About PPC Flexible Packaging

Headquartered in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. PPC FLEX™ (PPC) has steadily grown and evolved organically and through acquisition into a premier high-quality flexible packaging manufacturer. As a dynamic team of design and packaging professionals, PPC is dedicated to providing creative packaging solutions. The company’s capabilities and speed to market have always been PPC’s greatest strength—establishing the organization as a trusted leader within the consumer and cleanroom markets.

Position Summary

The Business Development Manager manages multiple large revenue strategic accounts with a combined annual value of >$10M focused on cleanroom, healthcare, critical environment and specialty customers. The associate will also devote time to new business development to seek opportunities to grow both cleanroom and non-cleanroom products for PPC FLEX. This position involves travel to clients, suppliers, manufacturing facilities (Buffalo Grove, Illinois, Pewaukee, WI, and Payson, Utah), and trade shows to build solid relationships that benefit the company’s sales objectives.

The role will also involve cross-functional project management of new product development activities, which may include new CAPEX or process development. Responsible for analyzing market opportunities and developing and implementing sales and product strategies within the assigned market segment to achieve profitability, revenue growth, and on-time delivery of project initiatives.

Responsibilities and Duties

• Manage a set of established accounts, seek ways to increase market share, and provide new and innovative solutions. Prospect new accounts to maintain a robust sales pipeline that supports the achievement of annual growth targets.
• Develop account-level capture plans that outline the strategy to acquire business from a prospective customer.
• Leverage Salesforce CRM to drive forward-looking visibility in support of cross-functional partners (timing, size, and ongoing updates surrounding opportunities pipeline)
• Effectively market and sell PPC’s strategy at various levels within prospective customers, including senior management, procurement, technical, and brand managers, through direct relationships within the accounts.
• Develops, coordinates, and conducts customer sales presentations.
• Actively seeks and promotes new uses or applications for our technology/products (e.g., Transition from Rigid to Flexible Packaging) and works with Marketing, Engineering, Graphics, Operations, and any other resources necessary to provide a solution to the customer.
• Focuses on Value Selling, gaining understanding, driving, and facilitating the quotation process to achieve margin expectations.
• Works closely with PPC’s Project Managers, Account Managers, and Technical and Operations teams to assist in the “onboarding” process, which includes trials, scale ups, stability testing, and commercialization of new products.
• Communicates competitive developments regarding marketing strategies, pricing structures, or product performance to sales and mgmt.
• Help to identify emerging market and customer trends and opportunities.
• Maintain close communications with marketing and product development to recommend and promote new applications and PPC products' technologies to assigned customers and prospects.
• Effectively negotiates pricing and contractual issues with customers.
• Facilitates and assists in resolving escalating issues between accounts and PPC on payment terms, aged inventory, product performance, pricing, service, etc.
• Utilize customer scorecards and metrics to effectively manage customer expectations and develop plans to drive resources that bring growth and profitability. Understand and communicate internally the “outside–in” view of customer service level.

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree, engineering or science degree preferred, and 7+ years’ experience in a similar role in Healthcare, Cleanroom, or Food and consumer Packaging. Working Conditions and Physical Requirements:
• Must be able to travel 30%-40%
• Must have a working knowledge of Flexible Packaging end-user applications in the medical/healthcare, critical environment, cleanroom, and pharmaceutical markets. (An added working knowledge of end-user flexible packaging equipment is also desirable).
• Advanced value-add selling, negotiation, and customer-relationship management skills. Must have a “hunter” mentality; strong “door opener” with the ability to be persistent, creative, and bold in pursuing new business.
• Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to deliver clear and concise presentations; a strong influencer who builds rapport and credibility.
• Strong relationships in the Healthcare / Pharma/ Medical Device packaging industry
• Experience with large accounts with annual values of > $5M
• Ability to manage multiple accounts projects and balance time and priorities.
• Experience with account management and customer relationship management.
• Must have demonstrated Project/Program/Product management skills.
• Strong technical expertise in components and construction of flexible packaging materials; the ability to learn, retain, and successfully apply technical knowledge to the business development process is required.
• Familiarity with CRM systems (Salesforce or similar)