Director, National Sales - Speciality Channels

Freshpet; Bedminster Township (NJ); On-site; USD 175,000 - 195,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, dental and vision insurance

401(k) with company match

Paid parental leave

Pet insurance

Tuition assistance

Generous PTO

Job summary

Freshpet is seeking a Director, National Sales – Specialty Channel to drive strategy, revenue growth, and distribution across the pet specialty channel. You will own account strategy, strengthen retailer partnerships, and translate analytics into actionable growth plans while leading cross-functional teams.

The role requires 10+ years in CPG, strong negotiation and relationship skills, and the ability to balance strategy with hands-on execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or related field.
• 10+ years of experience in large CPG with natural or pet channel experience strongly preferred.
• Proactive business development focus with the ability to identify and open new doors.
• High ownership mindset with the agility to deliver results in a fast-paced environment.
• Proven ability to lead complex negotiations and build strategic customer partnerships.

Responsibilities

• Own and drive customer strategy, defining clear priorities and growth levers.
• Maintain established relationships with national and regional specialty retailers.
• Lead joint business planning with alignment on priorities, targets and execution.
• Translate data into growth strategies and forecast performance across accounts.
• Collaborate with marketing, supply chain, finance, and operations for aligned plans.
• Develop account forecasts and trade investment strategies to close gaps.

Skills

Strategic Leadership

Account Leadership

Cross-Functional Leadership

Analytical & Insights

Communication Skills

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Marketing

Tools

Nielsen

Salesforce

Power BI

Job description

Who We Are

At Freshpet, our goal is to change the way people nourish their pets forever. We strive to strengthen the bond between people and our pets so that we both live longer, healthier, and happier lives while being kind to the planet. We believe that if we can create fresh, real foods that pets love and help them live healthier lives, that their pet parents will also enjoy the many benefits of a rich life shared with a pet. IT’S AMAZING WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU START COMPLETELY FRESH!

Who We Are

At Freshpet, our goal is to change the way people nourish their pets forever. We strive to strengthen the bond between people and our pets so that we both live longer, healthier, and happier lives while being kind to the planet. We believe that if we can create fresh, real foods that pets love and help them live healthier lives, that their pet parents will also enjoy the many benefits of a rich life shared with a pet. IT’S AMAZING WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU START COMPLETELY FRESH!

What You Will Do

The Director, National Sales – Specialty Channel, reporting into the VP, Pet Channel & eCommerce will drive the strategy and growth in our pet specialty channel business. This role is responsible for developing account and channel strategy, driving revenue and distribution growth, strengthening retail partnerships, and translating data into clear, actionable plans that unlock category expansion. This role operates at the intersection of strategy, analytics, and execution—bringing a strong point of view on where to play and how to win, while delivering measurable results.

How You Will Make An Impact

Strategic Leadership

• Own and drive customer strategy, defining clear priorities, growth levers, and where to play
• Identify and develop high-impact initiatives that scale both the Freshpet brand and the broader fresh pet food category
• Build annual and quarterly strategic plans grounded in category trends, shopper insights, and retailer dynamics
• Translate complex data into clear “so what” insights and actionable growth strategies

Account Leadership & Development

• Own and drive joint business planning, aligning on shared priorities, growth targets, and execution plans
• Maintain established trust-based relationships with key decision-makers across national and regional specialty retailers
• Act as a thought partner to customers—bringing forward a clear, insight-led perspective on category growth, assortment, and merchandising
• Influence customer strategies to unlock incremental opportunities and expand Freshpet’s role within the category

Performance & Growth Delivery

• Own revenue, distribution, and ACV performance across assigned accounts with full accountability for results
• Identify and prioritize the highest-impact opportunities to expand distribution, optimize assortment, and strengthen in-store presence
• Monitor performance trends, identify risks and opportunities, and adjust strategies in real time to stay ahead of plan
• Ensure strong execution of key initiatives, including new item launches and in-store programming

Analytical & Insight-Driven Execution

• Leverage data and analytics to evaluate performance, uncover insights, and inform decision-making
• Quickly synthesize multiple data sources into clear, concise recommendations
• Partner with internal teams to align on forecasting, planning, and performance tracking
• Establish a strong test-and-learn mindset to continuously optimize results

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner closely with marketing, supply chain, finance, and operations to ensure strategies are aligned and executable
• Align assortment, merchandising, and activation plans with broader brand and channel strategies
• Ensure strong coordination across distributor partners to drive consistent execution and expanded reach
• Champion best practices and elevate overall specialty channel capability

Financial Management

• Support development of account-level forecasts, trade planning, and investment strategies
• Monitor performance against financial targets and identify actions to close gaps or accelerate growth
• Balance growth opportunities with ROI discipline to drive sustainable, profitable performance

What You Will Bring

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field
• Experience: 10+ years of experience in large CPG with natural or pet channel experience strongly preferred
• Proactive business development focus, with the ability to identify and open new doors, and convert opportunities into profitable growth
• High ownership mindset with the agility to make sound decisions and deliver results in a fast-paced, evolving environment
• Proven ability to lead complex negotiations and build strategic customer partnerships that drive sustainable, profitable growth
• Strong analytical and commercial acumen, with the ability to translate category, customer, and shopper insights into actionable growth plans
• Excellent communication and storytelling skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders across levels and functions
• Systems Experience: familiarity with Nielsen, Salesforce, or Power BI
• Travel: ~40% nationwide

What We Offer

The range for this position is: $175,000 - $195,000

At Freshpet, we offer a competitive salary and an excellent benefits package, including medical, dental and vision insurance, basic and optional life insurance, short- and long-term disability protection, flexible spending accounts, and a 401(k) plan with company match, paid parental leave, pet insurance, tuition assistance, a generous PTO plan and so much more!

Our Commitment To a Diverse Workforce

Freshpet is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All employment decisions are made without regards to race, color, national origin, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital or domestic/civil partnership status, genetic information, citizenship status (although applicants and employees must be legally authorized to work in the United States), uniformed service member or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law (“protected characteristics”).

Disclaimers

The salary range provided above is the range of the wages that we will pay for the listed position. A final determination on the wages within this range is based on a number of non-discriminatory factors, including but not limited to the required work location, previous work experience, skill set, and wage rates for comparable positions.

We are interested in every qualified candidate who is eligible to work in the United States. However, we are not able to sponsor visas.