Management Associate - Strategic Initiatives

About Us:

NuTaste Food and Drink Labs Pvt. Ltd. (formerly Fuerst Day Lawson India Pvt Ltd) is a leading Taste & Nutrition solution provider to the food and beverage industry and brand owners especially food service and FMCG. Our range of products include from flavors and fillings, bakery pastes and glazes, fruit compotes and granolas, juices & blends, functional energy and vitamin ingredients, to FMCG menu concepts and finished products. Innovation is at the core of our business. We support, create and deliver premium grade ingredients and products to the food, beverage and industrial industries, providing a complete supply chain solution from start to finish. Our Organizational Objectives include establishing a “Culture of Care” to ensure a happy and committed team. Our Organization’s Purpose Statement is – Consistently delight customers through innovation and service. Our Core Values are

1. Be Trustworthy – We always say and do the right thing even when no one is watching.

2. Be Dependable – We are responsible and accountable in our actions.

3. Be Innovative – We question “What-is” and work towards “What-can-be”.

4. We Care – We develop and celebrate our people.

Why Join Us:

• Career Growth: Opportunity to fast-track your career with a leading global food and beverage company.

• Professional Development: Comprehensive training and mentorship program to develop your skills and expertise.

• Dynamic Work Environment: Be part of a vibrant and inclusive culture that encourages innovation, collaboration, and excellence. Certified as Great Place to Work and Top 100 Best Place to Work for Women!

• Competitive Compensation: Attractive salary and benefits package, including health insurance, performance incentives, and more.

About the role:

We are looking for a dynamic, ambitious Management Associate – Strategic Initiatives to work closely with the Managing Director on high-impact initiatives centered on growth, market capture, customer conversions, and strategic international expansion. This role is ideal for someone with strong business acumen, curiosity about how businesses scale, and a genuine passion for sales, customer engagement, and closing deals. You will gain unparalleled exposure to senior leadership thinking and the inner workings of a fast-growing B2B food ingredients business pivoted on innovation. The position requires resilience, adaptability, and the ability to operate in a fast-paced environment with extensive travel and long working hours.

Duties & Responsibilities:

Strategic & Sales Growth Initiatives

• Work with the MD on initiatives that drive top-line growth, sales acceleration, and customer acquisition.

• Support sales projects—lead generation, customer profiling, opportunity assessment, and deal-closure coordination.

• Contribute to building compelling value propositions, proposals, and pitch decks for HoReCa, QSR, and large manufacturers/brand owners.

Market Intelligence & Business Analysis

• Conduct detailed market studies, competitive benchmarking, and new segment identification.

• Translate insights into actionable plans for sales and business development.

Customer-Facing & Deal Support

• Travel extensively for market visits, customer meetings, plant demonstrations, and commercial discussions.

• Participate in customer pitches, follow-ups, and negotiations alongside senior leadership.

• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure smooth onboarding, sampling, testing, and deal closure.

Cross-Functional Execution

• Work across Sales, R&D, Production, Supply Chain, and Finance to monitor progress of strategic projects.

• Prepare dashboards, trackers, and reports for the MD and leadership team.

• Ensure tasks and actions are executed with urgency and precision.

Operational & Leadership Support

• Assist with strategic planning, reviews, and preparation of business briefs.

• Handle day-to-day follow-ups, internal coordination, and priority management for the MD’s office.

What This Role Offers:

•First-hand exposure to how sales pipelines, customer decisions, and strategic deals are made at senior levels.

•Deep understanding of business operations and decision-making from the MD’s perspective.

•Rapid career progression for high performers who demonstrate ownership, maturity, and commercial results.

•Extensive domestic + international travel for customer interactions and market expansion.

•Direct involvement in critical deals with major brands and industry leaders.

Qualifications and Experience:

•Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Economics, Food Technology or related fields.

•MBA is a plus but not mandatory.

•0–2 years; internships or exposure in sales, business development, strategy, consulting, or FMCG/F&B are a strong advantage.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Skills & Competencies

•Strong business acumen and interest in understanding P&L, pricing, margins, and customer economics.

•Genuine passion for sales, customer interaction, and deal closure.

•Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.

•Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation abilities.

•Proficiency in MS Excel, PowerPoint, CRM tools (preferred).

•High energy, willingness to travel extensively, and flexibility to work long hours.

Personality Fit

•Ambitious, driven, and target-oriented.

•Comfortable in dynamic, unstructured environments.

•Confident, articulate, and customer-focused.

•Strong sense of ownership and accountability.

Compensation

•Competitive with opportunities for fast-track growth.