Business Development Specialist, Packaged Foods, Coffee

The Organization At Fair Trade USA, we’re leading the charge toward sustainable development and conscious capitalism by forming fair and honest partnerships across the globe.
We believe in community, we’re excited about change, and we hire driven, talented change makers who share our vision.
Founded in 1998, Fair Trade USA is an internationally renowned social enterprise organization and the leading certifier of fair trade products in North America.
We’re a four-time winner of Fast Company’s "Social Capitalist of the Year" award and the prestigious Skoll Award for Social Entrepreneurship and have been recognized as a leading social venture by the Clinton Global Initiative, Ashoka, the Klaus Schwab Foundation, and the World Economic Forum.
For today’s conscious consumer, Fair Trade USA provides a way to align values with purchasing decisions.
Our widely recognized and trusted Fair Trade Certified™ seal on a product signifies that it was made according to rigorous fair trade standards that promote sustainable livelihoods and safe working conditions, protection of the environment and strong, transparent supply chains.
Since inception, FTUSA has channeled over $846 million in additional income to hardworking families and communities around the world.
We currently partners with over 1400 brands in over 30 different product categories in the U.
S.
and beyond.
And we’re just getting started.
We are continuing to grow and deepen our global impact, and to do so, we are hiring for our expanding team.
We are based in Oakland, California, with a global presence and team members around the world.
Positions may be based at our Oakland, California (Bay Area) location, or remotely.
The Role Fair Trade USA is seeking a Business Development Specialist, Coffee Partnerships to support achievement of our strategic growth and impact goals by increasing conversions and sales of Fair Trade Certified™ coffee products.
This position will be responsible for supporting small and medium sized customers in our current portfolio and identifying and cultivating opportunities within new and existing accounts.
Additionally, this role will help to develop and execute strategies for scalable outreach and activities that help drive engagement across a diverse range of companies and contacts.
Day-to-day, you will be managing current account relationships, supporting inbound leads through our sales process, and proactively engaging with new and existing customer contacts to help explore how Fair Trade can create value for their business.
You will work collaboratively with various teams within Fair Trade USA to support internal initiatives, to drive impact and enhance overall customer experience.
Key Responsibilities Account Management: Support the development and execution of repeatable activation plans with existing portfolio of brand partners and identify and deliver on opportunities for them to grow their Fair Trade impact and sales.
Collaborate cross-functionally with other teams at Fair Trade USA to resolve issues and build value-added services to help our partners market, sell and educate consumers on the benefits of Fair Trade.
Maintain an understanding of market and customer-specific trends including market share, sustainability programs, and industry trends.
Support day-to-day business needs, helping partners achieve their Fair Trade expansion goals and promote their Fair Trade Certified offerings.
Ensure ongoing compliance activities are understood and maintained, including transaction reporting, product registration, appropriate use of our label, and other marketing materials.
Ensure partner information is accurate, complete, and up to date in Salesforce (CRM); document all communications, contacts, and activities.
Manage prioritizing, escalating, and driving customer issues to resolution within the organization.
Assist the Packaged Goods team to hit revenue targets by supporting the execution of key account strategies and plans.
Partner Acquisition: Manage all inbound Leads through initial qualification activities, completing discovery calls, and prioritizing Leads and Opportunities in alignment with Fair Trade USA’s impact growth strategy.
Help create new sales opportunities within existing accounts, through ongoing discovery activities, and identification of conversion and growth opportunities.
Help prepare and facilitate compelling sales conversations that articulate the relevant business, social and environmental value of Fair Trade Certified to prospective partners.
Assist with developing partnership proposals including discovering objectives, defining partnership requirements, and developing value propositions.
Assist the Packaged Goods team with the selling process with large account opportunities, which includes prospecting, pitching the program, negotiating financials, maintaining prospect records and supply chain information, and setting up meetings and calls.
Contribute to the ongoing development of the Packaged Goods strategy to hit growth goals in collaboration with the team.
Brand Building: Participate in industry conferences, tradeshows, and meetings as a representative of Fair Trade USA.
Work with the Fair Trade USA marketing team and our partners on promotions and tools to maximize consumer purchase and awareness.
Seek opportunities for new industry partnerships to build the Fair Trade brand.
Key Qualifications/Experience Required Skills, Experience & Knowledge 2+ years of B2B sales, account management, or customer service experience in food & beverage 2+ years of experience working within the Coffee industry on the commercial side (e.
g.
within brand, roaster, importer, or other service provider companies) Experience with consultative selling or supporting accounts within complex programs or services a plus Previous experience working within the private brand/private label food & beverage side a plus Exceptional written, oral, and presentation communication skills Direct experience & knowledge of retail grocery and supplier relationships a plus Interest in the social/economic/environmental issues impacting sustainable agriculture Ability to operate with flexibility in a fast-paced, evolving environment, and able to manage multiple projects at one time while collaborating with peers to achieve sales targets Highly collaborative team player who can work cross-functionally with all levels of an organization, both internally and externally Self-starter who has the energy, influence, and people skills to build and service strategic partnerships Passion for the Fair Trade mission Curious about business problems, great listening skills, able to ask insightful questions to help you learn about a partner or prospects’ business Energetic and coachable, with a positive attitude and growth mindset Highly organized and self-motivated – you know exactly how to plan your work to meet deadlines, and are skilled at prioritizing a diverse task list Resilient, and assertive– you consider challenges as learning opportunities, and you’re not afraid to ask for what you want or need Comfortable with frequent travel to partners, producers, and industry events (up to 25% travel), Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or similar (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) Experience with file sharing and internal communication – such as Box and Slack Prior experience working with a CRM system, such as Salesforce Our Workplace At Fair Trade USA, we are a mission-driven organization and are deeply committed to fostering an environment that is built on the principles of JEDI; a just, equitable, diverse, and inclusive community for all.
We are committed to upholding an inclusive workplace where all people feel equally respected and valued, and where we can all thrive.
We are a proud equal opportunity employer and welcome applicants from every educational background, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, race, ethnicity, national origin and ancestry, veteran status, marital or family status, and disability.
We believe in empowering our teams to choose to do their best work and grow at Fair Trade USA.
We offer a comprehensive compensation approach including salary, performance-based bonuses, and employee recognition awards, and a generous and thoughtful approach to employee benefits which include: Fully Remote & Flexible Workplace with monthly Final Friday half days Incentive compensation and Bonus awards Generous Health, Dental, and Vision insurance Up to 5% Employer 401k Match Excellent PTO including 12+ Holidays / 15+ Vacations / 9 Sick Leave days annually Annual Winter Break Week with Office Closure from 25th December through New Year Six Weeks Sabbatical Leave after 7 years’ service Parental Leave and Caregiver Programs Mental Health and Wellbeing programs Employee Recognition Awards Employee Perks and Discount programs with Fair Trade Certified partners