Head of Retail

Ultra™ | Nicotine-Free Pouches for Focus & Energy About Ultra

Ultra™ is already the #1 brand of nicotine-free pouches in the world and we only launched 6 months ago —we’re just getting started. Our mission is to build the category-defining brand of functional pouches for people who want enhanced performance without the crash, addiction, or long‑term downsides. Ultra does not just make a pouch that is somewhat “better for you” than Zyn.

We make functional performance products that are actively good for you.

The market shift is massive: nicotine pouch sales are up 3,000% since 2019 and projected to reach $20B by 2026. Consumers are adopting the pouch form factor at scale, and many are now seeking nicotine‑free functional benefits in a pouch. Ultra is positioned to lead that wave.

Backed by some of the best investors, founders and athletes in the world, including:

• Left Lane Capital (Blank Street, Olipop, Holy)

• Sugar Capital (Grüns, Feastables, Lucky Energy)

• Athletes & Creators

  • Joe Burrow, Dak Prescott, Henrik Lundqvist, Jakob Chychrun + more

• Founders & Operators

  • Chad Janis (Grüns), Harpreet Singh (Oura Ring), Jeff Rader (Harry’s), Vinay Menda (Blank Street), + more

Learn more:

As Head of Retail at ULTRA
, you will own the strategy and execution of our retail launch and scale‑up—starting in 2026 and extending far beyond.

Your mandate is clear:
develop + execute ULTRA’s 2026 Retail Launch Plan
, turn retail into a repeatable growth channel, and build the sales, distribution, and operational engine required to aggressively scale to $75M+ in retail revenue in 2027

You’ll be responsible for everything from go‑to‑market strategy and account acquisition to field execution, distributor and broker management, team hiring, and retail performance instrumentation
. This is a true builder role: you’ll design the playbook, pressure‑test it in the field, and refine it into a system that scales.

You’ll work directly with the founders and cross‑functional leaders (Growth, Ops, Finance, Marketing) to ensure retail growth is disciplined, data‑driven, and aligned with ULTRA’s broader strategy. This is not a “spray‑and‑pray” retail role—we care about depth, velocity, and learning
, not vanity door counts.

• Own the execution of ULTRA’s FY‑26 Retail Thesis
  , treating 2026 as a structured retail experiment with clear learning loops and gates.

• Translate thesis into a concrete operating plan: geos, channels, placement strategy, sequencing, and pacing.

• Decide when to push, pause, or pivot based on real performance data

• Lead launch and scale‑up in 3‑5 lighthouse markets (e.g. NYC/Tri‑State, Texas, SoCal), prioritizing depth over scattered presence
  .

• Drive penetration across priority channels:

  • C‑store / gas / select drug

  • Select regional grocery / convenience chains

  • Influence & proof channels (gyms, fitness, wellness, campus, airports)

• Continuously refine where ULTRA wins best by geo, channel, store type, and placement.

• Design and manage a hybrid RTM model
  : distributors for reach, brokers for access, and an internal team for control and learning.

• Select, onboard, and manage high‑quality distributors and brokers—holding them accountable to performance standards.

• Hire, lead, and develop a high‑performing retail org
  , including:

  • Internal sales leadership

  • Field reps / market managers in lighthouse geos

  • Sales ops / retail analytics as scale demands

• Establish clear roles, incentives, and operating rhythms across sales, field, and ops.

• Own in‑store execution standards: placement, facings, displays, pricing, and education.

• Build a real field presence to protect…