Head of Retail Sales

ZBiotics is hiring our first Head of Retail Sales to own and lead the entire Retail Sales function and be a senior leader at this company. You will set overall sales strategy, build the retail sales organization and represent ZBiotics at the most senior levels with retailers, distributors, and partners. You will operate with full ownership and autonomy over the sales engine, using long‑term judgment to build across the whole function, rather than in a single channel. The mandate spans the full breadth of physical retail on‑ and off‑premise: channel strategy, national and key account leadership, distributor strategy (including DSD), retail execution systems, sell‑through performance, forecasting, pricing/promotion discipline, and the team and operating cadence to scale. You will be the person we can hand broad retail sales strategy to, with the expectation that you stay disciplined in the mentality that velocity wins, and expanding door count is not the goal if we are not selling through. You will partner closely with Marketing, who owns brand strategy, messaging, creative, and paid media. You will also work cross‑functionally with Operations and Supply Chain to ensure we execute in a way that strengthens the brand long‑term. Although you are a senior leader, you will need to operate both at a high level and on the ground level — and everywhere in between — to be effective. You will work deeply with individual team members up and down the stack. No job or detail will be too small. You will need to manage both high‑level strategy and dig into the details of the sales process, retailer relationships, and customer experience. About ZBiotics At ZBiotics, we make genetically engineered probiotics that improve daily life. Our mission is to create, brand, and sell GMOs that people love. As a group of motivated, yet down‑to‑earth people, we are fueled by two things: a love for science and a commitment to being people‑first. GMO products like ours – designed to benefit individuals who use them directly – are the future. As the first to market, we believe it’s our duty to set a high bar for product quality, safety, and transparency for others to follow. In 2019, we launched the world’s first genetically engineered probiotic: ZBiotics® Pre‑Alcohol, a 14 mL probiotic drink designed to break down an alcohol byproduct that leads to rough mornings after drinking. Since then, ZBiotics’ business has continued to grow rapidly year over year. We’ve sold over 10 million bottles of Pre‑Alcohol, with over half those bottles coming in 2025 alone. And in 2024, we launched our second product: ZBiotics® Sugar‑to‑Fiber, a genetically engineered probiotic that creates fiber from the sugar you already eat, contributing to microbiome health. ZBiotics is headquartered in San Francisco and backed by venture investors including Y Combinator, Spring Tide Capital, and Khosla Ventures, among others. Your Responsibilities Set and own overall retail sales strategy and results Own ZBiotics’ entire physical retail and on‑ and off‑premise sales strategy and performance. You set the strategy and execution with guidance from the COO. Your job is to expand thoughtfully, deliberately, and with pace. You should do what makes sense for the long‑term health of the business and brand. Not growth at all costs. 2026 priorities are concentrated in three channels — the first two being the core revenue engines: Off‑Premise Liquor (Specialty Alcohol): double down on what’s working, improve velocity, expand regionals, and prove and scale DSD execution; make shelf execution frictionless. Natural / Grocery: validate and scale in larger‑format accounts, with a strong point of view on premium display and education to differentiate and teach the shopper. On‑Premise / Hospitality: partner with the Sr. Director of Omnichannel to build the sales motion, land high‑credibility “whales,” and create a scalable staff‑training capability; menus are a key awareness driver. You’ll keep lower‑priority channels running in a way that supports brand and learning (Boutique), while being willing to cut effort in very‑low‑priority areas (and explicitly not chasing mass / club / drug / c‑store as 2026 launches). As the business scales, you will own the strategy for how and when we enter those broader channels. Lead national and key account strategy This role requires demonstrated sophistication in national account strategy — not just regional or single‑channel depth. You will: Build and personally lead the most strategic national and regional account relationships, with the executive presence and negotiation skill to hold your own in the highest‑level retail conversations. Structure sophisticated national deals and joint business plans that protect ZBiotics’ economics and brand over the long term. Protect the big wins and manage concentration risk. Ensure flawless execution in the highest‑concentration accounts while continuing to expand independents and other wins to reduce risk. Negotiate with careful commercial and contract discipline ZBiotics operates under real constraints that demand a careful, disciplined commercial style — not a fast‑and‑loose, handshake‑driven approach. You will be expected to: Negotiate carefully around brand positioning, product claims constraints, marketing constraints, DTC protection, and distributor and retailer risk. Enforce clear pricing and margin guardrails, approval workflows, and contract discipline across the function. Keep promotions minimal and disciplined — avoid training retailers and customers to wait for discounts, and prioritize brand‑oriented value creation over price cutting. Ensure placement strategy supports the brand and economics (e.g., checkout or alcohol set, rather than Health & Beauty). Build and lead the sales organization Lead and develop the Sales org and associated field and merchandising resources. Build the coverage model, roles, incentives, training, and performance management needed to scale. Build the operating rhythms: weekly business review, monthly forecasting and reporting, quarterly planning, and account and channel deep dives. Hire ahead of need and raise the bar with every addition, building a high‑trust, accountable, people‑first culture. Build a distributor and execution engine that scales Own distributor strategy end‑to‑end: partner selection, onboarding, performance management, scorecards and JBPs, and escalation paths. Standardize what “great execution” means across distribution, pricing, promotion, display, merchandising, and in‑stock — and ensure we can measure it. Partner with Retail Operations to scale store visits via the right mix of internal coverage, merchandising partners, and distributor capability; tie this directly to velocity and in‑stock performance. Make stockout reduction a core operational priority (anticipation, faster reorders, retailer prompting ahead of known holidays). Drive analytical rigor and decision quality Own sales forecasting, reporting, and performance insights across accounts, regions, and channels. Use data (from whatever sources are necessary) to understand distribution, velocity, pricing, and category trends, translating insights into action. Evaluate promotions, trade spend, and pricing strategies; make recommendations grounded in learning and margin discipline. Lead cross‑functionally and help build the company Partner with Marketing on brand‑building and demand generation in priority markets. We intend to hire a Retail / Shopper Marketing person in the future. How the Head of Retail Sales role works with Marketing: Marketing owns brand, messaging, creative, and paid media strategy. Retail Sales owns retail strategy, execution, distributor performance, and velocity. Decisions are made collaboratively, with an explicit bias toward long‑term brand health and repeat customers. Partner with Supply Chain on demand planning, inventory strategy, and service levels. Participate as a senior company leader, working with other team members on broad strategic questions — and tactical challenges where necessary — to grow ZBiotics and move us closer to our mission. Keep our strategy principles true in execution Velocity > doors. Start high‑end and work down to protect the brand. ZBiotics Pre‑Alcohol is the focus in 2026 (Sugar‑to‑Fiber is a narrow boutique test). Prioritize the long‑term in pricing, promo, placement, and retailer sequencing. About You This is a senior leadership position. We expect ownership, autonomy, and strategic altitude — the ability to set direction for the whole function and execute through teams and partners without close oversight. You bring breadth across retail channels, not just depth in one, and the judgment to navigate complex commercial decisions carefully. We recognize that ZBiotics is relatively unique in its position straddling biotechnology and consumer products, so even if your experience does not perfectly match the description below but you are excited about the opportunity, please apply. Desired Qualifications: 12+ years in CPG sales with significant senior leadership experience, including owning a full sales function (P&L, strategy, and team) — ideally as a VP, Head of Sales, or CCO at a growth‑stage consumer brand. Proven national account strategy and leadership across multiple retail channels (regional and national), with the executive presence and negotiation skill to lead the highest‑level retail conversations and structure sophisticated national deals. Demonstrated breadth beyond any single channel — experience scaling a brand across multiple off‑premise channels (natural / grocery and wine & spirits especially), not solely alcohol / DSD. Deep distributor management experience, including building performance systems, driving DSD where relevant, and holding partners accountable while maintaining strong relationships. Careful, disciplined commercial style suited to a brand with claims, marketing, and DTC constraints — strong on contract discipline, pricing architecture, and risk management. Strong analytical fluency: forecasting, syndicated data, trade‑spend discipline, pricing architecture, and margin awareness. High judgment in a fast‑moving environment with shifting priorities; strong written and verbal communication; the strategic sharpness to be trusted with the whole function autonomously. People‑first leader who builds clarity, accountability, and a high‑trust culture; open‑minded, adaptable, kind, and empathetic. Nice‑to‑Have Experience Functional beverage, alcohol / bev, or health & wellness experience, particularly with premium or new‑category products. Experience building sales motions and fostering novel‑product adoption in on‑premise channels (bars, restaurants, hospitality). Experience designing display and merch strategies that drive velocity without compromising premium positioning. Omnichannel brand experience selling products with a substantial DTC and/or Amazon business. Experience leading a sales function through a DTC‑to‑retail transition at an early‑ or growth‑stage brand. Compensation The compensation package includes a competitive base salary, a performance‑based variable component tied to clear retail sales targets, meaningful equity, and full benefits. Base salary: At the VP Level the base salary is $245,000 depending on experience. Variable / OTE: On‑target earnings reach approximately $325,000 – $350,000 with the variable component, structured around a base‑weighted split (e.g., ~70/30) to balance stable income with strong incentive to deliver on the retail sales plan. Equity: A meaningful equity grant commensurate with a senior team hire. Final compensation will be calibrated to the candidate’s experience and the level at which we ultimately scope the role. This role is perfect for you if… You want to build and lead a sales function with real leverage — systems, people, and operating cadence — not just “close deals.” You default to long‑term brand stewardship: disciplined pricing, limited promos, and high‑quality execution. You’re humble and open‑minded. You embody the ZBiotics values of People‑first, Integrity, Citizenship, and Science. People‑first — We always put people first, especially our customers. Integrity — We communicate honestly and deliver high quality always. Citizenship — We are inclusive and committed to doing what’s right. Science — We question our own assumptions and adapt to new data. ZBiotics offers competitive benefits for a life outside of work, including health / dental, 401(k) matching, a minimum PTO policy (with unlimited time off), 16 weeks fully paid parental leave, a home office stipend, transit benefits for those in the San Francisco Bay Area, and access to coworking office space if visiting San Francisco. We encourage you to apply. At ZBiotics, we value our differences, and we encourage all – especially those whose identities are traditionally underrepresented in tech organizations – to apply. #J-18808-Ljbffr Zbiotics, Inc.