Strategic Growth Leader, Specialty Foods & Protein

Blue Signal Search; Bentonville (AR); On-site; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Signal Search seeks an entrepreneurial Commercial Growth Leader to accelerate revenue across premium foods, pet nutrition, and related markets. The role leads commercial strategy, pricing, customer development, and marketing execution, with significant ownership and executive collaboration.

The position focuses on expanding distribution, strengthening brand positioning, and building a scalable sales and marketing organization.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of progressive sales or business development experience within food manufacturing, specialty proteins, or related consumer and commercial food markets.
• 3+ years of commercial leadership experience with responsibility for sales performance, financial results, and profitability.
• Demonstrated experience overseeing both sales and marketing activities, including team leadership and external agency coordination.
• Direct experience commercializing specialty animal proteins, preferably rabbit or comparable niche protein products, through foodservice, distribution, or pet nutrition channels.
• Established relationships with relevant foodservice distributors, restaurant groups, specialty protein buyers, pet food manufacturers, or co-manufacturing partners.

Responsibilities

• Lead commercial expansion for an established, financially stable food manufacturing organization.
• Develop relationships with restaurant groups, culinary decision-makers, hospitality organizations, food distributors, and pet nutrition manufacturers.
• Develop pricing and profitability models that account for processing yields, product mix, transportation expenses, and customer-specific requirements.
• Oversee sales and marketing execution, including coordination with external agencies and partners.
• Collaborate with production and supply chain leadership to align market demand with capacity and inventory planning.

Skills

Sales experience

Commercial leadership

Sales and marketing

Niche proteins

Distributor relationships

New business development

Contract negotiation

Financial acumen

CRM familiarity

Cross-functional collaboration

Scale organizational growth

Food industry knowledge

Leadership

Travel willingness

Tools

CRM platforms

Job description

Blue Signal Search seeks an entrepreneurial Commercial Growth Leader to accelerate revenue across premium foods, pet nutrition, and related markets. The role leads commercial strategy, pricing, customer development, and marketing execution, with significant ownership and executive collaboration.

The position focuses on expanding distribution, strengthening brand positioning, and building a scalable sales and marketing organization.