Director, National Sales - Speciality Channels

Freshpet Talent Acquisition•Bedminster, NJ

5d•$175,000 - $195,000•Remote

About The Position

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! 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.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a 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, 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
Familiarity with Nielsen, Salesforce, or Power BI
~40% nationwide travel

Responsibilities

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
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
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
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
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
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