Business Development Manager – Food & Feed (Formulation)

CPI helps make great ideas and inventions a reality. We’re a team of intelligent people using advances in science and technology to solve the biggest global challenges in healthcare and sustainability.

Through our incredible people and innovation infrastructure, we collaborate with our partners in industry, academia, government, and the investment community to accelerate the development and commercialisation of innovative products.

From health technologies and pharmaceuticals to sustainable food and materials innovations, we turn the entrepreneurial spirit and radical thinking of our people and partners into incredible impact that makes our world a better place.

Hybrid Working

CPI has an opportunity for an experienced Business Development Manager – Food & Feed (Formulation) to join our team in the growing Food & Feed sector aligned with the Formulation Business unit at Sedgefield.

This is an exciting opportunity to engage with a diverse range of companies with early-stage concepts and connect them with the commercialisation expertise in formulation from idea creation to commercial scale proof of principle, through bespoke services and extensive knowledge of innovation. Food and Feed is a key sector for CPI where we use our expertise in a number of areas to develop new products and processes whether it’s a novel food, functional ingredients or nutraceutical. The successful candidate will have a strong background in this strategically aligned area.

View the link below to read about how Calysta engaged with the experienced research, development and scale-up team at CPI to deliver a business-critical objective: developing the world’s first single-cell protein production facility using methane as a feedstock.

https://www.uk-cpi.com/case-studies/calysta-collaboration-reaches-significant-milestone

The below links will also provide insight into to the role and projects we have used our expertise in these market areas:

• https://www.uk-cpi.com/agrifoodtech/novel-food
• https://www.uk-cpi.com/case-st…

In the role of Business Development Manager, you will support the delivery of ambitious commercial growth targets and engage, grow and manage a client pipeline encompassing organisations ranging from universities and SMEs to global companies. Reporting to the Business Development Director you will be developing and executing plans to grow revenue in alignment with the business development strategy, developing opportunities by applying your market knowledge. In this role, you will continually develop sustainable relationships, manage networks and stakeholder relationships both internal and external. You will also generate leads and secure contracts and develop a deep knowledge of client’s needs and challenges, liaising closely with CPI’s scientific team to develop high-quality, creative commercial proposals.

This role be well suited to a candidate with an appreciation of the challenges in the development, optimisation and commercial scale-up of processes, products and technologies.

To fulfil the role you will should be able to show demonstrable evidence of the successful utilisation of a defined sales process. You should have an obvious hunger and desire, and obtain personal satisfaction by working hard to successfully close an opportunity and obtain purchase orders. The ability to simplify a complex technical offering and distil it to an offer with a compelling value proposition to clients is essential.

Key tasks of the role will include but are not limited to:

• Execute plans to grow income in focus areas (Food & Feed) in alignment with CPI strategy and key target metrics.
• Develop sustainable collaborative partnerships (for example with companies, universities, and innovation centres) to understand industry requirements and communicate CPI service offering to enable the effective delivery of the business development and technical strategies.
• Source new business opportunities by prospecting, such as through trade events and by contacting relevant companies; and leveraging existing client relationships.
• Utilize networks (including public funding mechanisms) to enable efficient and proactive identification and prioritisation of project opportunities.
• Maintain an accurate Sales Funnel in CRM system.
• Prepare compelling project proposals briefs and quotes; where appropriate manage internal and external supporting resources; and closing the sale with the client.
• Enable the translation of the technical capability offering to clients.
• Input relevant business development data/reports to various internal management activities (including portfolio management, and business performance) and external stakeholder reporting and monitoring (for example grant funding bodies).

• It is essential you are educated to a minimum of Degree level (or higher) in a Life Science or Chemistry, Biology, Biochemistry, Microbiology, and Biochemical Engineering as the preferred disciplines.
• The role involves travel to events and clients throughout the UK and beyond. It is essential that candidates applying for this vacancy hold a full UK driving licence and have the ability to work away from home for short periods.
• You will have demonstrable excellent client management and communication skills, to enable effective relationships with technical and commercial leads within CPI and network partners and will also be able to generate strong value propositions with project partners.
• Demonstrable experience in business development in a technical organisation is an essential requirement.
• Successful track record in sales and negotiating, delivering to targets in a technical organisation.
• You will also have good working knowledge and broad experience with IT packages.

Desirable:

• Business development experience in a contract research organisation or a research/development service environment.
• Experience in the Food & Feed market.
• Experience in using a CRM system.
• Experience in levering public funding mechanisms to support R&D and innovation.

At CPI, we offer a wide range of benefits to our employees, this includes:

• Up to 36 days holiday, including bank holidays – Plus a holiday purchasing scheme
• Generous pension scheme
• Life assurance and accident insurance schemes
• Flexible working
• Learning and Development Opportunities
• Free parking

Find out more about our culture and benefits.

CPI is an organisation based in the UK. Commencement of employment is conditional to demonstrating right to work in the UK, sponsorship may be available.