Business Growth Advisor - Food and Beverage

This role is based in Manhattan, New York. 

Who we are: Ko Te Taurapa Tūhonotēnei 

New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is New Zealand's international business development agency. We work with some of New Zealand's most forward-thinking companies, helping them grow bigger, better, and faster around the world. We have five offices and more than 50 team members across the U.S. and Canada driving this purpose.   

New Zealand Food & Beverage is renowned for its exceptional taste, high-quality, natural and sustainable products, and high food safety standards. New Zealand is particularly known for its grass-fed red meat and dairy, sustainable wine and aquaculture, liquid gold Mānuka honey, pet food packed with novel proteins, and a variety of well-sourced and innovative consumer packaged goods. Many New Zealand producers prioritize sustainability, guided by the Māori principle of kaitiakitanga: to protect and safeguard the land, sea, and people for future generations.  

What you’ll be doing:  Tewhakamahere 

You will work with a portfolio of New Zealand Food & Beverage companies in a one-on-one capacity, supporting them to develop and execute their U.S. strategic plans, and accelerate their commercial growth. You will deeply understand each company’s intent, proposition and operating model, through highly trusted commercially focused conversations. You will leverage your and NZTE’s collective expertise, connections, and various services to add value that advances decision making for the New Zealand company.

You will work with and guide these companies to have a deeper understanding of the U.S. market, including their unique consumer segments, product, service differentiation, channel selection, supply chain, brand, and marketing.

Some of the companies will be well-established in the U.S. market, and will be larger in size, scale, resources, and capability and maintaining market position will be important. Others will be in the process of establishing themselves in the U.S. and scaling up. Moreover, some companies will be seeking early market validation to understand the viability and feasibility of entering the U.S. market. This diversity will make your work both interesting and dynamic, requiring a flexible and adaptable approach.

You will also be part of a passionate Food & Beverage sector team of peers, collaborating across NZTE in North America to understand opportunities and challenges of New Zealand companies. These efforts will support the evolution of our service offering, enhancing the organization’s ability to create meaningful commercial impact.

What you’ll need to be successful:  Ō Pūkenga 

This role involves coaching, advising, and connecting - making it ideal for a reliable self-starter with advisory experience in the F&B space. A growth mindset is essential as you will need to quickly diagnose business challenges and identify opportunities beyond your core expertise. A willingness and enthusiasm to “make it happen” should be part of your daily attitude. 

You should be highly commercial, with a solid understanding of both startup and scale-up environments. The role requires someone savvy across multiple categories and channels, with a healthy dose of EQ, and an understanding of growth phases in Food and Beverage. A CPG superstar would be a bonus!  

You should be comfortable with various Food & Beverage channels to market, including natural and conventional grocery, marketplaces, and food service. This may involve learning new industry knowledge and networks, maintaining your own growth mindset to support the growth of your portfolio. You’ll also need to be savvy with cost-effective, innovative, and high impact brand and marketing strategies for the U.S. market. 

The right candidate will be empathetic - taking the time to listen, understand, and ask insightful questions before recommending a course of action. You’ll be an active contributor and champion of the New Zealand Food & Beverage sector in the U.S., while building and maintaining industry relationships within the ecosystem. 

Ideally you will bring: 

-Minimum 6 years’ experience in the industry, with a robust generalist background in Food & Beverage in the United States, ideally growing a successful international brand in the US market.  

-Experience across a variety of Food & Beverage disciplines. Small business or start up experience is helpful, as you’ll better understand the entrepreneurial mindset.  

-Experience working either as a consultant, buyer, distributor, or on the brand side. Ideally you will have first-hand experience taking premium (and often natural and sustainable) products to market across multiple channels.  

-An established network within the Food & Beverage sector across the United States. Specifically in CPG is a bonus. 

Why you’ll love working here: Nau mai ki Te Taurapa Tūhono 

This role offers a valuable opportunity to apply your well-honed strategic thinking in an international environment and contribute to the New Zealand Food & Beverage community. 

NZTE offers a flexible and stimulating environment with a unique opportunity to develop and access world-class business networks within a talented, diverse, and global group. We’re a public service organization that cares for our team and supports them with flexible working options, technology, development opportunities, and support so they can perform at their best. 

NZTE currently operates in a hybrid working environment, with time required in the Manhattan office as well as flexible work-from-home options. Travel is needed to visit industry events, customers, and attend team meetings. This role involves working across multiple time zones, so flexibility is important. An indicative compensation range for this role is between $143,000 - $159,000 per year, which includes a metallic platinum medical insurance plan with dental and vision coverage. 

Please note, internally this role is known as a Business Development Manager (BDM).  

What’s next: Te ara ki tua 

Please check out the position description here and apply with a current CV. Please include a cover letter describing why you think you are suited to this role.  

This vacancy closes 5pm EDT Wednesday 23rd April 2025.

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States. Employment visa sponsorship is not available.

If you have any issues uploading your CV and cover letter, please send directly to: tas@nzte.govt.nz  

Learn more about NZTE culture here: https://youtu.be/II9J2Cf7rmY 

We believe New Zealand is good for the world. New Zealand Trade and Enterprise (NZTE) is an equal opportunity employer. At NZTE it is all about our people and we seek diversity of thought; we welcome and encourage you to apply regardless of ethnicity, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, neurodiversity or disability. We also welcome applications from Veterans.  

Salary : $143,000 - $159,000