Business Development Manager

Job title: Business Development Manager

Department: Customer Service and Sales

Reports to: Sales Manager

Status: Full Time, 40-45 hours per week, Exempt

Competitive Wage, Great Benefits!
Accepting Applicants through January 12, 2024

About us:
Hummingbird Wholesale is a small, family and employee owned & operated company distributing organic food throughout the Pacific Northwest and into northern California. We are a team of highly engaged and extraordinarily productive people who are inspired to work hard, have fun, and give our very best at all times. We are motivated by our mission, vision, and values. We work effectively & efficiently, and enjoy connecting with each other through our daily work.

Our Mission, Core Values and Culture:
We endeavor to serve people and the planet by providing the highest quality, most nutritious foods, grown as locally and sustainably as possible to nourish the body, mind, and soul. We practice principles of ecological & social justice in our business operation, and strive for minimum packaging and waste. We value long-term relationships with farmers, vendors, coworkers, and customers.

Do you want to work at an Employee-Owned Company who is rated one of the 100 Best Green Workplaces in Oregon? 

In January 2023, Hummingbird owners Charlie and Julie Tilt made a bold move by transitioning their ownership of the company to an Employee Owned Purpose Trust, securing and guiding the mission and values of the business into perpetuity. The Purpose Trust was established to serve as a co-creator of life-enhancing, inclusive, and healthy food systems for our regional and global community. We invite you to join us as we work together to transform the world toward a sustainable food production system which supports the health of the people who depend on it, as well as the earth’s precious ecosystems.

Can work be fun?
We think so! Creating a positive, safe and healthy work environment is central to our mission and values. From our weekly, all-company huddles where we share what's going on in each department and our quarterly profit sharing program, to unique benefits like our coworker annual self-care stipend, we walk our talk. Oh yeah, and we measure FUN as a Key Performance Indicator (KPI) of our success as a company. No joke! 

Compensation Benefits + Perks:
We offer competitive wages and generous benefits and perks including health insurance with an HSA option, paid vacation, paid holidays, paid sick leave, paid volunteer time, 401K, profit sharing, self-care funds, wholesale pricing on Hummingbird products and with a curated list of local vendors, and more!

Job Summary:

The Hummingbird Wholesale Business Development Manager is responsible for working in collaboration with the Customer Service team (CS) and Sales Manager to execute the company’s sales strategy by developing long-term customer relationships to drive financial growth and meet the company goals in alignment with the company’s mission and values. Knowledgeable about Hummingbird’s product lines and related market opportunities, the Business Development Manager supports our current customers, in addition to building new business opportunities. The Business Development Manager is service focused in their sales approach and partners with the internal teams to develop, strengthen and grow customer relationships and product sales.

Essential Functions:

• Develop growth strategies focused on both meeting and exceeding sales goals and increasing customer satisfaction.
• Ability to perform cost benefit analyses of existing and potential customers, and maintaining positive business relationships to ensure future sales.
• Conduct research to identify new markets and customer needs.
• Build long-term relationships with new and existing customers.
• Serve as the key point of contact with current and prospective customers, arranging meetings by phone, in-person and virtually.
• Ability to negotiate sales pricing and manage contracted sales opportunities.
• Use data analysis to support Business Development and planning.
• Clearly and effectively communicate actionable customer related sales information to internal team.
• Collect and communicate product feedback in support of maximizing Hummingbird’s product mix to meet customer needs.
• Stay current with marketplace trends to support sales strategy and identify product and service opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborate with the Farm Connections and Sourcing (FCS) team to develop customer projected product and pricing needs.
• Represent Company at trade association events to promote Hummingbird’s brand and products.
• Develop expertise in Hummingbird’s Mission and Values, product category strategy and specific product information.

• Use all company systems in compliance with established policies and procedures.
• Participate and contribute to strong safety culture by working safe and supporting safety with coworkers.

• Uphold the highest standard of food safety by following all policies and procedures in the Food Safety Plan applicable to the job title.
• Communicate in-person, virtually, via phone, and over email in a friendly and professional manner.
• Participate in department meetings and trainings as needed and/or scheduled.
• Complete company-sponsored training in Lean and Kaizen culture, use Lean and Kaizen principles in collaboration with co-workers to reduce waste, improve customer outcomes, and support company goals and objectives.
• Comply with all applicable company, governmental, and regulatory agency policies and guidelines.
• Give great customer service, understanding that every relationship counts. Build mutually rewarding, long term relationships with coworkers, customers, vendors, and community.
• Help drive our sustainability practices through participation and helping improve company sustainability initiatives and programs. Complete company-sponsored training and participate in Hummingbird’s waste-stream reduction program, minimizing waste and properly sorting waste-stream items into designated receptacles.
• Arrive to work each day excited and ready to participate in helping others do their best. Be committed to having fun.
• Be enthusiastic and active in growing and improving personally and professionally.
• Have excellent attendance and punctuality.
• Be committed to solid company profits consistent with our mission and principles.

Additional Functions:

Complete special projects and other duties as needed.

Job Requirements and Qualifications:

Education: High school diploma required; some college preferred.

Training Requirements: (licenses, programs, or certificates): None required, though any relating to items listed under Skill Requirements or Experience is helpful.

Skill Requirements:

• Detail oriented, well organized.
• Strong understanding of customer service and sales best practices.
• Strong computer literacy, including ability to generate reports and derive insights from raw data in Excel and from other database sources.
• Proficient in MS Office and familiar with CRM and inventory management systems.
• Strong math, logic, and problem solving/analysis skills.
• Ability to work well individually and with others; team player who seeks to learn, support and grow within the team.
• Effective communication and negotiation skills.
• Ability to build rapport with strong interpersonal skills.
• Natural Foods market knowledge.

Experience:

• Proven working experience as a Sales Representative, Territory Manager, Business Development Manager or a relevant role.
• Sales position in natural foods business; preference for experience in Wholesale, Business-to-Business Sales– minimum of 3-5 years required.
• Wholesale contract negotiation, creation and management experience is preferred; experience working with and managing broker relationships is a plus.

Physical, Mental and Visual Requirements:

• The coworker must be able to operate a computer for many hours a day.
• This position requires occasional visits to customers, farms, cleaning facilities, and other industrial, commercial, and agricultural environments. These visits require the coworker to remain in stationary positions in indoor, outdoor, and/or in a vehicle for multiple consecutive hours. These visits and others will require safely ascending and descending ladders and stairs, lifting items of up to 60lbs and loading them into cars or trucks, and working in an environment containing active industrial and agricultural machinery.
• In support of some essential job functions, the position requires the Business Development Manager to work in commercial food production and warehouse environments. While in these environments, the coworker must be able to safely comply with all company and regulatory rules and guidelines.
• The position requires frequent and repeated exposure to major food allergens, including but not limited to, wheat, tree nuts, dairy, and soybeans.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable people with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this Business Development Manager.

Other Information:

• The Business Development Manager may work in a shared office, and there are frequent interruptions. Of course, there are many benefits to this arrangement, however, it may also limit one’s ability to concentrate.
• Travel to visit potential or current vendors, customers, or attend trade shows, educational conferences, or industry events will be necessary throughout the year.

Conclusion:

This job description is intended to convey information essential to understanding the scope of the Business Development Manager’s position but is not intended to be an exhaustive list of skills, efforts, duties, responsibilities, or working conditions associated with the position.