Business Development Project Manager

OPEN GATE BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT•Kalona, IA

12h

About The Position

Open Gates Group, based near Kalona, IA, is a family of companies dedicated to the growth and manufacturing of local dairy products. What began as a single creamery has grown into 11 businesses that source, produce, and deliver high-quality Midwestern products to over 3,500 stores nationwide. Our organic milk is uniquely special! It comes from grass-fed cows on small family farms, pasteurized at the lowest legal temperature, non-homogenized, and verified regenerative through Land to Market- which means that our cows are grazed in a way that enhances the environment, rather than harming it. Unlike larger companies, we are truly grassroots. We know the farmers we work with. We visit their land. We know their families. We are invested in the lives of our producers and, in turn, they are invested in the integrity of the products we send to market. We’re looking for a Business Development Project Manager to join our team! SummaryThe Business Development Project Manager assists with strategizing and executing projects pertaining to the growth of business at Open Gates Group. This individual will work closely with the executive team to build, launch, and optimize partnerships that deliver value to customers and drive growth across existing and new business segments.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in a business or entrepreneurial-related field or equivalent work experience.
Strong client-facing and internal communication skills.
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and follow through on commitments.
Detail-oriented with strong organizational and time management skills.
Ability to prioritize, coordinate schedules, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Self-motivated and able to work effectively with minimal supervision.
Team-oriented with a collaborative and relationship-focused mindset.
Open to change, innovation, and continuous process improvement.
Alignment with Open Gates’ mission, values, and guiding principles, with a commitment to ongoing personal and professional development.

Nice To Haves

Success in developing new business and maintaining customer relationships is preferred.

Responsibilities

Identify and cultivate new business relationships to drive revenue growth.
Explore new markets and develop strategies for successful market entry.
Generate leads through cold outreach, networking, and industry connections.
Develop business proposals and presentations for potential partners.
Build costing models to ensure profitability for new and existing products or projects.
Lead the process of defining project objectives by meeting with external business partners, collaborating with all relevant teams, and ensuring internal alignment with required schedules.
Manage multiple projects simultaneously, ensuring deadlines and scope commitments are met.
Work collaboratively with production teams and external partners to support successful product launches.
Assist in training and onboarding internal teams on new processes or partnership requirements.
Communicate regularly with internal teams to ensure availability and proper allocation of resources.
Maintain strong relationships with external partners to ensure clear expectations and successful outcomes.
Provide updates to leadership on project status, risks, and opportunities.
Support additional business development or strategic initiatives as assigned.