Business Development Manager

Business Development Manager – Mercer Milling ▪ Liverpool, NY

The Mercer Milling Business Development Manager drives profitable revenue and margin growth across the Northeast by developing new business, expanding distribution, strengthening key customer relationships, and delivering practical, effective dairy nutrition solutions. The role leads strategic account plans, builds a robust pipeline (5–10 new accounts annually), and represents Mercer Milling at customer engagements and industry events to increase adoption and market share.

Working directly with dairy producers, feed manufacturers, nutritionists, and consultants, this position assesses customer needs and develops commercially viable nutrition solutions. The Business Development Manager provides technical guidance, supports product implementation, and partners across the organization to advance business growth. The role also leverages sales, margin, and market data to inform forecasting, pricing, and commercial strategy. This position reports to the General Manager and serves on the Leadership Team.

This position requires a minimum of 5 years of experience in dairy nutrition, technical services, account management, consulting, or commercial roles within the dairy, feed, or animal nutrition industries.

Responsibilities:

Sales & Business Development

o Drive revenue and margin growth across assigned accounts and territories

o Identify, develop, and close new business opportunities (target: 5–10 new accounts annually)

o Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with key customers and industry stakeholders

o Represent Mercer Milling at trade shows, industry events, and customer engagements

o Participate in and support industry membership organization activities (e.g. NEAFA)

o Expand distribution channels and increase product adoption across the region

Strategic Account Management

o Develop and execute account-specific growth plans for key customers

o Understand customer business models and identify opportunities to deliver added value

o Act as the primary point of contact for strategic accounts, ensuring a high-quality customer experience

o Proactively manage customer expectations and resolve issues as needed

Animal Nutrition & Technical Support

o Provide consultative support on dairy nutrition solutions, including premix and ingredient applications

o Collaborate with internal nutrition experts to deliver technically sound and effective feeding programs

o Engage with nutritionists, consultants, and feed manufacturers to support product positioning and usage

o Translate technical nutrition concepts into practical, customer-focused solutions

o Stay current on industry trends, feeding strategies, and innovations in dairy nutrition

o Serve as the primary owner of all customer and nutritionist formulation requests, developing and maintaining formulas, managing formulation software and raw material data, and ensuring all finished products meet nutritional, regulatory, quality, and manufacturing specifications

o Work closely with the Quality team to develop reformulation strategies for quality hold and non-conforming inventory, maximizing product recovery, minimizing waste, and ensuring all revised formulations meet customer specifications and manufacturing standards

Commercial Performance & Analytics

o Analyze sales, margin, and market data to identify trends, risks, and growth opportunities

o Contribute to forecasting and business planning processes

o Monitor account performance and take action to improve profitability and retention

o Utilize data to inform decision-making and prioritize sales efforts

Market Intelligence & Pricing

o Gather and communicate competitive market intelligence, including pricing trends and customer needs

o Support the monthly pricing process with insights on market dynamics and customer behavior

o Identify emerging opportunities and threats within the dairy and feed markets

Cross-Functional Collaboration

o Partner with internal teams, including nutrition, operations, and leadership, to align on customer needs and business priorities

o Collaborate with preferred vendors to promote products and develop joint opportunities

o Support supplier discussions and negotiations as needed

o Contribute to broader organizational strategy as a member of the Leadership Team

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

o Revenue growth and gross margin performance

o New account acquisition (5–10 annually)

o Customer retention and account expansion

o Market share growth within the Northeast region

o Forecast accuracy and pipeline development

o Customer satisfaction and relationship strength

Required Skills/Abilities:

• Strong technical knowledge of dairy nutrition, feed ingredients, herd performance, and the Northeast agricultural market
• Proven ability to drive sales growth and manage customer relationships
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret and act on data
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and influencing skills
• Ability to translate technical information into customer-focused solutions
• Highly organized, self-motivated, and results-oriented
• Resilient with a growth mindset and strong problem-solving capabilities
• Valid driver’s license and ability to maintain an acceptable driving record
• Ability and willingness to travel as required
• Ability and willingness to attend evening/weekend events occasionally

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods of sitting, driving, and working on a computer and mobile devices
• Frequent standing, walking, and moving between customer locations, trade shows, and industry events
• Ability to work in varied environments, including farms and feed mill facilities, with potential exposure to dust, noise, and temperature changes
• Must be able to lift, carry, and/or move up to 50 pounds (e.g., samples, materials, and equipment)

Experience and Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Animal Science, Agricultural Business, or related field (or equivalent experience)
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in dairy nutrition, technical services, account management, consulting, or commercial roles within the dairy, feed, or animal nutrition industries
• Demonstrated success in managing customer relationships and growing revenue in a market based, consultative role
• Demonstrated experience translating customer or industry needs into practical commercial solutions
• Experience working directly with dairy producers, nutritionists, consultants, and feed manufacturers preferred

This is a full-time exempt position with a competitive salary and benefits package, which includes eligibility for Medical, Dental, Vision, Life, LTD, HSA, FSA, PTO, Sick, and 401(K) programs. The salary range for this position is between $100,000 - $150,000 annually, depending on experience.

** DIRECT HIRE ONLY - Please, no Agencies or Recruiters! **

Mercer Milling Premix Company is a division of Triple Crown Nutrition, Inc. which is based in Wayzata, Minnesota. We supply private label custom trace mineral and vitamin premixes to Feed Mills, Dealers, and Independent Consultants with much of the business focused on the dairy industry. The key strengths of Mercer Milling are Manufacturing, Blending, Packaging, and Distribution. With approx. forty employees, Mercer Milling has significant market presence in New York and New England. xihmbke

Mercer Milling is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws.