Business Development Manager

We are Fonterra, one of the world's largest dairy nutrition companies.

At Fonterra, you’ll be inspired by purpose and guided by principles. Whether you're based in New Zealand or anywhere else around the world, you’ll be part of a team that creates goodness for generations and delivers global impact through local action. Our brands are trusted by families and individuals alike, delivering high-quality dairy nutrition to millions of people globally.

As a Co-operative created and owned by New Zealand dairy farmers, our collaboration, innovation, and passion have enabled us to share the goodness of our dairy with the world. We're committed to caring for the land, our animals, and every drop of milk, producing nutritious food with safe, quality ingredients loved in New Zealand and around the world.

As part of the Fonterra Co-op, you'll be solving for a better future alongside a team connected by solid values as we strive to be a leader in dairy sustainability, dairy innovation and science, with a focus on New Zealand milk.

When you join Fonterra, you'll open yourself to a career of opportunities where you can grow with us by developing your skills, sharing your knowledge, and exploring diverse career paths that ignite your passions.

We’re seeking a dynamic Business Development Manager - Premium Private Label to lead growth across our value added private label ingredients portfolio across the business, but primarily focusing on the US market.

This role is critical to expanding our presence with strategic customers by identifying premium private label opportunities, shaping differentiated propositions, and building long term partnerships. You’ll operate at the intersection of customer insight, commercial strategy, and innovation, translating market trends into profitable growth.

• Lead the commercial growth strategy for the Premium Private Label ingredients portfolio.
• Identify and develop new premium private label opportunities with key customers, from concept through to commercialisation.
• Expand market share across premium dairy ingredients by unlocking new customers, applications, and channels.
• Build strong, senior level customer relationships grounded in partnership and long term value creation.
• Provide market intelligence on consumer trends, premiumisation, and the competitive landscape to inform strategy and innovation.
• Own the US sales pipeline, including forecasting, target setting, and performance tracking. As we grow, the scope will branch across borders.
• Collaborate cross functionally with R&D, supply chain, quality, strategy and marketing to deliver winning customer solutions.
• Influence portfolio direction through insight led recommendations on product, format, and customer prioritisation.

You’re commercially astute with a strong background in food or dairy ingredients, and you’ve ideally worked with private label or customer branded portfolios, particularly in premium or value added categories.

You bring a sharp commercial mindset, with experience growing accounts, managing complex negotiations, change management skills (implementing ways of working within an organisation) and delivering profitable outcomes. You’re comfortable owning a sales pipeline end to end—setting targets, forecasting accurately, and converting opportunities into sustainable business.

You have a solid understanding of the US ingredients and retail markets, including customer dynamics, innovation cycles, and premiumisation trends. Building trusted, senior level customer relationships comes naturally to you, and you enjoy partnering closely with customers to develop differentiated solutions that meet both technical and commercial needs.

You’re equally at ease working independently and collaborating cross functionally, proactively engaging R&D, marketing, quality, and supply chain teams to bring ideas to life – internally and externally. You think strategically about where to focus effort and investment, but you’re also hands on in driving execution. You’re organised, commercially disciplined, and comfortable managing multiple priorities in a fast moving environment.

Are you excited…