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 NBSEs 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; 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.

Company Description

ifm efector, inc., headquartered in Malvern, PA, has earned the distinguished Top Employers certification for 2020 and 2021 in North America for our outstanding people practices. ifm efector is the US subsidiary of ifm electronic gmbh, a global company with over 8,700 employees in 165 countries serving 155,000 customers worldwide. Our core business is the development and production of sensors and controls for industrial automation and process applications.

"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 a privately-owned company whose success can be attributed to three guiding principles: Employees First, Customer Loyalty, and Safe Growth. With a supportive and collaborative culture, ifm welcomes new ideas and fosters honest communication and trust. Distinguished by their individual capabilities and contributions, every employee plays a role in the success of our business, so that we may provide innovative solutions to meet and exceed our customer’s business needs. "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