Overview of Position:The Business Development Manager - Private Label is responsible for driving the growth and expansion of Naturally Homegrown Foods' private-label and contract manufacturing business across the CPG and food industry.
This role will identify, develop, and secure new private-label opportunities with retailers, grocery chains, distributors, foodservice organizations, and other strategic customers across North America. The Business Development Manager will manage opportunities from initial prospecting and customer engagement through commercial negotiations, product development, costing, and successful commercialization.
Your Mission:- Identify, and hunt for new business opportunities within the Consumer-Packaged Goods sector across Canada and the United States
- Develop and execute a strategic business development plan to achieve annual revenue targets
- Lead the end-to-end response for Requests for Proposals (RFPs), coordinating with internal stakeholders.
- Collaborate with Product Innovation team to demonstrate how our existing, and customized formulations meet or exceed the retailer's "gold standard" benchmarks
- Establish strong relationships with decision-makers at CPG brands, retailers, and distributors
- Negotiate multi-year supply agreements, ensuring clear terms on Minimum Order Quantities (MOQs), lead times, and packaging liabilities consistent with Naturally Homegrown Foods' objectives
- Serve as the primary link between retail partners and internal cross-functional teams (product development, operations, supply chain, and finance) to deliver customer solutions
- Monitor market trends, competitive activity, and customers need to identify growth opportunities
- Maintain accurate forecasting, planning, and reporting
What You Bring:- Education: University degree and completion of professional sales training course(s)
- Experience: Minimum of 5+ years in a CPG sales role, ideally in health/food/beverage category with at least 2 years specifically in Private Label or Contract Manufacturing Deep understanding of the Canadian and US grocery landscape and the strategic role of store brands
- Experience in managing food brokers.
- Demonstrated customer leadership skills.
- Proven ability to simultaneously grow top line sales.
- Demonstrated understanding of importance of building relationships internally with individuals and applicable stakeholder groups.
- Ability to manage complex P&Ls and understand "cost-of-goods-sold" (COGS), and margin analysis in a private label or contract manufacturing environment
- Project management skills, and ability to organize workflow that reflects organizational priorities
- Familiarity with food safety certifications (SQF, BRC) and manufacturing workflows
- Strong time management skills, good organization, and ability to handle administrative requirements
- Strong ability to work independently and report comfortably to senior management stakeholders cross-departmentally
- Demonstrated experience developing and delivering presentations in front of both internal and external audiences
- Demonstrated understanding of key retailer category management principles
Additional Information:- This position requires successful completion of a clear background check prior to start date.
- Up to 40% travel within Canada and United States (valid passport)
