National Business Development Manager - Protein Industry

About the role

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Business Development Manager (BDM) to drive Alfa Laval's growth in the Protein industry across the United States, with a focus on bio fermentation, next generation foods and emerging biotech applications such as cultivated meats, fermented products, and animal/plant-based proteins. This nationally focused role is ideal for a technically savvy commercial leader who thrives in a fast-paced, innovative environment. This role will work across regions and business units to support sales teams, develop new markets and build relationships with key accounts and industry influencers, executing Alfa Laval's global protein strategy at the local level. This is a national role with location flexibility, though we prefer candidates near Alfa Laval offices in Richmond, VA; Houston, TX; or Kenosha, WI-or in key regions like North Carolina's Research Triangle, Chicagoland, or the San Francisco Bay Area. As a part of the team, you will: Translate the global protein strategy into actionable regional plans, ensuring alignment across business units and customer segments. Serve as the national point of contact for protein-related initiatives, supporting Regional Sales Managers (RSMs) with product and application expertise, sales strategy, and competitive intelligence. Collaborate across business units to build internal capabilities and position Alfa Laval as a leader in the protein industry. Identify and develop opportunities in underpenetrated and emerging protein markets, including bio fermentation, cultivated meats, and alternative proteins. Establish and nurture relationships with key stakeholders in the protein value chain, including engineering firms, CDMOs, and manufacturers. Lead strategic account planning and national partnership discussions. Support sales activities in targeted accounts, including cross-selling across business units. Travel nationally to engage with customers and sales teams, supporting opportunity development and relationship building. Support training and enablement of sales teams on protein-specific applications, trends, and customer needs. Act as a liaison with central business units to share insights on new applications, product feedback, and competitive dynamics. Maintain accurate CRM data and track performance indicators to measure impact and inform strategy. Collaborate with engineering and support teams to address product quality issues and customer concerns. Track and report known product issues, customer feedback, and market insights to inform continuous improvement and portfolio development. Represent Alfa Laval at major trade shows, technical events, and industry forums to enhance visibility and thought leadership. Other duties as assigned. What you know: You have a bachelor's degree in Business, Life Sciences, Engineering or a related field or have equivalent work experience. Additionally, you have: 5+ years of experience in capital equipment sales or business development. Strong technical acumen in Protein and fermentation processes and separation technologies. Proven track record of strategic account development and market expansion. Excellent communication, presentation, and CRM skills. Willingness to travel nationally up to 50% We care about diversity, inclusion and equity in our recruitment processes. We also believe behavioral traits can provide important insights into a candidate's fit to a role. To help us achieve this we apply Pymetrics assessments, and upon application you will be invited to play the assessment games. What's in it for you? Alfa Laval offers a competitive salary and full benefits package, including medical/dental/vision/life, 401(k) plan, and more. At Alfa Laval, we carefully consider a wide range of compensation factors to determine your total compensation package. We rely on market indicators to determine compensation and consider your specific job family, background, skills, and experience to get it right. These considerations can cause your compensation to vary and will also be dependent on your location. The base salary for this role is typically $120,000 - $150,000. Alfa Laval is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to building an inclusive and diverse workforce. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, or business need, wi