Job Overview

The Chinese domestic Infant Nutrition market is the largest infant nutrition market in the world and therefore a key market for both the company’s customers and the company itself.

For this client, Talent Fishers is looking for a Business Development Director to be preferably based in the northern region of China.

The Business Development Director will be mainly responsible for:

• Develops overall relationships with the Chinese infant nutrition producers. Sets the strategy and build business cases to develop potential business for Company. High financial impact in terms of value generation.

Reporting: General Manager - Nutrition & Custom

Location:  China – preferable in the Northern region (some traveling to plants in Europe is required.

Citizenship:  Chinese

• Develop a relationship with key Chinese infant formula players as new Company IFT customers to convince them to bring part of their can filling to Europe with Company and its partners.
• Establish and maintain relationships with management and other key decision makers.
• Direct ownership and accountability for these new customers on Growth and customer satisfaction and the increase in long term loyalty.
• Develop and implement account strategies in line with Company framework. Promotion of the high-quality European Milk and Company as best partner.
• Collaborate in RFQs with deal Support team and Business Unit.
• Drives new service or product development projects.
• Manage Pricing and Profitability (in conjunction with deal Support team and Finance team).
• Prepare and facilitate visits of the new relations on Company property in EU.
• Visit main filling sites to deepen customer knowledge and become the true customer expert.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required by the company, or your direct supervisor.
• Win new customers in China for components produced by Company in Europe. Although this is not our base business model, this could either be the entrance point of a new customer relation or the opportunity to fill a shortage in the demand.
• Expand Company's customer relationships in China, collaborate with the European Account management and Operations to enhance Company’s growth in China.
• Represent Company in Chinese infant nutrition industry associations and industry fairs.
• Develop a network in China and frequently communicate out of this to make sure Company management stays fully up to date on all major trends and changes in the Chinese IFT market.

Education: Bachelor’s degree required, Master’s degree preferred; in fields such as business administration, finance, law or a scientific or technical field.

• Fluent English
• 10 years of work experience with multinational companies in nutrition
• Infant nutrition industry experience ideally gained through work experience with one of the IFT producers in China
• Minimum three years of B2B industrial sales or distribution sales experience, preferably with industrial-oriented UN packaging
• Relationship builder with political feeling to connect Chinese and European players
• Must possess an “Of Service” attitude towards customers and colleagues alike
• Professional appearance and manner
• Preferred to be comfortable in office, factory and warehouse environments
• Ability to work with Chinese and European CxO management as well as plant level employees.
• Ability to work with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel (pivot-table experience a plus) and PowerPoint

Knowledge/Skills/Abilities/Behaviors (DRAFT)

Professional

• Previous experience with/insights to assigned market
• Strong political sense to bring the right message to the right people.
• Bridge builder with strong connecting skills  

Technical

• Strategic ability to develop high impact strategies. Exhibits thought leadership
• Solid analytical skills. Able to define and understand the most critical issues
• Strong negotiating skills. Thorough understanding of sales/marketing practices
• Ability to develop actionable recommendations and implementation plans
• Excellent communication skills (written and verbal)

Company Leadership Framework competencies

• Business Acumen
• Customer Focus
• Building Effective Teams
• Influencing Others
• Drive For Results 

Key Performance Indicators

•  (Financial) Creating relations with Chinese customers leading into solid business cases for Company to extend business in Europe.
• (Service Provision) n/a
• (Client Management) Creating the right contacts with at minimum the 3 main players in the market.
• (Process Improvement & Compliance) Professional attitude and complete trustworthy relationship with new and existing customers.

(Growth) Company turnover increase through Chinese contacts. Step 1: possible delivery of components to China. Step 2; Company turnover increase through delivery of cans to Chinese customers.

Major challenges & complexities

Describe the most difficult types of problems and/or major challenges faced in performing the job.

• Play a lead role in developing business at the Chinese nutrition producers
• Convince Chinese producers to start a contingency supply from Europe

Relationships

List the titles of individuals, departments and organizations with which the job has the most frequent contact.  This should include contacts both inside and outside the organization.

• Direct reporting to:
• General Manager - Nutrition & Custom
• Direct reporting from:
• No
• External relations:
• The DMU (C-level) Chinese nutrition producers
• Marketing intelligence and R&D
• Government Bodies
• Industry/Market Relationships
• Professional Associations/Institution
• Internal relations:
• BU leadership team
• European Account management and Operations team
• Global BD
• Supply Chain department