Business Development Manager

About the role

Redwood Farms Meat Processors, located in Estherville, IA, processes hogs of varying sizes, allowing us to offer a variety of cuts and cut sizes. We are seeking a results-driven Business Development Manager to drive profitable growth within our fresh domestic pork business. This role is responsible for developing new customer relationships, expanding existing accounts, and identifying strategic sales opportunities that align customer demand with Redwood Farms' production capabilities.

The Business Development Manager will maintain a strong external focus, spending significant time in the market developing relationships and understanding customer needs. This position will work closely with sales leadership, customer service, operations, production planning, and logistics to support long-term growth, optimize product mix, and improve margin performance.

This position offers a base salary with commission opportunities and a remote work option.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute sales strategies focused on growing fresh domestic pork sales.
• Identify, prospect, and secure new customer opportunities across retail, food service, further processing, wholesale, and distribution channels.
• Develop and maintain a qualified pipeline of new business opportunities.
• Expand existing customer relationships through additional products, programs, and volume.
• Lead customer pricing, volume, and program discussions.
• Negotiate customer programs and supply commitments within established company guidelines.
• Achieve assigned volume, revenue, and margin objectives.
• Develop long-term relationships with key customer decision-makers.
• Maintain regular customer contact through onsite visits, business reviews, and industry events.
• Understand customer purchasing strategies, operations, product requirements, and long-term business objectives.
• Identify customer risks, competitive threats, and opportunities for account growth.
• Serve as the commercial owner of assigned customer relationships.
• Partner with Customer Service and Sales Support on daily account execution and customer communication.
• Maintain a strong understanding of Redwood Farms' fresh pork portfolio and production capabilities.
• Monitor pork market conditions, USDA market information, cutout values, primal spreads, and domestic demand.
• Identify opportunities to improve product mix and maximize value across fresh pork production.
• Provide market and customer feedback to sales leadership and operations.
• Support SKU rationalization and product portfolio strategies.
• Identify new product, specification, and value-added opportunities.
• Work with operations and production planning to align customer demand with production capabilities.
• Communicate customer forecasts, volume changes, and new opportunities to internal teams.
• Partner with Customer Service and Sales Support on order execution, product releases, and shipment coordination.
• Work with logistics to support customer service and delivery requirements.
• Participate in sales forecasting, business planning, and profitability reviews.
• Develop and maintain account growth plans for assigned customers and prospects.
• Track volume, revenue, margin, and account performance.
• Maintain accurate customer and sales opportunity information.
• Provide regular pipeline and business development updates.
• Proactively identify opportunities to improve customer and product profitability.
• Maintain regular and predictable availability.
• Travel up to 50%, annually.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Agriculture, Animal Science, Meat Science, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in pork, meat, protein, food sales, or business development preferred.
• Fresh Pork Sales Experience strongly preferred.
• Strong understanding of commodity meat markets and pricing dynamics.
• Proven ability to develop new customer relationships and grow existing accounts.
• Strong negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills.
• Growth-oriented business development mindset.
• Strong commercial and margin-management instincts.
• Customer-focused relationship builder.
• Comfortable prospecting and developing new business.
• Strong understanding of pork products and domestic market channels.
• Self-motivated with a high level of accountability.
• Ability to balance customer needs with operational and financial objectives.
• Collaborative and comfortable working across departments.

Physical Requirements

• Perform desk work (sitting or standing) for up to 100% of workday.
• Repetitively use wrist, hand, and/or fingers.

Benefits

• Competitive salary with commission opportunities.
• Health, dental, and vision insurance.
• Paid time off (PTO) and paid holidays.
• Impressive 401K match.

Schedule

Monday to Friday, 8:00am–5:00pm. Additional hours may be necessary for customer support.