Job description
At C16 Biosciences, we believe that palm oil doesn’t have to be a problem. Our team is building a sustainable and environmentally-friendly alternative to “conflict palm oil,” which relies on tropical rainforest deforestation and emits over 1 billion tons of CO2 into the atmosphere every year. C16 Bio’s technology platform harnesses naturally-occurring biological processes, improved by the latest innovations in strain engineering, fermentation, and low-cost lipid extraction to produce a better kind of palm oil.
As the Strategy Lead, New Markets, you will lead C16’s strategy for entering food as a commercial market. Food is the largest consumer market for palm oil and palm oil derivatives, but the product and performance criteria vary across various food categories. You will be responsible for creatively mapping out the commercial opportunity across food markets, prioritizing those opportunities, defining optimal business models, and testing business models with potential customers. A successful candidate will also secure our first commercial partnership with a food manufacturer.
This role will be based in New York, NY. We offer relocation support.
Please apply directly here: https://jobs.lever.co/c16bio/54f6c60d-45a5-44ab-b075-42b2224352a4
What you’ll do
- Work with R&D team to crystallize core value proposition and performance attribute of our food products
- Map out the commercial opportunity across food markets – by category and geographic region
- Prioritize commercial opportunities and identify top customers in each category
- Engage in customer research with prospective customers, understanding major jobs to be done, opportunities, and current gaps
- Evaluation of various business models, with an eye toward innovative or disruptive models
- Secure first development contract with food manufacturer
- Lead strains through the regulatory roadmap to secure GRAS status
- Secure all regulatory, IP, and brand assets required for a successful food portfolio
Core competencies
- Experience with strategic marketing and competitive analysis and/or product management
- Familiarity with the role of fats and lipids in our food systems
- Experience communicating with product development teams and serving as “voice of customer”
- Obsession with customers
- A passion for sustainable food and agricultural systems
- Experience in oil/fats or oleochemical development
- Working knowledge of regulatory processes for fermentation-based foods
- True, proactive team player: As a member of a small team, you will sometimes need to volunteer and contribute to activities outside your responsibilities
- Experience maintaining and building a network, and building relationships with external stakeholders (especially customers)
- Independent, resourceful thinker, able to drive to results despite hurdles and limited resources
Preferred qualifications / experience
- 2+ years experience working at early-stage food technology companies
- 2+ years experience in management consulting, investment banking, business development, or related field
Diversity at C16 Bio
C16 Bio celebrates diversity in all its forms, we are committed to EEO regardless of race, color, ethnicity, ancestry, religion, national origin, gender, sex, gender identity or expression, sexual orientation, age, marital or parental status, disability, veteran status, and more.