Senior Director of Sales, Private Brands

This is a fully remote position, open to applicants in New York.

📋 Description

• Formulate and implement the long-term growth strategy for Private Brands across all customer segments and channels, focusing on channel prioritization, customer targets, category opportunities, and necessary capability investments to succeed.

• Discover, evaluate, and secure new Private Brands opportunities across all retail sectors — including club, mass, grocery, drug, dollar, specialty, foodservice, and e-commerce — without any single channel limiting the role's scope.

• Create a multi-year pipeline of branded-equivalent and exclusive innovation initiatives on a retailer-by-retailer basis, utilizing 1440 Foods’ manufacturing capabilities and category knowledge.

• Cultivate and manage senior-level relationships with private brand, sourcing, and merchandising leaders at each Private Brands customer across various channels — acting as the primary executive sponsor for the complete Private Brands portfolio.

• Drive joint business planning, line evaluations, item presentations, and quarterly reviews with retailer private brand teams at all customer locations.

• Collaborate with internal Sales channel leaders to align Private Brands strategy with branded sales across all customer segments, ensuring the overall health of channels and categories is maintained.

• Customize the commercial strategy to align with each customer’s private brand operating model — from tiered store-brand frameworks in mass and grocery to Kirkland/Member’s Mark/Wellsley Farms initiatives in clubs, and private label e-commerce and exclusive channel innovations.

• Manage the Private Brands P&L, covering volume, revenue, gross margin, and trade investments, with full accountability for achieving the annual operating plan and long-term financial goals.

• Oversee pricing, costing, and proposal development in collaboration with Finance and Operations, ensuring proposals are competitive, profitable, and supportable by the supply chain.

• Negotiate master supply agreements, pricing frameworks, and commercial terms that safeguard margins and foster lasting, multi-year customer commitments.

• Collaborate with R&D and Product Development to convert retailer briefs into successful formulations, packaging options, and on-trend innovations.

• Work closely with Operations, Procurement, and Supply Chain to synchronize capacity, capabilities, and cost structures with the Private Brands pipeline.

• Partner with Quality, Regulatory, and Legal teams to ensure all Private Brands programs comply with retailer and regulatory standards.

• Build, lead, and enhance the Private Brands sales team — including direct reports, broker partners, and cross-functional resources — as the business expands.

• Establish best-in-class commercial practices, CRM discipline, sales forecasting, and pipeline management for the Private Brands division.

• Represent 1440 Foods Private Brands at industry events across all channels (e.g., PLMA, Expo West, ECRM, club, mass, grocery, and e-commerce events) and serve as the public face of the business.

⛳️ Requirements

• Over 10 years of progressively responsible CPG sales experience, including at least 5 years in a senior leadership position engaging with national retailers.

• Proven track record in selling and managing private brand, private label, or contract manufacturing programs, preferably in food, beverage, nutrition, or other consumables sectors.

• Demonstrated experience selling at the Director, Sr. Director, or VP level to private brand teams across various channels — including club (Costco, Sam’s Club, BJ’s), mass (Walmart, Target), grocery (Kroger, Albertsons, Ahold, Publix, H-E-B, etc.), and e-commerce — with a solid understanding of how each channel assesses, prices, and integrates private label items.

• Direct responsibility for a multi-million dollar P&L, with a history of achieving profitable growth while managing trade, pricing, and margin strategies.

• Experience in leading commercial negotiations regarding supply agreements, pricing, and multi-year contracts.

• Strong cross-functional leadership skills across R&D, Operations, Finance, and Marketing in a matrixed environment.

• Proven capability in building, mentoring, and retaining high-performing sales teams.

• Previous experience in a high-growth, PE-backed, or founder-led company, where building infrastructure was essential alongside achieving results.

• A Bachelor’s degree is required; an MBA or equivalent advanced degree is preferred.

• Background in active nutrition, sports nutrition, protein, snacking, or other health-and-wellness categories is preferred.

• Experience managing a Private Brands business with a national scope across multiple retailers and channels simultaneously, including omnichannel and e-commerce private label programs, is preferred.

🏝️ Benefits

• Competitive salary and benefits package.

• Opportunities for career development and advancement in a rapidly growing environment.