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