Director of International Sales
Instinct ® Pet Food, Saint Louis, MO, United States
Company Description
Instinct® is a rapidly growing, family‑owned marketer and manufacturer of science-based 100% natural pet food for dogs and cats. Instinct® is the Raw Brand, with a mission to get more raw nutrition into every bowl of dogs and cats, for proven healthier and happier long lives. Our company mission is to Empower people to transform the lives of pets. We are committed to hiring and developing a team of passionate, performance‑oriented professionals who live by 4 values: championing raw, empowered to make a difference, collaborating as one team, and striving for excellence through continuous learning and improvement. Our home office is located in St. Louis, Missouri with our Center of Excellence Raw Food kitchens in Lincoln, Nebraska.
Instinct® is part of the family‑owned group, Agrolimen, which owns leading pet food and human food businesses in the US, China, Europe, and Africa.
Position Summary We are seeking an experienced and driven Director of International Sales to oversee our growing global distribution network with a primary focus on Mexico and Canada, as well as select geographies in Latin America and Asia. This position will manage our worldwide international distributor/export/retailer partners and will support and expand our international dry, wet, and freeze‑dried raw pet food business, driving growth initiatives and ensuring seamless coordination between sales, marketing, operations, and regulatory activities. The successful candidate will be comfortable with frequent international travel and adept at navigating cross‑cultural relationships and complex commercial operations. The ideal candidate will have spent time in pet, food and beverage, or Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) manufacturing companies, with international sales experience. Experience working in a smaller, resource‑restricted environment that requires a hands‑on, entrepreneurial management style is ideal. This role requires a detailed, “roll up the sleeves” type person who thrives on making things happen.
Primary Job Responsibilities
Expand Instinct’s international sales and distribution, increasing global brand exposure
Develop and implement strategic plans to achieve international growth targets and financial goals
Profitably manage and expand export markets and distributor networks in target countries, ensuring partners are well‑trained and supported
Maintain senior‑level relationships with key customers and stakeholders; facilitate executive‑level engagement where appropriate
Oversee international sales budgets and P&L, ensuring profitability and efficient resource allocation
Lead contract negotiations and manage commercial agreements with international distributors and partners
Partner with Regulatory, Quality, and R&D teams to ensure compliance with international standards and regulations and to manage co‑packing relationships and requirements
Collaborate with the Commercial team to develop compelling promotional and consumer programs tailored to each market
Coordinate with the Supply Chain team on forecasting, inventory planning, and order fulfillment to meet international demand
Support international sourcing initiatives by partnering with Procurement and Operations
Define and track sales KPIs, providing regular performance updates to leadership and adjusting strategies as needed
Personal Attributes
Work ethic based on strong desire to exceed expectations
Strong time‑management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines and competing priorities
Collaborative mindset with strong relationship‑building traits
Outstanding organizational and analytical capabilities
Strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills
Excellent verbal, written, and cross‑cultural communication and presentation skills
Required Experience
10 or more years of experience within international CPG sales
Multi‑channel distribution experience
Demonstrable history delivering superior results in a performance‑based company
Knowledge of foreign export processes, requirements, purchasing, and regulations for Pet Food and/or Food/Bev
Preferred Experience
Bachelor’s Degree
Background working within a smaller, leaner organization
Pet food category experience
Food manufacturing experience
Passion for pets and wellness is a plus!
Travel Requirements
Ability to travel internationally 50–75% of the time
Compensation And Benefits Competitive compensation package includes health and dental insurance, life and AD&D insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings account, short and long‑term disability, paid time off, Purpose Days off for company partner volunteer opportunities, and 401(k) with company match.
Diversity & Inclusion Our Instinct is to
CHAMPION
Diversity. At Instinct, we are as passionate about our people as we are about the pets we call family. We are committed to inclusion, empowerment, and respect. We believe that just like our pets, what sets us apart unleashes our greatest strengths. We thrive on the ability to not only empower people to transform the lives of pets through raw nutrition, but also to empower each other to inspire a culture that celebrates our differences. Our unique approach to pet food is what makes us who we are as a company, and our individual identities are what makes us a successful, innovative, authentic team.
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Instinct® is part of the family‑owned group, Agrolimen, which owns leading pet food and human food businesses in the US, China, Europe, and Africa.
Position Summary We are seeking an experienced and driven Director of International Sales to oversee our growing global distribution network with a primary focus on Mexico and Canada, as well as select geographies in Latin America and Asia. This position will manage our worldwide international distributor/export/retailer partners and will support and expand our international dry, wet, and freeze‑dried raw pet food business, driving growth initiatives and ensuring seamless coordination between sales, marketing, operations, and regulatory activities. The successful candidate will be comfortable with frequent international travel and adept at navigating cross‑cultural relationships and complex commercial operations. The ideal candidate will have spent time in pet, food and beverage, or Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) manufacturing companies, with international sales experience. Experience working in a smaller, resource‑restricted environment that requires a hands‑on, entrepreneurial management style is ideal. This role requires a detailed, “roll up the sleeves” type person who thrives on making things happen.
Primary Job Responsibilities
Expand Instinct’s international sales and distribution, increasing global brand exposure
Develop and implement strategic plans to achieve international growth targets and financial goals
Profitably manage and expand export markets and distributor networks in target countries, ensuring partners are well‑trained and supported
Maintain senior‑level relationships with key customers and stakeholders; facilitate executive‑level engagement where appropriate
Oversee international sales budgets and P&L, ensuring profitability and efficient resource allocation
Lead contract negotiations and manage commercial agreements with international distributors and partners
Partner with Regulatory, Quality, and R&D teams to ensure compliance with international standards and regulations and to manage co‑packing relationships and requirements
Collaborate with the Commercial team to develop compelling promotional and consumer programs tailored to each market
Coordinate with the Supply Chain team on forecasting, inventory planning, and order fulfillment to meet international demand
Support international sourcing initiatives by partnering with Procurement and Operations
Define and track sales KPIs, providing regular performance updates to leadership and adjusting strategies as needed
Personal Attributes
Work ethic based on strong desire to exceed expectations
Strong time‑management skills with a proven ability to meet deadlines and competing priorities
Collaborative mindset with strong relationship‑building traits
Outstanding organizational and analytical capabilities
Strong commercial acumen and negotiation skills
Excellent verbal, written, and cross‑cultural communication and presentation skills
Required Experience
10 or more years of experience within international CPG sales
Multi‑channel distribution experience
Demonstrable history delivering superior results in a performance‑based company
Knowledge of foreign export processes, requirements, purchasing, and regulations for Pet Food and/or Food/Bev
Preferred Experience
Bachelor’s Degree
Background working within a smaller, leaner organization
Pet food category experience
Food manufacturing experience
Passion for pets and wellness is a plus!
Travel Requirements
Ability to travel internationally 50–75% of the time
Compensation And Benefits Competitive compensation package includes health and dental insurance, life and AD&D insurance, flexible spending accounts, health savings account, short and long‑term disability, paid time off, Purpose Days off for company partner volunteer opportunities, and 401(k) with company match.
Diversity & Inclusion Our Instinct is to
CHAMPION
Diversity. At Instinct, we are as passionate about our people as we are about the pets we call family. We are committed to inclusion, empowerment, and respect. We believe that just like our pets, what sets us apart unleashes our greatest strengths. We thrive on the ability to not only empower people to transform the lives of pets through raw nutrition, but also to empower each other to inspire a culture that celebrates our differences. Our unique approach to pet food is what makes us who we are as a company, and our individual identities are what makes us a successful, innovative, authentic team.
#J-18808-Ljbffr