Director of Technical Services
Guided Search Partners, Kansas City, MO, United States
Guided Search Partners (GSP)
Guided Search Partners is an Executive Search firm built on Trust, Transparency, Specialization, and Long-term Relationships. We connect high-performing professionals with organizations that value people, performance, and growth—helping leaders find roles where they can make an impact and build meaningful careers.
About the Opportunity We’re partnering with an animal nutrition business serving the pet, aquaculture, and livestock markets through a multi-site platform across the U.S. and Canada. The company is growing, well financed, and focused on building on a strong reputation for performance, innovation, and customer trust. This Director of Technical Services role is a key leadership position within the pet nutrition portfolio. It’s a strong fit for a player‑coach who can connect science and commercial application, lead technical teams, and help the business stay aligned with customer needs and future market opportunities.
What You’ll Do
Lead customer-facing research and technical support teams across the pet nutrition ingredient portfolio.
Bridge science and commerce by turning technical data into practical customer solutions.
Guide R&D and innovation strategy while managing a R&D budget.
Track industry trends and help identify future opportunities.
Support technical conversations tied to pet food formulation and diet development.
Partner with customer-facing teams in a specialist role that is not sales-focused.
Lead and develop a team of 4 scientists and 7 lab personnel.
Support customer needs through trade shows and market-facing activity.
Who You Are You’re a technical leader with strong pet nutrition expertise and the ability to communicate clearly with both scientific and commercial audiences. You know how to guide a team, stay close to the work, and help solve real customer challenges. You likely bring a collaborative, transparent, and trust-based leadership style. This role fits someone who is proactive, development-minded, and comfortable leading as a player‑coach.
Preferred Experience & Attributes
Bachelor’s degree required.
10+ years of experience in pet nutrition and/or feed.
Leadership experience required.
Strong understanding of how pet food companies formulate and create diets.
Ability to interpret and communicate technical data to scientific and commercial audiences.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and customer priorities.
Why This Role Matters This role helps shape technical strategy, customer support, and innovation across an important part of the business. The person in this seat will influence how the company grows in pet nutrition while leading a team that supports both current customer needs and future opportunity. It’s a chance to step into a visible leadership role with strong backing, real team responsibility, and direct impact on where the business goes next.
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About the Opportunity We’re partnering with an animal nutrition business serving the pet, aquaculture, and livestock markets through a multi-site platform across the U.S. and Canada. The company is growing, well financed, and focused on building on a strong reputation for performance, innovation, and customer trust. This Director of Technical Services role is a key leadership position within the pet nutrition portfolio. It’s a strong fit for a player‑coach who can connect science and commercial application, lead technical teams, and help the business stay aligned with customer needs and future market opportunities.
What You’ll Do
Lead customer-facing research and technical support teams across the pet nutrition ingredient portfolio.
Bridge science and commerce by turning technical data into practical customer solutions.
Guide R&D and innovation strategy while managing a R&D budget.
Track industry trends and help identify future opportunities.
Support technical conversations tied to pet food formulation and diet development.
Partner with customer-facing teams in a specialist role that is not sales-focused.
Lead and develop a team of 4 scientists and 7 lab personnel.
Support customer needs through trade shows and market-facing activity.
Who You Are You’re a technical leader with strong pet nutrition expertise and the ability to communicate clearly with both scientific and commercial audiences. You know how to guide a team, stay close to the work, and help solve real customer challenges. You likely bring a collaborative, transparent, and trust-based leadership style. This role fits someone who is proactive, development-minded, and comfortable leading as a player‑coach.
Preferred Experience & Attributes
Bachelor’s degree required.
10+ years of experience in pet nutrition and/or feed.
Leadership experience required.
Strong understanding of how pet food companies formulate and create diets.
Ability to interpret and communicate technical data to scientific and commercial audiences.
Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and customer priorities.
Why This Role Matters This role helps shape technical strategy, customer support, and innovation across an important part of the business. The person in this seat will influence how the company grows in pet nutrition while leading a team that supports both current customer needs and future opportunity. It’s a chance to step into a visible leadership role with strong backing, real team responsibility, and direct impact on where the business goes next.
#J-18808-Ljbffr