Senior Business Development Manager — Packaging

Apply; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 120,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Apply in the United States is seeking a Senior Business Development Manager to establish and grow the company's U.S. packaging business from the ground up. You will identify opportunities, open doors, build relationships, and close long-term contracts while operating with high autonomy.

In this first commercial hire for the U.S. market, you’ll shape the territory strategy, interact with CPG, food & beverage sectors, and translate client needs into packaging solutions, traveling across the U.S.

Qualifications

• Significant B2B sales experience within the packaging industry.
• Established network in the U.S. packaging market.
• Ability to operate independently without a local U.S. sales infra.
• Willingness to travel across the U.S.

Responsibilities

• Build and develop the U.S. customer base from ground up.
• Identify, prospect, and win new customers across industries.
• Own full business development cycle—from market mapping to signed agreements.
• Develop the U.S. territory strategy and prioritize key accounts.
• Represent the company at meetings/events; maintain pipeline and forecast.
• Provide market intelligence to shape growth strategy.

Skills

B2B sales experience

Packaging industry knowledge

Territory development

Independent/entrepreneurial

Travel willingness

Job description

Senior Business Development Manager — Packaging

United States | Remote | Full-time

An established international packaging manufacturer is expanding into the U.S. and looking for an experienced Senior Business Development Manager to build its commercial presence in the market.

This will be the company’s first and initially only commercial hire in the United States. We’re looking for someone who already knows the U.S. packaging market, has an established industry network, and can operate independently — identifying opportunities, opening doors, building relationships, and converting them into long-term business.

What you’ll do

• Build and develop the company’s customer base in the U.S. from the ground up

• Identify, prospect, and win new customers across relevant industries

• Own the full business development cycle — from market mapping and first outreach through commercial negotiations and signed agreements

• Build relationships with key decision-makers across CPG, food & beverage, consumer products, and other packaging-intensive industries

• Develop the U.S. territory strategy and prioritize the most promising accounts and market segments

• Translate customer requirements into packaging solutions in collaboration with international manufacturing and technical teams

• Negotiate pricing, commercial terms, and long-term agreements

• Build and maintain an accurate pipeline and sales forecast

• Represent the company at customer meetings, industry events, and trade shows

• Provide market intelligence and customer feedback to help shape the company’s U.S. growth strategy

What we’re looking for

Packaging industry experience is a must.

We’re specifically looking for someone with:

• Significant B2B sales / business development experience within the packaging industry

• Direct experience with flexible packaging, flexible films, laminates, folding cartons, paperboard packaging, or closely related packaging solutions

• A proven record of winning new customers and generating new business, rather than primarily managing an inherited portfolio

• An established network within the U.S. packaging, CPG, food & beverage, or related manufacturing ecosystem

• Strong understanding of packaging buyers, decision-making processes, pricing, and commercial negotiations

• Experience developing a territory or market with a high degree of autonomy

• The ability to work independently without a local U.S. sales infrastructure

• A hands-on, entrepreneurial approach: comfortable moving between market strategy, prospecting, customer meetings, negotiations, and closing

• Willingness to travel across the U.S. as needed

Why this role

This is an opportunity to become the first commercial hire on the ground in the U.S. for an international packaging company entering the market.

Rather than stepping into an established territory and existing sales structure, you’ll have significant ownership over how the U.S. business is built — which segments to pursue, which relationships to develop, and how to turn the company’s international manufacturing capabilities into a successful U.S. customer base.

Remote within the United States.