Regional Technical Sales & Application Manager

A fairly large food business is setting up a new department in California.

For context, client is looking for a Food Technologies/Researcher turned NPD speicalist with some commercial elements in it. This isn't a numbers-carrying sales role.

Responsibilities:

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• Customer & Commercial Support Partner closely with the commercial team to support customers across North, Central, and South America.
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• Provide technical assistance to address formulation, quality, and process-related challenges in customer operations.
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• Recommend process optimizations, product adaptations, and raw material alternatives to enhance cost-efficiency, functionality, and sustainability.
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• Support key account development and participate in customer meetings, trials, and technical presentations to strengthen long-term partnerships.
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• Technical Sales & Market Development: Drive technical sales initiatives to expand company Specialty Fats’ market presence in the Americas.
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• Identify and develop new business opportunities across target segments such as bakery, confectionery, dairy, frying, and industrial food manufacturing.
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• Collaborate with regional commercial teams to translate technical solutions into commercial value propositions.
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• Support the development of regional marketing materials, technical literature, and product positioning strategies.
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• New Product Development (NPD) Lead and support formulation development for edible oils, specialty fats, and customized applications based on customer and market needs.
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• Coordinate with R&D centers and production teams to ensure timely product qualification and commercialization.
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• Implement continuous improvement initiatives to enhance product performance and customer satisfaction.
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• Capability Expansion & Strategic Growth: Contribute to the roadmap for expanding company’s specialty fats capabilities in the Americas—covering technical service, applications development, and production support.
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• Identify and evaluate technology investments, partnerships, and formulation innovations to strengthen regional competitiveness.
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• Provide technical insights to guide strategic decisions on market entry, product portfolio expansion, and infrastructure development.
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• Technical Advisory & Troubleshooting: Deliver practical technical support and troubleshooting solutions for specialty fats used in diverse food applications.
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• Act as a regional subject matter expert, advising internal teams and customers on formulation, processing, and product optimization.
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• Market & Technology Insights: Monitor and analyze market trends, consumer shifts, and innovation drivers across the fats and oils landscape in the Americas.
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• Identify emerging technologies in formulation, processing, and sustainability that align with company’s global strategy.
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• Regulatory & Documentation Support: Oversee preparation and review of product documentation including specifications, technical data sheets, and regulatory compliance materials for the US, Canada, Latin America, and export markets.
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• Provide technical support for product registration, certification, and audits.
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• Collaboration & Coordination: Coordinate closely with Group R&D Centres and other regional business units to ensure alignment and knowledge sharing.
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• Strengthen cross-functional collaboration with sales, marketing, and supply chain teams to drive transparency and execution excellence.
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Requirement:

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• Bachelor’s degree in Food Technology, Food Engineering, Food Science, Chemical Engineering, or a related field.
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• Minimum 10 years of experience in the food industry, preferably within edible oils, specialty fats, or food ingredient sectors.
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• Proven experience in technical sales, applications support, and business development across the Americas market.
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• Strong customer-facing skills with the ability to translate technical knowledge into commercial outcomes.
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• Excellent communication, teamwork, and interpersonal abilities.
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• Strong analytical mindset; able to work independently and manage multiple projects under pressure.
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• Proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint; familiarity with CRM or sales reporting tools is an advantage.
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• Willingness to travel across the Americas region as required.
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