clear territory alignment, effective regional coverage and appropriate management of border areas.
• Develop strong, long-term relationships with existing customers and key decision-makers.
• Identify and secure new business opportunities across retail, convenience, foodservice and other relevant channels.
• Generate new leads and proactively engage with relevant decision-makers.
• Identify opportunities to increase existing product listings and introduce additional SKUs and product formats.
• Present new products, innovations and commercial opportunities to customers.
• Work closely with customers to understand their individual needs and identify opportunities for mutually beneficial growth.
• Agree and implement account-specific promotional activity where appropriate.
• Increase the distribution, visibility and availability of product portfolio across the territory.
• Support the successful rollout and execution of marketing and promotional initiatives at customer and store level.
• Ensure agreed product positioning, availability, pricing and promotional activity are effectively implemented within customer locations.
• Maintain a strong understanding of competitor activity, market trends, customer requirements and emerging commercial opportunities.
• Work closely with Commercial, Marketing, NPD, Logistics, Production and Administration teams to ensure customer requirements are effectively managed.
• Assist with the resolution of customer queries and complaints, working with the relevant internal departments where required.
• Provide timely feedback from customers and the marketplace to support product development and wider commercial decision-making.
• Ensure agreed actions and opportunities are followed up within the required timelines.
• Provide accurate and timely reporting on sales performance, customer activity, new business opportunities, account development and territory progress.
• Maintain accurate customer records and ensure relevant sales and business development information is kept up to date.
• Monitor progress against agreed targets and proactively identify actions required to maximise performance.
• Represent the company professionally and positively when dealing with customers, prospects and other industry stakeholders.
• Attend customer meetings, trade shows, conferences and relevant industry events as required.

Skills

Account management

Negotiation

Communication & presentation

Relationship building

Industry knowledge (FMCG/foodservice)

Time management

Commercial acumen

Self-motivation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Sales, Marketing or related discipline

Tools

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Job description

Role: Business Development Manager – Fresh Food

Location: Connaught

About the Role

This is a field-based role focused on growing existing business, developing new customer accounts, increasing product distribution and strengthening long-term relationships across the assigned territory.

Main Purpose of the Role

The Business Development Manager will be responsible for delivering sustainable sales and distribution growth across the assigned territory.

Key areas of responsibility will include:

• Growing and developing existing customer accounts.
• Identifying, targeting and securing new business opportunities.
• Increasing product distribution, listings and visibility.
• Building strong, mutually beneficial relationships with customers and key decision-makers.
• Working collaboratively with the wider Business Development team to maximise opportunities across regional and territory boundaries.

Main Tasks & Responsibilities

Territory & Sales Management

• Manage and develop sales across the Connacht region and agreed adjoining territories.
• Develop and implement a structured territory sales plan to deliver agreed sales, distribution and new-business targets.
• Maintain an effective and organised customer call cycle to ensure appropriate coverage of existing and prospective customers.
• Monitor territory performance and prioritise opportunities based on commercial potential.
• Work collaboratively with other Business Development Managers to ensure clear territory alignment, effective regional coverage and appropriate management of border areas.

Business Development & Account Growth

• Develop strong, long-term relationships with existing customers and key decision-makers.
• Identify and secure new business opportunities across retail, convenience, foodservice and other relevant channels.
• Generate new leads and proactively engage with relevant decision-makers.
• Identify opportunities to increase existing product listings and introduce additional SKUs and product formats.
• Present new products, innovations and commercial opportunities to customers.
• Work closely with customers to understand their individual needs and identify opportunities for mutually beneficial growth.
• Agree and implement account-specific promotional activity where appropriate.

Product Distribution & Marketplace Execution

• Increase the distribution, visibility and availability of product portfolio across the territory.
• Support the successful rollout and execution of marketing and promotional initiatives at customer and store level.
• Ensure agreed product positioning, availability, pricing and promotional activity are effectively implemented within customer locations.
• Maintain a strong understanding of competitor activity, market trends, customer requirements and emerging commercial opportunities.

Customer & Internal Collaboration

• Work closely with Commercial, Marketing, NPD, Logistics, Production and Administration teams to ensure customer requirements are effectively managed.
• Assist with the resolution of customer queries and complaints, working with the relevant internal departments where required.
• Provide timely feedback from customers and the marketplace to support product development and wider commercial decision-making.
• Ensure agreed actions and opportunities are followed up within the required timelines.

Reporting & Performance

• Provide accurate and timely reporting on sales performance, customer activity, new business opportunities, account development and territory progress.
• Maintain accurate customer records and ensure relevant sales and business development information is kept up to date.
• Monitor progress against agreed targets and proactively identify actions required to maximise performance.

Professional Representation

• Represent the company professionally and positively when dealing with customers, prospects and other industry stakeholders.
• Attend customer meetings, trade shows, conferences and relevant industry events as required.

Qualifications & Experience

The ideal candidate will have:

• A degree or relevant qualification in Business, Sales, Marketing or a related discipline is desirable.
• Ideally 5+ years' experience in food sales, FMCG or a related commercial environment.
• A proven track record of developing existing accounts and generating new business.
• Experience within retail, convenience and/or foodservice would be advantageous.
• Demonstrated ability to build and maintain strong relationships with customers and key decision-makers.
• Strong commercial awareness and a results-driven approach.
• Excellent negotiation, communication and presentation skills.
• The ability to independently manage and develop a large geographical sales territory.
• Strong organisational and time-management skills, with the ability to prioritise opportunities and manage multiple accounts effectively.
• Excellent customer service and relationship-management skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint and general sales/reporting systems.
• A full clean driving licence.