Food & Beverage Industry - Business Development

ifm; Oak Brook (IL); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Excellent health plan

Disability coverage

401K match

Paid holidays

Paid vacation

Company car

Job summary

ifm is seeking a seasoned Business Development professional for the Food & Beverage sector across the United States. The role focuses on wet processing applications and growing strategic F&B accounts while positioning ifm as a trusted system solutions provider to producers, OEMs, and integrators.

You will lead opportunities from engagement to ROI, coordinating regional and global teams, with travel up to 40%. A strong background in process automation and executive interaction is required.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Engineering or related field; advanced process automation training preferred.
• 6+ years in strategic sales, process automation, or capital equipment within F&B.
• Proven track record in solution selling and business development, preferably selling to OEMs and end-users.

Responsibilities

• Demonstrate credibility and thought leadership in technical and business discussions.
• Identify and pursue high-value opportunities across dairy, beverage, brewing, plant-based, and protein sectors.
• Lead greenfield, brownfield, and retrofit pursuits, coordinating regional and global teams to deliver scalable solutions with ROI.
• Conduct plant visits and OEM/integrator meetings to uncover improvement opportunities.
• Develop understanding of F&B process equipment and automation architectures; recommend sensors/automation solutions.
• Build trust by addressing customer pain points, balancing pricing with long-term business impact.
• Partner with product management/marketing to co-create tailored solutions and anticipate trends.
• Consistently achieve sales targets, track KPIs, and drive adoption of ifm solutions.

Skills

Executive presence

Strategic selling

Account planning

Negotiation

Digital engagement

Education

B.S. in Engineering

Tools

PLC

Industrial networking

IoT platforms

Automation software

Job description

As a Business Development- Food & Beverage Industry professional, you will leverage your business acumen, technical knowledge, and solution-driven skills to target high-potential opportunities across the food & beverage industry with specific focus on wet processing applications. The primary objective of this position is to own and grow a portfolio of strategic F&B accounts, positioning ifm as a trusted system solutions provider to F&B producers, OEM machine builders, and system integrators in mixing, blending, CIP/SIP, and hygienic processing environments. This is a national role, with responsibilities spanning customers and accounts across the United States. While based out of Brookfield, WI, you will operate broadly to drive strategic growth nationwide.

Job Responsibilities

• Executive Presence & Leadership: Demonstrate credibility and thought leadership in technical and business discussions. Mentor peers, contribute to account strategy, and represent ifm in industry forums.
• Strategic Pipeline Development: Identify and pursue high-value opportunities across dairy, beverage, brewing, plant-based, and protein sectors. Build a robust pipeline by engaging stakeholders from engineering to the C-suite.
• Project Leadership: Lead greenfield, brownfield, and retrofit pursuits, coordinating regional and global teams to deliver scalable solutions with measurable ROI.
• Customer Engagement: Conduct plant visits and OEM/integrator meetings to uncover improvement opportunities. Influence at all organizational levels- operators, engineers, and senior leadership.
• Process & Controls Expertise: Develop a comprehensive understanding of F&B process equipment and automation architectures. Recommend hygienic sensors and automation solutions, advising on I/O, digitalization, predictive maintenance, and data integration.
• Solution Selling & Value Creation: Build trust by addressing customer pain points, positioning ifm as a cost-effective, hygienic, and digital alternative. Balance pricing with long-term business impact and total cost of ownership.
• Collaboration & Insight: Partner with product management, marketing, and fellow NBSEs to co-create tailored solutions, share best practices, and anticipate industry trends and regulatory changes.
• Performance & Accountability: Consistently achieve sales targets, track KPIs, and drive adoption of ifm solutions across strategic accounts.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Engineering or related field; advanced process automation training preferred.
• 6+ years of success in strategic sales, process automation, or capital equipment within F&B.
• Proven track record in solution selling and business development, preferably selling directly to OEMs and end-users.
• Deep knowledge of manufacturing processes, automation/IoT, PLCs, industrial networking, and software integration.
• Strong executive presence with the ability to influence at all organizational levels.
• Skilled in account planning, negotiation, and translating complex solutions into business impact.
• Exceptional communication, presentation, and digital engagement skills.
• Recognized leadership qualities: self-driven, adaptable, mentor-minded, and committed to continuous learning.
• Willingness to travel up to 40% domestically, with occasional international travel.

This role does not provide VISA Sponsorship, including STEM OPT.

Company Culture

Learn more about ifm

• Top-tier medical plan with no deductible, plus voluntary dental and vision plans
• Company-paid Long-Term Disability and Short-Term Disability, and other insurances
• 401K program with 100% company match of up to 6% of pay after six months
• Eleven paid holidays per calendar year
• 15 paid vacation days and 5 days paid sick time
• Company-leased automobile, 100% maintenance

Company Description

ifm efector, inc., headquartered in Malvern, PA, has earned the distinguished Top Employers certification for 2020 and 2021 in North America for our outstanding people practices. ifm efector is the US subsidiary of ifm electronic gmbh, a global company with over 8,700 employees in 165 countries serving 155,000 customers worldwide. Our core business is the development and production of sensors and controls for industrial automation and process applications.

"Exceptional success can only be achieved when the employees believe in the company and when they know that they are treated in a fair and honest way." -ifm philosophy

ifm is a privately-owned company whose success can be attributed to three guiding principles:

Employees First, Customer Loyalty, and Safe Growth. With a supportive and collaborative culture, ifm welcomes new ideas and fosters honest communication and trust. Distinguished by their individual capabilities and contributions, every employee plays a role in the success of our business, so that we may provide innovative solutions to meet and exceed our customer’s business needs. ifm is dedicated to ensuring employees are engaged, enabled, and empowered to realize their full potential in a positive, diverse, and inclusive work environment filled with meaning and a shared sense of purpose.

"We have amazing products, but best of all we have amazing people. This is a core value of our success." - Roger Varma, CEO, ifm efector