Global Nutra Director - Health & Nutrition

Univar Solutions•Redford Township, MI

41d•Remote

About The Position

As the Global Nutra Director, you will be responsible for building and scaling a profitable, science-led Nutraceuticals “Build-it” platform. Reporting to the SVP, Health & Nutrition, this role will shape global strategy, lead investment decisions, and drive execution across the Americas, EMEA, and LATAM. The Director will have global P&L responsibility and will lead a centralized, US-based Global Core spanning science, regulatory, technical marketing, and business development, while partnering closely with regionally deployed commercial teams. This is an opportunity to build a stand-alone global Nutra business from an early stage, with a target of approximately $30M DGP by year three and a path toward approximately $33.6M DGP by 2030, while maintaining disciplined investment, margin, and capital management.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, science, food science, nutrition, chemistry, or a related technical discipline required; MBA or advanced technical degree preferred.
10+ years of relevant experience across sales, marketing, product management, and/or business development, including people leadership and P&L ownership. Direct experience in nutraceuticals, dietary supplements, functional food & beverage, or pharmaceutical ingredients is strongly preferred.
Deep understanding of the specialty ingredient distribution model, including supplier authorization economics, exclusivity, channel conflict management, and the dynamics of supplier/customer relationships.
Proven ability to build a business from an early stage by establishing teams, capabilities, operating models, and commercial processes while maintaining disciplined, demand-driven investment.
Strong analytical and business judgment with demonstrated ability to manage a P&L, evaluate ROIC and cash flow implications, make investment decisions, and balance growth, margin, speed, and risk from an enterprise perspective.
Knowledge of global nutraceutical regulatory and quality frameworks, with the ability to translate scientific capabilities into compliant commercial claims and meaningful customer value.
Demonstrated success building, motivating, engaging, and developing high-performing teams, including the ability to coach effectively and address performance gaps through constructive, objective feedback.
Negotiation and influence: Strong negotiation skills with the ability to establish partnerships, influence stakeholders, and negotiate and defend pricing, contracts, exclusivity, and supplier agreements to achieve mutually beneficial outcomes.
Exceptional communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to influence across functions, regions, and organizational boundaries and navigate complex situations with tact and sound judgment.
Professional, positive, and credible presence with the ability to represent Univar Solutions effectively with C-suite customers, suppliers, and internal leaders. Willingness to travel globally.

Nice To Haves

MBA or advanced technical degree preferred.

Responsibilities

Own the global Nutra P&L and investment roadmap, delivering the 5-year strategic plan and balancing growth, margin, capital, cash flow, and ROIC priorities. Establish clear investment gates based on supplier wins, pipeline conversion, and DGP performance.
Set and execute the global Nutra platform strategy, including portfolio scope, scale gates, risk tolerance, formulation standards, regulatory pathways, and the development of a clinically backed, science-led supplement platform.
Build and scale the global operating model, establishing consistent commercial processes, pipeline discipline, formulation standards, regulatory approaches, and reporting across the Americas, EMEA, and LATAM.
Lead the supplier and portfolio development roadmap, including new formulations, supplier partnerships, exclusivity, pricing, contracts, regulatory pathways, and go/no-go decisions based on validated market demand.
Drive strategic growth and business development, including the North America M&A agenda for bolt-on opportunities under $75M in revenue—from target identification and NBO development through diligence and integration planning in partnership with Corporate Development.
Allocate resources across regions based on market maturity and business performance, phasing approximately 12–17 additional positions over four years and ensuring headcount and capital are deployed only when demand and commercial performance justify investment.
Partner with regional Sales Directors and enterprise leaders to translate the global platform into regional growth, aligning pipeline priorities, seller deployment, account prioritization, and supplier strategies without unnecessarily duplicating regional costs.
Build and lead a high-performing Global Core team, including technical PhDs, laboratory technicians, quality/regulatory, technical marketing, and strategic business development. Recruit, develop, coach, engage, and provide candid performance feedback to team members.
Collaborate across the enterprise to establish and scale the Nutra business, partnering with Ingredients & Specialties, Chemical Distribution, HR, PMO, Finance, IT, and other stakeholders on territories, reporting, capabilities, and change management.
Monitor and communicate business performance, analyzing monthly results against strategic objectives and presenting progress, risks, opportunities, and investment recommendations to the Health & Nutrition leadership team and Board. Serve as a senior representative of Univar Solutions with customers, suppliers, and C-suite stakeholders globally.