--- title: 'Director, Retail Sales- Large Store Central at fairlife' canonical: 'https://feeny.ai/job/director-retail-sales-large-store-central-fairlife-chicago-illinois-qn2yes5bgd1t' type: 'job' last_seen: '2026-09-15' --- # Director, Retail Sales- Large Store Central at fairlife - **Company:** fairlife - **Location:** Chicago Illinois, United States - **Compensation:** $165k–$190k - **Posted:** 2026-07-13 - **Last confirmed live:** 2026-09-15 - **Apply:** https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/fairlife/jobs/5185617007 ## Job description fairlife, LLC is a Chicago-based nutrition company that creates great-tasting, nutrition-rich and dairy products to nourish consumers. With over $3B in annual retail sales, fairlife’s portfolio of delicious, lactose-free, real dairy products includes: fairlife® ultra-filtered milk; Core Power® High Protein Shakes, a sports nutrition drink to support post-workout recovery; fairlife® nutrition plan™, a nutrition shake to support the journey to better health. A wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola company, fairlife, LLC has been recognized by both Fast Company and Nielsen for its industry leading innovation. To learn more about fairlife and its complete line of products, please visit [fairlife.com](http://www.fairlife.com). job purpose: The Director, Retail Sales – Large Store Central Retail Channel is responsible for driving sales growth, market share, and customer development across major grocery and large-format retail accounts within the Central U.S. region. This role leads the development and execution of strategic sales plans that support company objectives, customer growth, and overall business performance. As a key sales leader, the Director will build strategic relationships with National and Regional Grocery Retailers, Coca-Cola North America Customer Teams, Coca-Cola Bottling Partners, and Acosta Sales Teams to accelerate growth across the fairlife portfolio. This individual will lead a high-performing sales team, foster a culture of accountability and results, and partner cross-functionally with Marketing, Finance, Insights, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to deliver profitable growth and best-in-class execution. responsibilities: - Drive revenue growth, market share gains, and distribution expansion across key grocery and large-format retail customers within the Central Retail Channel. - Lead customer development through Joint Business Planning (JBP), annual negotiations, promotional planning, and assortment optimization that align with company growth objectives. - Partner with Marketing, Finance, Insights, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to develop and execute customer growth strategies. - Identify opportunities through market trends, syndicated data, shopper insights, and competitive analysis. - Manage trade spending, customer investments, and marketing budgets to maximize ROI while maintaining fiscal responsibility. - Build, coach, and develop a high-performing sales team through effective leadership, talent development, and performance management. - Develop and maintain strong executive-level relationships with key customers and business partners. skills/qualifications required: - Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Sales, Marketing, Finance, or related field required; MBA preferred. - Minimum of 8 years of progressive experience in Sales, Account Management, Customer Development, National Accounts, or Retail Sales within the CPG, food and beverage, or consumer products industry. - Minimum of 2 years of successful sales leadership experience with responsibility for leading and developing high-performing teams. - Strong knowledge of CPG sales strategy, customer development, category management, trade promotion management, and revenue growth management. - Demonstrated success delivering sales growth, market share expansion, distribution gains, and customer profitability objectives. - Strong strategic planning, negotiation, and relationship-building skills. - Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and communication skills. - Strong financial and business acumen, including budget management, forecasting, trade spend optimization, and P&L accountability. how fairlife nourishes you: At fairlife, we believe in better — and that includes how we support our people. We offer a comprehensive suite of benefits and wellbeing resources designed to support you physically, emotionally, socially, and financially, both in and out of work. - Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, effective day one! - Supplemental health plans (hospital indemnity, accident, and critical illness insurance) - Paid Time Off to recharge and support work-life balance - Paid parental leave & adoption assistance (up to $10,000) - Parental support & family care benefits, including childcare resources and lactation support - 401(k) to support retirement planning with up to 9% in employer match - Wellness reimbursement (up to $500 for qualified wellbeing expenses) - Employee Assistance Program (EAP) for emotional wellbeing and work-life support - Company-paid life insurance and short-term disability - Employer HSA funding (for HDHP participants) - Tuition reimbursement (up to $10,000) and student loan repayment ($200/month) - Learning & development programs to unlock your full potential - Rewards & recognition, matching gifts, free product, and Business Resource Groups fairlife’s nour!sh program is designed to meet you where you are — supporting your individual wellbeing journey while enabling you to do your best work every day. position location: Chicago, or Cincinnati reports to: Heald of Large Store Sales travel requirements: 50-75% exempt/nonexempt:  exempt *Base pay offered may vary depending on geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position, is offered. Base pay range: $165,000—$190,000 USD fairlife, LLC is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. All qualified applicants and employees will be given equal opportunity. Selection decisions are based on job-related factors. In addition to its nondiscrimination commitment, the Company will also provide reasonable accommodation of qualified individuals with known disabilities unless doing so would impose an undue hardship on the Company. If you have a disability and would like to request accommodation in order to apply for a position with us, please email careers@fairlife.com. For Recruitment Agencies At fairlife, we manage the majority of our hiring internally through our dedicated Talent Acquisition team, which is actively engaged in direct candidate sourcing. Most of our roles are filled through applications submitted via our careers site or through direct outreach by our team. As our recruitment is primarily handled in-house, we work only occasionally with external agencies, and only those on our existing, pre-approved vendor list. At this time, we are not reviewing or expanding that list. Unsolicited resumes or submissions from external agencies not authorized by our Talent Acquisition team will be considered direct candidate applications. As such, fairlife will not assume responsibility for any placement fees associated with these submissions. ## About fairlife ## Company Overview - **One-liner**: fairlife produces ultra-filtered, lactose-free dairy products including milk and protein shakes, using a patented cold-filtration process to deliver higher protein and calcium with less sugar. - **Entity Type**: Private – wholly owned subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company (acquired full ownership in 2020) - **Headquarters**: Chicago, Illinois, United States - **Founded**: 2012 - **Founders**: Mike McCloskey and Sue McCloskey ## Core Business - **Primary industry**: Food & Beverage – dairy and functional nutrition - **Target customers**: B2C – health-conscious consumers, athletes, families seeking high-protein/lactose-free options; also sold through retail (grocery, convenience) and direct-to-consumer via e‑commerce - **Mission / Purpose**: “Nourish the world with great tasting, nutrition-rich products” while caring for people, animals and the planet [fairlife.com/culture](https://fairlife.com/culture/) ## Products & Services - **fairlife Ultra-Filtered Milk**: Lactose-free, shelf-stable milk available in whole, 2% and fat-free varieties with 50% more protein and 50% less sugar than regular milk. (Consumer packaged good) - **Core Power / Core Power Elite**: High-protein (26g–42g) recovery shakes aimed at athletes and active individuals. (Consumer packaged good) - **fairlife Nutrition Plan**: High-protein, low-sugar shakes designed for weight management or meal replacement. (Consumer packaged good) - **YUP!**: Chocolate milk and other flavored dairy beverages (primarily for kids). (Consumer packaged good) - **DHA Omega-3 Ultra-Filtered Milk**: Milk fortified with DHA omega-3 fatty acids. (Consumer packaged good) ## Market Standing - **Valuation / Revenue**: Not publicly disclosed as a standalone entity; fairlife is reported to have surpassed **$1 billion in annual retail sales** (industry estimates) but exact figures are not confirmed by the company. - **Key Metric**: As a subsidiary of The Coca-Cola Company, fairlife’s financials are consolidated; the brand is one of the fastest-growing in the U.S. dairy category. - **Notable Investors / Owner**: The Coca-Cola Company (sole owner since 2020) - **Growth Signals**: - Expanding manufacturing footprint with facilities in **Coopersville, MI; Goodyear, AZ; Webster, NY** and a headquarters in **Chicago, IL**. - Active hiring across engineering, supply chain, quality, and operations (52+ open positions as of July 2026) [greenhouse.io](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/fairlife) - Continuous product line extensions (protein shakes, DHA milk) and increased shelf placement in national retailers. ## Competitive Advantages - **Patented Ultrafiltration Technology**: Produces milk with higher protein, calcium, and creaminess while removing lactose – a process that extends shelf life up to 50 days (unopened, refrigerated). - **Brand Trust & Distribution**: Backed by The Coca-Cola Company’s global distribution network and marketing muscle. - **Differentiation**: Stands out in the dairy aisle by offering “better-for-you” attributes (lactose-free, lower sugar, higher protein) without sacrificing taste. - **Sustainability Focus**: Commitment to animal welfare and environmental stewardship (e.g., partnerships with dairy farmers, goal of net-zero emissions by 2050). ## Strategic Focus - **Capacity Expansion**: Investing in new production plants (e.g., Goodyear, AZ facility) to meet growing demand and reduce supply chain risk. - **Product Innovation**: Developing new functional dairy beverages (e.g., high-protein coffee, plant-based blends) and expanding the Core Power line. - **Digital & Direct-to-Consumer**: Growing e‑commerce presence and subscription models for protein shakes. - **Sustainability**: Reducing carbon footprint across the value chain, including regenerative agriculture practices and packaging improvements. ## Why Work Here - **Culture**: fairlife describes a “uniquely entrepreneurial spirit” within a larger corporate structure, emphasizing collaboration, curiosity, and a commitment to making a positive impact [fairlife.com/culture](https://fairlife.com/culture/). - **Benefits & Wellbeing**: “Nourish” program offers resources for physical, mental, and financial health; benefits include competitive compensation, health coverage, 401(k) match, and paid time off. - **Work Environment**: Hybrid model likely for corporate roles (Chicago HQ); manufacturing roles are on-site at various plant locations. The careers page highlights engineering, R&D, supply chain, safety, and operations teams. - **Growth Opportunities**: Rapidly growing company with a flat-ish structure; employees can move between functions (e.g., from quality to engineering). Many roles open in automation, project management, and data analytics. - **Notable Perks**: Free product samples, employee discounts, and a strong focus on internal promotions (most hiring done directly by the Talent Acquisition team). ## Sources 1. [fairlife.com – Homepage](https://fairlife.com) 2. [fairlife.com – Culture & Mission](https://fairlife.com/culture/) 3. [fairlife.com – Careers Overview](https://fairlife.com/careers/) 4. [fairlife.com – Career Opportunities (Job Listings)](https://fairlife.com/career-opportunities/) 5. [Greenhouse Job Board – fairlife Open Positions](https://job-boards.greenhouse.io/fairlife) ## Other roles at fairlife - [Research & Development Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/research-development-intern-summer-2027-fairlife-chicago-illinois-dqn1ws75xh5z) — Chicago Illinois, United States - [Warehouse Operator (12 Hour Nights - Rotating Weekends)](https://feeny.ai/job/warehouse-operator-12-hour-nights-rotating-weekends-fairlife-webster-new-york-wfbfsdw6rdmy) — Webster New York, United States - [Sanitation Technician | 4:00 PM - 12:00 AM | Future 12 Hour Rotating 2-2-3 Schedule](https://feeny.ai/job/sanitation-technician-4-00-pm-12-00-am-future-12-hour-rotating-2-2-3-schedule-5hbskf6r775p) — Webster New York, United States - [Director, Retail Sales](https://feeny.ai/job/director-retail-sales-fairlife-chicago-illinois-3n34ncrnpgfp) — Chicago Illinois, United States - [Automated Equipment Technician (12 Hour Days – Rotating Weekends)](https://feeny.ai/job/automated-equipment-technician-12-hour-days-rotating-weekends-fairlife-webster-3sjfypxqad9z) — Webster New York, United States - [Project Engineering Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/project-engineering-intern-summer-2027-fairlife-goodyear-arizona-8cy727mhnmrm) — Goodyear Arizona, United States - [Engineering Utilities Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/engineering-utilities-intern-summer-2027-fairlife-goodyear-arizona-5hp9zn2xm33f) — Goodyear Arizona, United States - [Continuous Improvement Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/continuous-improvement-intern-summer-2027-fairlife-coopersville-michigan-nxbpvspg64y1) — Coopersville Michigan, United States - [Project Engineering Intern (Summer 2027)](https://feeny.ai/job/project-engineering-intern-summer-2027-fairlife-coopersville-michigan-6k9f65sje12y) — Coopersville Michigan, United States - [Maintenance Technician - Utilities (12 Hour Nights – Rotating Weekends)](https://feeny.ai/job/maintenance-technician-utilities-12-hour-nights-rotating-weekends-fairlife-sk51e233c9cd) — Goodyear Arizona, United States