Technical Sales Representative Beverages
LOCATION: UK Remote
REPORTS TO: Sales Manager, Beverages – UK
DIRECT REPORTS: None
Company Background
Ingredion is a Fortune 500 provider of ingredient solutions that helps nourish, comfort, sustain, and delight people around the world. Ingredion’s wide range of ingredient solutions is strategically designed to address changing consumer trends and preferences. Our specialty portfolio includes starch-based texturizers, clean and simple ingredients, plant-based proteins, sugar reduction and specialty sweeteners, and food systems. Our innovative ingredient solutions are used by consumers in everyday products, from foods and beverages to paper and pharmaceuticals. And we do it all in a planet-friendly sustainable manner.
The Technical Sales Representative is primarily responsible for providing sales and account development activities including on-site visits and technical support to a set number of customers in the assigned category to achieve pipeline, revenue goals and objectives.
Core Responsibilities
- Delivering Growth - Deliver Business Goals and growth targets for the assigned customer portfolio within the Beverage Category through managing existing business, developing new customers & customer projects with differentiated and innovative products and creating new, cross-selling opportunities. Execute on Strategic Account Plans and commercial activities for the selected customers with commercial responsibility.
- Technical Support - Represent Ingredion and be the point of contact for assigned customers requiring technical support. Manage, in close collaboration with Technical Service, according to customer brief, the formulation of a wide range of beverage and sports nutrition products demonstrating the value of our sugar reduction, plant based functional and texturising specialty solutions, and identifying new product innovation opportunities to drive business growth in target accounts. Work with Technical Services in order to analyze customer processes and formulations and provide timely recommendations meeting customer requirements for cost savings, quality improvements, or product innovation, particularly in sugar reduction and flavour modulation. Apply food technology knowledge to subsequently make recommendations on ingredient selection and/or process adjustments. Support the technical team in conducting trials related to customer projects; this involves recipe / process development or fine-tuning and may be required to be done in the presence of customers. This may also include the ability to prepare meaningful prototypes in our application lab to demonstrate the value of our ingredients.
- Relationship Building - Network with customers, external collaborative partners, and build relationships within the food industry. Continuously develop and broaden the stakeholder network at customers to drive business development along the customer buying cycle and ensure a positive customer experience across all relevant functions and levels. Organize visits to customers and/or visits from customers to the Ingredion Idea Labs within the EMEA region.
Develop a strong internal network across different departments (incl. Go-To-Market team, supply chain, finance, quality etc.) to ensure flawless communication and speed to market.
- Customer Management - Manage pricing, contracts and forecast accuracy for the portfolio of customers with commercial responsibility. Record and share relevant customer activities and project updates in designated knowledge management and CRM tools.
- Internal Initiatives - Display exemplary participation and leadership in our Care First program as well as Continuous Improvement and Customer Excellence initiatives.
Mandatory Requirements
Qualified candidates will have:
- Minimum 2-3 years experience in a commercial role in the food industry / desire to move into sales
- Knowledgeable in Food Science or Technology (preferably a degree in Food Science or adjacent disciplines)
- Passionate about Food and willingness to work Sales and Account Management
- Computer literacy (MS Office, etc.)
- Ability to travel across Europe when required
- Valid driving license
Desired Requirements
- Prior beverages and / or sports nutrition experience
- Experienced with pilot plant equipment and supervising factory trials
Required Behaviors And Skills
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Commercial Acumen
- Persuasive i.e. negotiates to close successfully
- Takes responsibility to deliver on commitments
- Curious, creative, agile
- Works proactively to continually drive