Food & Beverage Industry: Business Development

Job Responsibilities

• Demonstrate credibility and thought leadership in technical and business discussions.
• Mentor peers, contribute to account strategy, and represent ifm in industry forums.
• 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.
• Lead greenfield, brownfield, and retrofit pursuits, coordinating regional and global teams to deliver scalable solutions with measurable ROI.
• Conduct plant visits and OEM/integrator meetings to uncover improvement opportunities.
• Influence at all organizational levels—operators, engineers, and senior leadership.
• 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.
• 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.
• Collaborate with product management, marketing, and fellow sales engineers to co-create tailored solutions, share best practices, and anticipate industry trends and regulatory changes.
• Consistently achieve sales targets, track KPIs, and drive adoption of ifm solutions across strategic accounts.

Qualifications

• B.S. in Engineering or related field preferred.
• Advanced process automation training preferred.
• 5+ years of sales success in process automation, or capital equipment within F&B.
• Proven track record in solution selling and business development selling 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.

Company Culture

Learn more about ifm. Benefits include top-tier medical plan with no deductible, plus voluntary dental and vision plans; company-paid LTD, STD, and other insurances; 401K program with 100% company match of up to 6% of pay after six months; eleven paid holidays per calendar year; fifteen paid vacation days and five days paid sick time; company-leased automobile, 100% maintenance; and a supportive and collaborative culture where employees are engaged, enabled, and empowered to realize their full potential in a positive, diverse, and inclusive work environment filled with meaning and a shared sense of purpose. "Exceptional success can only be achieved when the employees believe in the company and when they know that they are treated in a fair and honest way." - ifm philosophy. ifm is dedicated to ensuring employees are engaged, enabled, and empowered to realize their full potential in a positive, diverse, and inclusive work environment filled with meaning and a shared sense of purpose. "We have amazing products, but best of all we have amazing people. This is a core value of our success." - Roger Varma, CEO, ifm efector.