Director, Business Development

Director, Business Development

Position is located in Arden Hills, MN

Overview:

The Corporate Strategy and Development team at Land O’Lakes works closely with the top leaders of our Cooperative to help them solve their most critical strategic problems and grow in existing or new markets. The team oversees designing strategic initiatives for the whole enterprise and each business unit, as well as analyzing how changing market conditions affect our businesses and what we can do about it. This team also is responsible for identifying, evaluating, and executing opportunities for strategic growth on behalf of the Executive Leadership Team and the Board of Directors.

Position Overview: Reporting directly to the Chief Strategy Officer, the Business Development Director will play a pivotal role in the design and implementation of a new business strategy for the biofuels marketplace. This position is instrumental in aligning corporate objectives with market realities, identifying strategic initiatives, and fostering a culture of innovation and agility.

Key Responsibilities:

Strategic Leadership: Design and implement the overall business strategy for the biofuels marketplace, focusing on commercialization. Business Development: Identify, engage, and develop partnerships with key stakeholders across agriculture, oil & gas and energy sectors. Additional stakeholders include growers, processors, technology providers and fuel off-takers. Market Orchestration: Build and orchestrate a new marketplace platform which connects supply and demand ensuring value creation and alignment across the value chain. Contracting and Negotiation: Lead complex contracting processes, negotiate commercial agreements and manage risk in multi-party transactions. Relationship Management: Cultivate and maintain high-impact relationships with strategic partners, customers and internal stakeholders. Corporate Development: Active partner to corporate development counterparts to design M&A, joint ventures and other strategic initiatives to grow the business and accelerate market entry and/or expansion. Market Analysis: Tackle complex, ambiguous challenges by leveraging analytical frameworks, creativity and cross functional collaboration. Translate findings into actionable recommendations to inform strategic decision-making processes. Thought Leadership: Build and nurture relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including investors, board members, industry associations, regulatory bodies, and policy influencers while advocating for the new marketplace and sustainable aviation fuel solutions. Represent the organization in strategic discussions, conferences, and networking events.

Qualifications:

• Advanced degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Agriculture, Energy, or related field. MBA preferred.
• At least 10 years in corporate/business development or corporate strategy in agriculture, oil & gas, energy or related sectors or 5+ years of management consulting. Management consulting experience preferred.
• Deep understanding of value chains in agriculture, biofuels or energy markets.
• Exceptional strategic thinking and analytical skills, with the ability to translate complex data into actionable insights with effective communication strategies.
• Demonstrated entrepreneurial approach and advanced contract negotiation skills; able to deliver in a dynamic, fast-paced environment with degrees of ambiguity.
• Proven ability to build new lines of business/marketplaces in complex, multi-stakeholder environments.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence and align stakeholders at all levels.
• Demonstrated excellence in relationship management, with a track record of leading cross-functional teams and driving results in a dynamic environment.

Salary range: $159,520 - $299,100 (in most cases, candidates offered employment can expect to be hired at a pay rate near the middle of our salary ranges) 

About Land O'Lakes, Inc.

Join us and be part of a Fortune 250, farmer- and member-owned cooperative that is reimagining the business of food. We have been named a Top Workplace by Indeed and LinkedIn, and to the TIME 100 Most Influential Companies list.

Benefits for most full-time roles include medical, dental, vision, PTO, life & disability insurance, education assistance, a 401k and a variety of well-being resources. Most part-time employees are eligible for prorated PTO, holiday pay, employee development programs, prorated education assistance, and a 401(k).

Land O'Lakes, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer (EOE) M/F/Vets/Disabled. The company ma