Vice President of Sales - Dairy (Chicago)

About

Alexander Steele have partnered with one of the world's global leaders in dairy ingredients and consumer products. With a strong and growing commercial presence across North America and beyond, we are actively seeking an accomplished VP of Sales to lead their commercial division.

This is a rare and high-impact opportunity for a seasoned commercial leader to shape the strategic direction of a major business unit within a globally recognised dairy business. The VP of Sales will be responsible for driving revenue growth, deepening customer relationships, and positioning the dairy portfolio competitively across key market segments.

The ideal candidate brings deep sector expertise in dairy, a track record of building and leading high-performing sales teams, and the commercial acumen to navigate complex customer relationships with major food manufacturers, retailers, and foodservice operators.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute strategy for the commercial division, aligning with the client's broader business objectives and growth targets.
• Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing national sales team, establishing clear KPIs, accountability frameworks, and a culture of excellence.
• Own and grow a portfolio of strategic accounts across key channels including food manufacturing, foodservice, and retail, acting as a senior point of contact for major customers.
• Identify and develop new business opportunities within the dairy ingredients and finished dairy products landscape.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Operations, Finance, R&D, and Quality to ensure the commercial pipeline is supported end-to-end.
• Develop pricing strategies, tender responses, and commercial proposals that are both competitive and margin-accretive.
• Provide robust market intelligence, competitive analysis, and forward-looking forecasts to senior leadership and the board.
• Represent the client at key industry events, trade shows, and customer forums, reinforcing the company's standing as a leading dairy partner.
• Drive the adoption of CRM tools and data-driven sales practices to improve pipeline visibility and forecasting accuracy.
• Partner with the executive team to shape the commercial vision, contributing to annual planning cycles and long-range strategic planning.

Qualifications

• Substantial senior commercial experience within the dairy industry, ideally encompassing both dairy ingredients and finished dairy categories.
• Demonstrated success in a VP, Director, or equivalent sales leadership role with P&L accountability.
• Proven track record of leading and scaling sales teams in a complex, multi-channel environment.
• Deep understanding of the dairy supply chain, including production, procurement, and customer-side commercialisation.
• Strong existing network across the dairy ecosystem, manufacturers, co-ops, foodservice operators, and retail buyers.
• Excellent negotiation, presentation, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence at C-suite level.
• Experience working in a matrixed, international organisation is advantageous.
• Degree-level education in Business, Food Science, or a related field preferred; MBA or equivalent postgraduate qualification is a plus.

We are committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace. We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate based on race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, or veteran status. We believe that diversity enriches our company and helps us better serve our customers and communities.

Due to a large number of applicants, if you have not heard back from the team at Alexander Steele after 14 days, you have unfortunately been unsuccessful.