The CEO will provide strategic, financial, and operational leadership. He/she will closely coordinate with and work with the Board of Directors and senior leadership team, and establish short—and long-term goals and strategies to ensure continuing profitable growth and adequate return on capital.
With a work history in the technical or liquid foods industries and proven leadership experience in scaling a business, the CEO will demonstrate success by steering the Company through growth and leveraging its established market leadership to explore new opportunities with existing products and new product development.

Roles and Responsibilities:

• Develop and execute a compelling vision and long-term strategy to drive significant growth.
• Work with the Board to determine core values and mission and plan for short- and long-term goals.
• Cultivate a culture of innovation, continuous improvement, and customer-centricity.
• Identify and address problems and opportunities for the Company; assess and develop mitigation plans for key risks.
• Build alliances and partnerships with industry thought leaders and other organizations.

• Inspire and lead a high-performance team, ensuring alignment with company values and strategic objectives.
• Motivate and lead a high-performance management team; attract, recruit, develop, and retain key leaders.
• Establish a strong organization, team motivation, and healthy employee working culture.

• Expand market penetration in the Company's core industries while identifying new, relevant markets and sales channels.
• Function as the primary spokesperson for the Company and build strong relationships with key stakeholders.

• Ensure operational excellence across all business aspects, optimize processes, and enhance customer satisfaction.
• Develop, implement, and enforce operating policies that improve operational and financial effectiveness.
• Evaluate the Company's financial, operational, and sales/marketing structures to plan for continual improvements and increased efficiency.

• Plan, develop, implement, and direct the organization's operational and fiscal function and performance.
• Collaborate with senior management to prepare an annual budget and operating plan, long-term strategic plan, and financial forecasts.
• Provide accurate analysis of budgets, financial reports, financial and market trends, and operational procedures to assist the BOD and senior executive team.
• Oversee capital planning, expenditure, and asset deployment activities supporting the Company's strategic plan.

• Collaborate effectively with the Board of Directors, providing timely updates on strategic initiatives, performance metrics, and market conditions.
• Ensure compliance with all legal, regulatory, and ethical standards.

• Bachelor's degree with a preference for a scientific discipline (e.g., Microbiology, Chemistry, Biotechnology, engineering, or related field); Advanced degree, MBA, or equivalent business education is highly desirable.

• Proven leadership experience in a business environment, ideally within biotechnology, food safety, or a related industry.
• Demonstrated ability to drive organic growth and lead strategic market expansions.
• Corporate governance experience while working with or reporting to a Board of Directors.
• Broad business management experience with emphasis in sales and marketing and oversight of operational and financial business functions; experience as a chief operating officer a plus.
• A record of driving business growth in an emerging company, primarily organic and possibly strategic acquisitions.
• Experience in developing profitable strategies and implementing vision, with a preference for global sourcing and offshore manufacturing.

• Visionary and strategic thinker with a record of innovation and market exploration.
• Strong leadership ability combined with a strategic mindset.
• Professional business acumen with a solid understanding of financial statements, corporate finance, and budgeting.
• Proven negotiation skills and ability to build consensus and relationships among executives, partners, and the workforce.
• Focus on continuous improvement and driving for effective results.
• Ability to understand contemporary issues quickly and make wise decisions while solving problems.
• Ability to inspire confidence, create trust, and communicate effectively at all levels.
• Ability to work under pressure, plan personal workload effectively and delegate while demonstrating a willingness to take calculated risks.

About Versique
Versique: /ver-seek/ adj. being both versatile and unique; n. a high-performance recruiting firm specializing in executive leadership search, direct hire, and interim hiring solutions. 
Versique Executive, Professional, & Interim Recruiting is a locally owned and operated hiring and placement firm based in the Twin Cities of Minnesota. With specialized practice areas across our three divisions, Versique delivers tailored expertise to a wide range of industries. What sets us apart is our team of recruiters—seasoned professionals who have worked in the very fields they now hire for, providing unmatched industry insight and connections.
We believe people are more than just resumes—they are transformative, unlocking the potential for organizational growth and success.
Versique is proud to be award-winning, earning recognition on the Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies and the Minneapolis-St. Paul Business Journal's Fast 50 list for 2023. We are also consistently recognized as a Star Tribune Top Workplace and were named a Best Place to Work in 2022 by the Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal.
Let's find your people, together.
Versique is an equal-opportunity employer committed to creating a diverse workforce. We consider all qualified applicants regardless of race, religion, color, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status.
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