***THIS IS NOT A JOB AT FORCEBRANDS***
Vice President of Sales
Location: Remote (Travel Required)
Reports To: Co-Founder & CEO
Our client is one of the fastest-growing brands in the wellness space, producing premium CBD, THC, and functional beverage products. The portfolio has built its reputation on transparency, quality, and innovation through USDA Organic products, vertically integrated manufacturing, and a commitment to creating better-for-you alternatives for today's consumer.
As the company continues expanding its national retail footprint and beverage portfolio, the team is seeking a Vice President of Sales to build and lead the commercial organization through its next phase of growth.
The Opportunity
The Vice President of Sales will lead the national sales strategy across the hemp-derived THC and functional beverage businesses. Reporting directly to the Co-Founder & CEO, this executive will oversee the company's sales organization, distributor network, national accounts, and go-to-market strategy while helping build the infrastructure needed to scale the business nationally. This role is equal parts strategist, builder, and operator. The ideal candidate has successfully grown an emerging beverage brand, understands distributor management, has established relationships with key national retailers, and enjoys building high-performing teams in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment.
What You'll Do
- Develop and execute the national sales strategy across both the THC beverage and functional beverage portfolios.
- Lead and develop a growing national sales organization, including Regional Sales Managers, State Managers, and the National Account Manager.
- Build organizational structure, sales processes, and performance metrics that support continued national expansion.
- Develop and strengthen distributor relationships across various RTMs
- Expand national retail distribution while increasing sales velocity across existing accounts.
- Build relationships with key retail buyers and strategic partners.
- Create accountability through forecasting, KPI management, pipeline reporting, and territory planning.
- Partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, and Leadership on product launches, market expansion, and promotional strategy.
- Identify new distribution opportunities, market expansion strategies, and commercial partnerships.
- Serve as a key member of the executive leadership team, helping shape the long-term commercial vision of the company.
Team Leadership
The Vice President of Sales will oversee a growing, multi-layered national sales organization, including key accounts, regional/state managers, and field sales teams along with broker & activation/ambassador teams.
This leader will play a significant role in refining the sales organization, determining where additional resources are needed, and building the structure required for continued growth.
Must-Have Qualifications
- 10+ years of progressive sales leadership experience within beverage or consumer packaged goods.
- Experience leading sales for an emerging or high-growth beverage brand, ideally within functional beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, beer, or adjacent CPG categories.
- Demonstrated success managing distributor networks, with a strong preference for experience working with regional beer wholesalers & natural players (KeHE/UNFI)
- Proven track record securing and growing national retail partnerships with retailers such as Target, Sprouts, Walmart, Whole Foods, Total Wine, Circle K, Albertsons, Wegmans, and other natural & specialty grocery retailers
- Experience building, coaching, and leading multi-state sales organizations.
- Strong understanding of route-to-market strategy, distributor management, forecasting, and sales planning.
- Experience scaling commercial organizations during periods of rapid growth.
- Comfortable operating within a founder-led, entrepreneurial company where strategy and execution go hand in hand.
- Willingness to travel nationally to support distributors, retailers, customer meetings, and industry events.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience within functional beverages, non-alcoholic beverages, better-for-you beverages, cannabis beverages, or adult alternative beverage categories.
- Background with high-growth brands/emerging beverage companies.
- Existing relationships with key national retail buyers, particularly Target, Sprouts, and other strategic retail partners.
- Experience launching products into new markets and expanding national distribution.
- Startup or private equity-backed company experience with responsibility for building commercial infrastructure.