Category Manager (Milk Powders)

Land O'Lakes•Arden Hills, MN

11d•Onsite

About The Position

Seeking a Sr Category Manager to lead strategic customer growth and commodity sales management across Land O’Lakes’ commodity dairy ingredients portfolio including Milk Powders, Whey and Cheese. This role is accountable for delivering volume, growth, and market connectivity through strong commercial execution, category leadership, and cross-functional alignment in a supply-driven business model. The Sr Sales Manager plays a critical role in shaping strategies, advancing new business opportunities, and positioning Land O’Lakes as a preferred dairy ingredient partner. The Category Manager is responsible for leading strategic account growth across assigned commodity ingredient categories. This role owns enterprise customer relationships, develops customer-specific growth strategies, and advances new business opportunities through portfolio optimization, cross-selling, and adjacent dairy solutions. In addition to direct customer ownership, the role provides sales and business leadership by delivering volume, revenue, profitability, and pricing objectives. The Category Manager collaborates closely with planning, manufacturing, supply chain, finance, and risk management partners to align forecasting, production planning, inventory strategies, and market risk exposure with commercial objectives. This role also leads strategic initiatives and projects that enhance market connectivity, long-term business viability, and competitive positioning. As a people leader, the Category Manager builds capability through coaching, development, and performance management of a small team of professionals responsible for executing within the commodity sales model. The Category Manager represents Land O’Lakes within the broader dairy industry, participating in industry leadership activities and market forums to strengthen relationships, gain market insight, and positively represent Land O’Lakes’ ingredient portfolio.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
8 or more years of experience in sales, category management, or commercial leadership within food, agriculture, or ingredients markets
Leadership with accountability for volume, revenue, profitability, and execution
5 plus years of managing strategic customer relationships and delivering commercial results
5 plus years of experience leading cross-functional teams and complex business initiatives

Nice To Haves

Experience with assessing customer, market, and risk scenarios
Experience developing and leading direct reports or small teams
Working knowledge of dairy ingredients, commodity markets, and risk management tools

Responsibilities

Lead strategic account growth across assigned commodity ingredient categories.
Own enterprise customer relationships.
Develop customer-specific growth strategies.
Advance new business opportunities through portfolio optimization, cross-selling, and adjacent dairy solutions.
Deliver volume, revenue, profitability, and pricing objectives.
Collaborate with planning, manufacturing, supply chain, finance, and risk management partners to align forecasting, production planning, inventory strategies, and market risk exposure with commercial objectives.
Lead strategic initiatives and projects that enhance market connectivity, long-term business viability, and competitive positioning.
Build capability through coaching, development, and performance management of a small team of professionals responsible for executing within the commodity sales model.
Represent Land O’Lakes within the broader dairy industry, participating in industry leadership activities and market forums.