Senior Sales / Business Development – Personal Care Ingredients

Senior Sales / Business Development – Personal Care Ingredients (80–100%)
Think big, act commercially, change the world - are you in? Join us in shaping the future of materials!
We are a fast-growing startup and ETH Zurich spin-off, pioneering sustainable biomaterials made from microorganisms. We develop high-performance, renewable functional ingredients designed to replace petroleum-based additives in applications such as cosmetics and personal care.
We are now looking for a senior, commercially driven professional with deep industry expertise and a strong network to actively shape segment-specific market access strategies, build a customer portfolio, and develop a robust pipeline to drive sustainable revenue growth for Treeless AG.
This role requires a deep, hands-on understanding of the cosmetics / personal care ingredients market -including supply chains, decision-making structures, pricing logic, value proposition requirements, contracting practices, and long-term commercial partnerships.
Key Responsibilities:
Revenue Ownership & Business Development - You will be fully accountable for early commercial success:
Drive early revenues by securing commercial collaborations and converting them into revenue-generating contracts
Leverage your existing network to open doors with cosmetic and personal care manufacturers, brands, and ingredient distributors
Identify, approach, and engage key stakeholders across organizations
Lead commercial negotiations and close agreements
Build and manage a strong commercial pipeline with a clear path to recurring revenues, supported by structured CRM tools
Technical Sales & Customer Interface - Commercial Lead
You will act as the commercial owner of key customer relationships, ensuring effective coordination between customers and Treeless’ internal technical experts.
Serve as the main commercial point of contact for customers and partners
Own, strategize and steer technical-commercial discussions in close collaboration with Treeless’ product innovation teams
Lead the conversion of technical validation into commercial agreements and long-term supply partnerships, working closely with internal R&D and external partners to develop customer-ready commercial and technical documentation.
Market, Pricing & Value Proposition Development - You will shape how Treeless competes:
Apply your understanding of pricing structures, margins, and purchasing logic in the cosmetics and personal care sector
Position Treeless ingredients clearly against incumbent and alternative solutions
Contribute to defining compelling value propositions tailored to target applications and customer segments
Requirements
3–8+ years of experience in business development, technical sales, or key account management in personal care / cosmetic ingredients
Strong background in formulation-driven sales and customer qualification processes
Experience working with R&D, formulation teams, and procurement in personal care companies
Proven ability to develop business and convert projects into commercial revenue
Existing network within personal care brands, manufacturers, or distributors
Strong communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills
Fluent in English and German (French is a plus)
Nice to have
Experience introducing innovative or disruptive materials into regulated or conservative markets ( , cosmetics)
Cumulated experience in big international groups and start-ups
Experience with long sales cycles, and scale-up transitions
Soft skills & mindset
Strong entrepreneurial and ownership mindset
Team-player and sparring partner for Founders and colleagues
Highly results-driven, with a clear focus on revenue and impact
Credible, confident, and persuasive at senior stakeholder level
Strategic thinker with hands-on execution ability
Comfortable working in an early-stage, fast-moving startup environment
Resilient, persistent, and motivated by building something new
What we offer
We offer a key commercial leadership role in a purpose-driven deep-tech biotech startup, with direct impact on early revenue generation and market positioning.
You will work closely with an experienced founding team, gain exposure to cutting-edge biomaterials technology, and contribute to building long-term partnerships in the cosmetics and personal care industry.
We provide a flexible, collaborative environment focused on innovation and impact, along with a competitive compensation package aligned with responsibility and performance.
Location:Zurich / Greater Zurich Area
Start Date: To be agreed
Language: English and German; French is a plus
Workload: 80-100 %, candidates must be eligible to work in Switzerland jid2ade89aafr jit0418afr jpiy26afr