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 velocity, train staff, run demos, and gather on-the-ground insight.

• Ensure field feedback flows directly into HQ decision-making.

• Partner closely with Growth, Marketing, Ops, and Finance to align retail strategy with brand, supply chain, and margin goals.

• Ensure learnings from retail inform product, packaging, education, and DTC strategy—and vice versa.

• You’ve built…