Senior Sales / Business Development – Personal Care Ingredients (80–100%)

About the job

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 (e.g., 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