What are the responsibilities and job description for the Technical Sales Specialist (Food Ingredients) position at Briess Industries?
Job Overview:
We are seeking a skilled and motivated Technical Sales Specialist to join our dynamic team at Briess. This multifaceted role combines technical expertise with customer-facing sales support, providing critical resources for both internal teams and external customers. The Technical Sales Specialist will serve as a subject matter expert (SME) for our product portfolio, offering guidance on product applications, troubleshooting customer challenges, and driving strategic growth opportunities.
This position requires a strong background in food science or related fields, excellent communication skills, and a passion for solving technical problems in the food and beverage industry. The ideal candidate will thrive in a collaborative environment, excel at building customer relationships, and contribute to innovation and product development.
Key Responsibilities:
Technical Expertise & Customer Support (25%)
- Serve as a Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the company’s product portfolio, including standard product lines, finished product properties, applications, and plant capabilities.
- Provide technical guidance and recommendations to customers on product use in applications, ensuring alignment with their needs and goals.
- Collaborate with customers to troubleshoot technical challenges, resolve complaints, and develop effective solutions, including on-site visits when necessary.
- Gather and relay detailed technical information from customers for product matching, complaint resolution, and new product development projects.
Sales & Business Development (30%)
- Identify areas of potential growth in product offerings and business expansion to meet customer needs and align with company goals.
- Partner with marketing and sales leadership to develop and execute strategic initiatives that drive innovation, new product development, and market expansion.
- Act as a key member of the technical team to support sales efforts, including participating in product demonstrations, customer training, and technical consultations.
- Travel to conventions, trade shows, technical conferences, and customer locations to represent the company, promote products, and strengthen relationships.
Product Applications & Innovation (30%)
- Conduct food and beverage applications work in kitchen and laboratory settings, creating prototypes to support sales, marketing, and product/market development efforts. This work would be in many end use markets – bakery, snacks, sauces, beverages, frozen dessert, meals, seasonings, etc.
- Identify and collaborate with external partners for product application projects, maintaining relationships and leading joint initiatives.
- Gather samples and technical data from customers to support product matching, new product development, and innovation projects.
- Contribute to the development of new products by providing technical insights and collaborating with internal R&D and technical teams.
Content Creation & Training (15%)
- Develop and deliver original technical content (e.g., presentations, white papers, case studies) to support product marketing, customer education, and internal training.
- Create marketing content for internal and external publication, working closely with the marketing team to ensure accuracy and alignment with brand messaging.
- Provide training on product applications, characteristics, use, and handling to customers and internal staff using a variety of media (e.g., in-person, virtual, written guides).
Food Safety & Compliance
- Adhere to all government and company safety, sanitation, and Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) policies and regulations.
- Ensure compliance with SQF (Safe Quality Food), Food Safety, and Food Quality standards in all activities.
Qualifications:
Education & Experience
- Bachelor’s degree or higher in Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Biology, Chemistry, or a related scientific field.
- 2-5 years of experience in a customer-facing technical role within the food or beverage industry.
- Work history in a food manufacturing environment, with experience in targeted areas such as confectionery, bakery, pet food, or RTE (ready-to-eat) cereal highly desirable.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Suite (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint) for technical documentation, presentations, and data analysis.
Skills & Competencies
- Strong technical knowledge of food ingredients, product applications, and manufacturing processes.
- Excellent problem-solving skills with the ability to troubleshoot customer challenges and provide actionable solutions.
- Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to diverse audiences.
- Proven ability to build and maintain strong customer relationships, with a customer-centric mindset.
- Strategic thinker with experience identifying growth opportunities and contributing to business development initiatives.
- Collaborative team player with the ability to work effectively with cross-functional teams, including R&D, sales, marketing, and technical staff.
- Comfortable working in both office and laboratory/kitchen environments, with a hands-on approach to product applications.
Physical Demands & Work Environment:
- Ability to travel up to 50% of the time, including overnight travel, to represent the company at trade shows, technical conferences, and customer locations.
- Comfortable working in a hybrid environment, with time split between the Chilton office, remote work, and travel.
- Ability to perform hands-on work in kitchen and laboratory settings, including lifting and handling equipment as needed.
