Director of Technical Sales

Position Summary:
We are seeking a Director of Technical Sales to lead commercial growth and technical engagement for our dietary supplement ingredient portfolio. As a key member of our management team, this individual will drive sales strategy, lead customer development, and bridge the gap between science and sales, helping customers bring innovative and effective nutritional products to market. This position reports directly to the CEO and will focus exclusively on the North American market.

The ideal candidate has a strong technical foundation in nutraceutical or food ingredients, combined with commercial acumen and a passion for building long-term customer relationships in a mid-size, entrepreneurial environment. A formulation-level technical understanding is required to support scientific conversations and formulation guidance. Key Responsibilities:

• Commercial Leadership
• Develop and execute sales strategies to grow revenue and market share across innovative ingredients among various dietary ingredient categories (e.g., amino acids, botanical extracts, sweeteners, functional compounds, probiotics, vitamins, and minerals).
• Build and expand relationships with dietary supplement brands, contract manufacturers, and formulators across North America.
• Oversee key account development, contract negotiations, and pricing strategies to achieve revenue and profitability targets.
• Collaborate with marketing to develop marketing activities and collaterals, promotional materials, and customer education tools.
• Drive both new-business acquisition and growth of existing accounts, with emphasis on commercializing innovative ingredient solutions regardless of account type.
• Achieve year-one goals centered on expanding awareness, market penetration, and sales traction of innovative ingredients within existing and new customer segments.
• Technical Engagement
• Act as the technical voice for the sales organization—translating product science and formulation data into practical, customer-ready solutions.
• Support customers with technical presentations, formulation guidance, and troubleshooting.
• Coordinate with suppliers and internal QA/R&D to ensure compliance, quality, and technical accuracy in all customer communications.
• Stay informed of emerging trends, new ingredient technologies, and relevant FDA/DSHEA regulations.
• Leverage formulation-level expertise to advise customers on application challenges and communicate technical value propositions.
• Strategic & Cross-Functional Collaboration
• Partner with global sourcing and supply chain teams to align sales priorities with supplier capabilities and inventory planning.
• Provide market insights and customer feedback to support new product development and sourcing initiatives.
• Represent the company at key trade shows, industry conferences, and supplier meetings.
• Work closely with the CEO to align strategic growth priorities and scaling initiatives.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, Nutrition, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum 6 years of experience in B2B ingredient sales within the dietary supplement, nutraceutical, or functional food sectors.
• Strong technical understanding of ingredient functionality, formulation, and applications.
• Demonstrated ability to manage key accounts, lead sales growth, and deliver against revenue goals.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Experience working with international suppliers and distributors.
• Willingness to travel domestically and internationally (30–50%).
• Ability to operate within a CEO-aligned reporting structure and navigate a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

Preferred Attributes:

• Hands-on leadership style suited for a collaborative, fast-moving mid-size organization.
• Existing network of contacts among contract manufacturers and supplement brand companies.
• Experience introducing new ingredients to the U.S. market.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a proactive approach to customer engagement and problem-solving.
• Capability to grow into a future leadership/management role as revenue reaches defined thresholds.