Senior Business Development Manager

Role: Senior Business Development Manager – Export (Spices & Herbs)

Location: Vadodara area (or Gujarat; hybrid/office travel as needed)

Reporting to: Head of Exports / Director – International Business

Team size: ~2–4 direct reports + coordination with sourcing, quality, logistics & marketing

• Key ResponsibilitiesIdentify, develop and execute international business opportunities for spices and herbs across priority markets (e.g., USA, EU, Middle East, Southeast Asia)
• Build and maintain relationships with importers, distributors, food ingredient houses, private-label brands and large retail chains abroad
• Lead the full export sales cycle: market research → lead generation → proposal → negotiation → contract closure → shipment hand-over and post-sales service
• Define and implement export market entry and growth strategies: segmentation, pricing, positioning, value-added/spice-blend offerings, herbs for wellness/natural food segments
• Work closely with the sourcing & quality teams to ensure product specifications, certifications (FSSAI, ISO, HACCP, organic, etc.), traceability and compliance (esp. for EU, US regulation)
• Liaise with logistics, supply-chain and documentation teams to ensure on-time delivery, cost-effective freight, export compliance and smooth clearance
• Monitor market trends, competitor activity, regulatory changes (for example in pesticide residue / ethylene oxide control) and develop mitigation strategies. 
• Prepare and present regular business reports—sales pipeline, forecast, market-share, profitability, new-product proposals—to senior management
• Mentor and guide junior BDMs or export associates; foster a high-performance export sales culture
• Represent the company at trade shows, buyer-seller meets, overseas visits, exhibition events and market-visits
• Required Skills & ExperienceBachelor’s degree in Business Administration, International Trade, Agriculture, Food Science or equivalent. MBA preferred.
• Minimum 8-10 years of business development / export sales experience in agro-commodities, ideally in spices, herbs, botanicals, or food ingredients – with at least 3–5 years in a senior role.
• Proven track record of closing large export deals (USD multi-100k or multi-million) and growing exports in global markets
• Strong understanding of export documentation, international freight & logistics, Incoterms, overseas payment mechanisms (LC, TT etc.), export regulatory/compliance requirements
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation and communication skills – able to engage with senior buyers and key decision-makers internationally
• Ability to travel overseas and make short-term business trips (say 20-30%)
• Analytical mind-set: ability to research new markets, prepare business cases, monitor KPIs and drive results
• Self-motivated, goal-oriented, comfortable working in a mid-sized company / scaling environment
• Multilingual skills (English mandatory; any additional language is a plus, e.g., Arabic, Spanish, French)
• Desirable / Plus QualificationsExperience in value-added spice ingredients (oleoresins, extracts), herb-based wellness ingredients or blends
• Prior exposure to EU / US food-ingredient regulatory frameworks (organic certification, clean-label, traceability)
• Network of international buyers/distributors in U.S., Europe, Middle East or Southeast Asia
• Familiarity with CRM tools, export sales pipeline management & international trade shows
• What We OfferOpportunity to play a key role in a fast-growing export business with global reach
• Autonomy to shape export strategy and build new markets
• Competitive compensation and performance-based incentives aligned with export growth
• Supportive team with cross-functional cooperation (sourcing, operations, quality, logistics)
• Travel opportunities and exposure to global buyers/trade fairs
• Dynamic work culture in the agribusiness / natural-products space