Director Sales, Hygienic Fluid Handling

About the job

At Alfa Laval, we always go the extra mile to overcome the toughest challenges. Our driving force is to accelerate success for our customers, people, and planet.

We are seeking a Director of Sales, Hygienic Fluid Handling to lead and grow our Hygienic Fluid Handling business within the Food & Pharma Division. This critical leadership role is responsible for driving profitable growth through the development and execution of commercial, operational, and organizational strategies across both capital equipment and aftermarket businesses.

As a key member of the leadership team, you will lead a diverse organization that includes sales, customer-facing, technical, and business-support functions. You will be responsible for building organizational capability, developing future leaders, identifying new growth opportunities, and ensuring alignment between local, divisional, and global business strategies.

Success in this role requires a leader with an entrepreneurial mindset who can balance strategic vision with execution, foster accountability through a team of leaders, and drive business performance through growth, transformation, and talent development. You will play a pivotal role in scaling the organization, strengthening market position, increasing customer engagement, and preparing the business for its next phase of growth.

This is a hybrid leadership role located in Kenosha, Wisconsin. Relocation assistance is available.

As a part of the team, you will:

• Define and execute the strategic business plan for the Hygienic Fluid Handling business, encompassing both Capital Sales and After Sales operations, in alignment with local, divisional, and global business objectives.
• Lead and scale a complex commercial organization by providing direction, coaching, and accountability to Sales Managers and functional leaders across sales, customer-facing, technical, and business-support teams.
• Develop and execute growth strategies that drive revenue, profitability, market share expansion, and long-term customer value across key Food, Beverage, Dairy, Pharmaceutical, and Personal Care markets.
• Build and implement comprehensive business plans that leverage market intelligence, customer segmentation, pricing strategy, channel development, demand generation, and competitive positioning.
• Foster a culture of accountability, performance, and continuous improvement through disciplined forecasting, pipeline management, performance measurement, and operational excellence.
• Lead organizational development initiatives, including talent assessment, succession planning, leadership development, and capability building to create a high-performing and scalable organization.
• Drive business transformation efforts, including organizational redesign, process optimization, digitalization initiatives, and integration of future growth opportunities.
• Partner closely with Marketing, Product Management, Operations, Service, and Global Business Unit stakeholders to translate strategy into measurable business results.
• Strengthen strategic relationships with customers, channel partners, and key industry stakeholders while identifying new opportunities for growth and market penetration.
• Oversee business planning, budgeting, forecasting, and financial performance, ensuring decisions balance revenue growth, operational efficiency, and profitability objectives.
• Lead through influence in a highly matrixed organization, aligning diverse stakeholders around common goals and driving execution across multiple functions and regions.
• Review and approve commercial agreements, contractual commitments, and business decisions in accordance with delegated authority, governance standards, and risk management practices.
• Operate with a general management mindset, building organizational capability and developing future leaders while positioning the business for sustainable long-term growth and succession.

At Alfa Laval, we pride ourselves on creating an inclusive and dynamic workplace that values diverse perspectives and experiences. While we typically welcome applicants from all locations, currently, we are prioritizing candidates who reside in the US or have an established presence in the area.

What you know:

You are a strategic, customer-focused commercial leader with a demonstrated ability to lead through change, develop teams, and deliver sustainable business growth.

You have a Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, and or equivalent relevant industry experience, and:

• Proven experience leading leaders and multiple business functions within an industrial B2B organization, with a track record of building high-performing teams, driving growth, and developing future leaders.
• Proven success developing and executing business growth strategies that drive sustainable revenue growth, profitability, market expansion, and customer value creation within a complex industrial B2B environment.
• Experience leading organizational transformation, business scaling, and change management initiatives, including growth through market expansion, organizational redesign, acquisitions, new business models, or commercial excellence programs.
• Experience developing, influencing, or optimizing channel partner and distribution strategies preferred, including the ability to drive growth through indirect sales models and strategic partner relationships.
• Demonstrated success developing leaders, building succession pipelines, and creating high-performing organizations through coaching, delegation, accountability, and talent development.
• Strong commercial, operational, and financial acumen, with experience managing business performance, evaluating investment decisions, balancing growth and profitability, and driving long-term business value.
• Exceptional communication, executive presence, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence across all levels of the organization, navigate complex business environments, and effectively communicate strategy to customers, employees, and senior leadership.
• Experience leading business planning, forecasting, budgeting, performance management, and strategic decision-making within a sizeable commercial or operational organization.
• Proven ability to lead through influence within highly matrixed organizations, effectively aligning cross-functional teams, global stakeholders, and business priorities to achieve results.
• Experience leading leaders across multiple business functions, such as Sales, Customer Service, Technical Services, Operations, Product Management, Marketing, or Commercial Excellence, rather than solely managing direct sales organizations.
• Demonstrated capacity to operate with a general management mindset, including building organizational capability, developing future leaders, driving business strategy, and preparing organizations for long-term growth and succession.
• Ability and willingness to travel up to 50% domestically and internationally.

What's in it for you?

Alfa Laval offers a competitive salary and full benefits package, including medical/dental/vision/life, 401(k) plan, and more. At Alfa Laval, we carefully consider a wide range of compensation factors to determine your total compensation package. We rely on market indicators to determine compensation and consider your specific job family, background, skills, and experience to get it right. These considerations can cause your compensation to vary and will also be dependent on your location. The base salary for this role is typically $170,000 - $190,000.