Milwaukee - Business Development (Food & Beverage)

Job Description

Job Description

Business Development: Food & Beverage Industry 

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 us 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.