Director of Sales - National Accounts

Title: Sales Director - IngredientsLocation: Janesville, WI or RemoteReports to: VP of SalesTravel: Up to 50% Company OverviewWe are a rapidly growing, vertically integrated food and ingredient manufacturer serving the pet nutrition and functional foods markets. The company operates advanced manufacturing facilities in Wisconsin, including state-of-the-art retort packaging technology, supported by robust R&D and ingredient capabilities. Position OverviewWe are seeking a Sales Director to lead revenue growth within our ingredient co-manufacturing business. This senior individual contributor role owns the full commercial lifecycle-from prospecting and deal closure through onboarding, commercialization, and account expansion.The Sales Manager partners cross-functionally with R&D, Operations, Quality, Finance, and Supply Chain to convert opportunities into long-term, profitable manufacturing partnerships. This is a field-based role with significant customer and industry engagement. Key ResponsibilitiesSales & Revenue GrowthOwn and deliver annual sales targets aligned with strategic growth objectivesDevelop and execute a disciplined sales plan, including pipeline management and forecastingDrive new business through outbound prospecting, networking, and targeted account developmentManage the full sales cycle from lead qualification through contract negotiation and launchCustomer Onboarding & ExpansionLead onboarding of new customers and coordinate internal handoffsGuide customers through formulation development, trials, scale-up, and initial productionGrow existing accounts through additional SKUs, formats, and volume commitmentsServe as the primary commercial owner of customer relationshipsCo-Manufacturing & Strategic SellingSell integrated co-manufacturing capabilities, including formulation, processing, quality, and scalable capacityStructure deals that balance customer needs with long-term profitability and capacity utilizationAlign customer demand with operational planning and future growth investmentsPlanning & Market InsightMaintain accurate forecasts, pipeline reporting, and CRM disciplineProvide insights on pet nutrition trends, competitive dynamics, and customer needsRepresent the company at trade shows and key customer engagementsQualificationsExperience: 10+ years of direct sales experience in the food/ingredient industry with a strong growth track recordIndustry Expertise: Deep knowledge of food manufacturing, national brands, and private labelSkills: Strong communication, presentation, and negotiation skills; CRM and financial acumenAttributes: Self-starter, relationship builder, strategic thinker, and operationally savvy