Head of Retail

Ultra; New York (NY); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 240,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, Dental, Vision coverage

HSA access

401(k)

Bathhouse membership

Unlimited PTO

Job summary

Ultra is seeking a Head of Retail to own the strategy and execution of our 2026 retail launch and scale-up—starting in 2026 and extending far beyond.

Your mandate is to develop and execute Ultra’s 2026 Retail Launch Plan, build a repeatable growth engine, and drive sales, distribution, and operations to reach ambitious revenue goals with depth and velocity.

Job description

Ultra™ | Nicotine-Free Pouches for Focus & Energy

About Ultra

Ultra™ is already the #1 brand of nicotine-free pouches in the world and we only launched 6 months ago —we’re just getting started. Our mission is to build the category-defining brand of functional pouches for people who want enhanced performance without the crash, addiction, or long-term downsides. Ultra does not just make a pouch that is somewhat “better for you” than Zyn. We make functional performance products that are actively good for you.

The market shift is massive: nicotine pouch sales are up 3,000% since 2019 and projected to reach $20B by 2026. Consumers are adopting the pouch form factor at scale, and many are now seeking nicotine-free functional benefits in a pouch. Ultra is positioned to lead that wave.

Backed by some of the best investors, founders and athletes in the world, including:

• Left Lane Capital (Blank Street, Olipop, Holy)
• Sugar Capital (Grüns, Feastables, Lucky Energy)
• Athletes & Creators
  • Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott, Henrik Lundqvist, Jakob Chychrun + more
• Founders & Operators
  • Chad Janis (Grüns), Harpreet Singh (Oura Ring), Jeff Rader (Harry’s), Vinay Menda (Blank Street), + more

Learn more: takeultra.com

The Role

As Head of Retail at ULTRA, you will own the strategy and execution of our retail launch and scale-up—starting in 2026 and extending far beyond.

Your mandate is clear: develop + execute ULTRA’s 2026 Retail Launch Plan, turn retail into a repeatable growth channel, and build the sales, distribution, and operational engine required to aggressively scale to $75M+ in retail revenue in 2027

You’ll be responsible for everything from go-to-market strategy and account acquisition to field execution, distributor and broker management, team hiring, and retail performance instrumentation. This is a true builder role: you’ll design the playbook, pressure-test it in the field, and refine it into a system that scales.

You’ll work directly with the founders and cross-functional leaders (Growth, Ops, Finance, Marketing) to ensure retail growth is disciplined, data-driven, and aligned with ULTRA’s broader strategy. This is not a “spray-and-pray” retail role—we care about depth, velocity, and learning, not vanity door counts.

What You’ll Own

Retail Strategy & 2026 Execution

• Own the execution of ULTRA’s FY-26 Retail Thesis, treating 2026 as a structured retail experiment with clear learning loops and gates.
• Translate thesis into a concrete operating plan: geos, channels, placement strategy, sequencing, and pacing.
• Decide when to push, pause, or pivot based on real performance data

Lighthouse Markets & Channel Focus

• Lead launch and scale-up in 3–5 lighthouse markets (e.g. NYC/Tri-State, Texas, SoCal), prioritizing depth over scattered presence.
• Drive penetration across priority channels:
  • C-store / gas / select drug
  • Select regional grocery / convenience chains
  • Influence & proof channels (gyms, fitness, wellness, campus, airports)
• Continuously refine where ULTRA wins best by geo, channel, store type, and placement.

Route-to-Market (RTM) Design & Management

• Design and manage a hybrid RTM model: distributors for reach, brokers for access, and an internal team for control and learning.
• Select, onboard, and manage high-quality distributors and brokers—holding them accountable to performance standards.

Sales, Field & Ops Team Building

• Hire, lead, and develop a high-performing retail org, including:
  • Internal sales leadership
  • Field reps / market managers in lighthouse geos
  • Sales ops / retail analytics as scale demands
• Establish clear roles, incentives, and operating rhythms across sales, field, and ops.

In-Store Execution & Field Excellence

• Own in-store execution standards: placement, facings, displays, pricing, and education.
• Build a real field presence to protect velocity, train staff, run demos, and gather on-the-ground insight.
• Ensure field feedback flows directly into HQ decision-making.

Cross-Functional Alignment

• Partner closely with Growth, Marketing, Ops, and Finance to align retail strategy with brand, supply chain, and margin goals.
• Ensure learnings from retail inform product, packaging, education, and DTC strategy—and vice versa.

Why You’re a Fit

• You’ve built and scaled retail or wholesale channels at a high-growth CPG brand—and understand what breaks when brands move too fast.
• You’re fluent in distributors, brokers, field teams, and key accounts, and know when to lean on each.
• You’re data-driven and disciplined—you care about velocity, reorder behavior, and contribution margin, not vanity door counts.
• You’ve hired and led sales, field, and ops teams before and know how to create accountability in the real world.
• You’re comfortable operating in ambiguity, testing hypotheses, and refining strategy based on live results.
• You think like an owner and operate with conviction—clear on when to push hard and when to slow down.
• You embody ULTRA’s values: Move fast. Be data-driven. Take ownership. Build with intention. Compete to win.

Why You Should Join ULTRA

• Build retail from zero to scale.

  This is a rare chance to design the retail playbook for a brand with real traction and ambition—not inherit someone else’s mess.

• Own the outcome.

  You’ll have full ownership of retail strategy, execution, team, and results—with the authority to push, pause, or double down based on data.

• Retail done right.

  2026 is a focused Retail Lab Year. We care about velocity, reorders, margin, and learning—not vanity door counts.

• Build and lead the team.

  You’ll hire and run the sales, field, and ops org the way you always thought it should be done.

• Define a new category in-store.

  ULTRA is creating the functional pouch category—and you’ll shape how it wins at retail.

• Fast, high-trust environment.

  You’ll work directly with founders, move quickly, and see the impact of your decisions in real time.

Benefits and Perks

• Benefits include medical, dental, and vision coverage, HSA access, a 401(k), a Bathhouse membership for recovery and reset, and unlimited PTO

Equal Employer Opportunity

Ultra is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace. We value a diverse workforce and an inclusive culture. We believe in and are committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, national origin, gender, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital or parental status, disability, veteran status, or other class protected by applicable law.

We comply with all applicable employment laws, including the NYC Fair Chance Act, and provide reasonable accommodations for disabilities and sincerely held religious beliefs.