Product Development Manager Jobs in Minnesota (NOW HIRING)

Job Details Level: Experienced
Job Location: Performance Pet Products - Mitchell, SD 57301
Position Type: Full Time
Education Level: Bachelors
Salary Range: $80,000.00 - $120,000.00 Base+Commission/month
Travel Percentage: 50%+
Job Shift: 1st (Day Shift)
Job Category: Sales

Farmers Union Industries, LLC, also known as FUI, is a leading agricultural-based manufacturing company headquartered in Redwood Falls, MN. Our current operations include Central Bi-Products, Northland Choice, Midwest Grease, Artex Manufacturing, Redwood Farms Meat Processors, and Performance Pet Products. Please visit our website at fuildc.com to learn more!

Performance Pet, located in Mitchell, SD, works with brands both large and small to create an assortment of canned dog and cat foods. Learn more about what we do at fuildc.com/performance-pet-products/.

Performance Pet Products is seeking a results-driven Business Development Manager to drive profitable growth within our pet food co-manufacturing business. This role is responsible for developing new customer relationships, expanding strategic accounts, and identifying growth opportunities across wet pet food manufacturing, new product development, and customer commercialization.

The Business Development Manager will maintain a strong external focus, developing relationships with pet food brands, retailers, and strategic industry partners. This position will work closely with sales leadership, customer service, R&D, procurement, operations, production planning, and logistics to align customer growth opportunities with Performance Pet Products' manufacturing capabilities and long-term capacity strategy.

This position will provide a base salary + opportunity for commission and remote work option. We offer a competitive salary and a complete benefits package includes health, dental, vision, PTO, paid holidays, an impressive 401K match, and much more!

Schedule: Monday-Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm
Additional hours may be necessary for customer support

All areas of accountability to be delivered with GRIT - our values of Generosity, Relationships, Integrity, and Teamwork

• Develop and execute sales strategies focused on growing the pet food co-manufacturing business
• Identify, prospect, and secure new branded, private label, and strategic co-manufacturing customers
• Develop and maintain a qualified pipeline of new business opportunities
• Expand existing customer relationships through new products, SKUs, formats, and volume
• Lead commercial discussions involving pricing, volume, capacity, and customer programs
• Negotiate customer programs and commercial agreements within established company guidelines
• Achieve assigned volume, revenue, margin, and capacity utilization objectives
• Develop long-term relationships with key customer decision-makers
• Maintain regular customer contact through onsite visits, business reviews, and industry events
• Understand customer brand strategies, innovation pipelines, product needs, and long-term growth objectives
• Identify customer risks, competitive threats, and opportunities for account growth
• Serve as the commercial owner of assigned customer relationships
• Partner with Customer Service and Sales Support on daily account execution and customer communication
• Maintain a strong understanding of Performance Pet Products' manufacturing capabilities
• Monitor pet food trends, competitive activity, packaging innovation, and customer demand
• Identify opportunities across wet pet food, functional formulas, premium products, toppers, and emerging formats
• Provide customer and market feedback to sales leadership, R&D, and operations
• Identify strategic product and manufacturing capability opportunities
• Support customer commercialization and new product development initiatives
• Work with R&D and customers to advance new product concepts and commercialization projects
• Coordinate with operations and production planning to align customer demand with available capacity
• Communicate customer forecasts, volume changes, launches, and new opportunities to internal teams
• Partner with Customer Service and Sales Support on order execution, product releases, and shipment coordination
• Work with procurement on ingredient and packaging requirements for customer programs
• Participate in sales forecasting, capacity planning, and profitability reviews
• Develop and maintain account growth plans for assigned customers and prospects
• Track volume, revenue, margin, capacity utilization, and account performance
• Maintain accurate customer and sales opportunity information
• Provide regular pipeline and business development updates
• Manage commercial opportunity pipelines from initial customer engagement through production launch
• Proactively identify opportunities to improve customer and program profitability
• Maintain regular and predictable on-site attendance
• Travel up to 50%, annually

Situations may arise that require employees to temporarily or permanently assume responsibility for tasks not specifically outlined in this job description. Employees may be requested to work additional hours and/or accommodate a heavier than normal workload.

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Agriculture, Animal Science, Meat Science, or related field preferred
• 5+ years of experience in pet food, food manufacturing, co-manufacturing, ingredients, or business development preferred
• Strong understanding of pet food manufacturing and commercialization processes preferred
• Proven ability to develop new customer relationships and grow existing accounts
• Strong negotiation, communication, and relationship-building skills
• Ability to travel as needed
• Growth-oriented business development mindset
• Strong commercial and margin-management instincts
• Customer-focused relationship builder
• Comfortable prospecting and developing new business
• Strong understanding of the pet food industry and co-manufacturing environment
• Ability to manage complex customer commercialization projects
• Self-motivated with a high level of accountability
• Collaborative and comfortable working across departments

Perform desk work (sitting or standing) for up to 100% of workday

Repetitively use wrist, hand, and/or fingers