Vice President, Business Operations & Commercialization

About the Company

Levels is one of the fastest-growing sports nutrition brands in America. We make premium protein powders without the gimmicks, hype, or shortcuts that dominate the category. Our business is rooted in ingredient transparency, product quality, and operational excellence. Our products are sold through direct-to-consumer, Amazon, Costco, Walmart, Target, and a growing network of national retailers and distributors. As we continue to scale our protein powder business and expand into Ready-to-Drink protein beverages, we are adding an experienced business operator to lead commercialization and cross-functional execution.

About the Role

The Vice President, Business Operations & Commercialization is a senior operator responsible for moving products and strategic initiatives from concept through commercialization, launch, and ongoing execution. This is not a traditional supply chain role. This person will work across Product Development, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, Finance, Sales, Marketing, and external manufacturing partners to create alignment, remove roadblocks, and ensure the company executes against its highest priorities. The ideal candidate has deep experience commercializing Ready-to-Drink beverages, preferably shelf-stable, dairy-based, or high-protein products. Experience with protein powders, sports nutrition, nutritional products, or supplements is also strongly preferred. This role reports directly to the CEO and will work closely with the COO and executive leadership team.

Responsibilities

Lead commercialization from concept through full-scale launch across RTD beverages and protein powders.

Responsibilities include:

• Building and managing integrated commercialization plans
• Establishing timelines, critical paths, ownership, and launch-readiness criteria
• Coordinating formula, ingredient, packaging, artwork, regulatory, and quality readiness
• Leading pilot production, scale-up, commercial trials, and manufacturing transitions
• Aligning inventory, sales, marketing, and retail timelines
• Identifying risks early and driving timely decisions
• Leading launch-readiness meetings and executive updates
• Conducting post-launch reviews and improving future processes

Provide senior leadership for the development and commercialization of the company’s Ready-to-Drink beverage platform.

Responsibilities include:

• Shelf-stable and high-protein beverage commercialization
• Formula transfer and manufacturing validation
• Pilot and commercial production planning
• Ingredient and flavor qualification
• Packaging format and fill-line readiness
• Shelf-life, stability, process authority, and regulatory coordination
• Quality and food-safety readiness
• Cost modeling, margin validation, and capacity planning
• Co-manufacturer selection, coordination, and accountability

Lead commercialization and business operations across whey protein, casein, collagen, and future powder innovation.

Responsibilities include:

• Formula and ingredient commercialization
• Raw material and flavor-system qualification
• Blending, filling, and packaging readiness
• Manufacturing scale-up and process improvement
• Co-manufacturer coordination
• Cost, margin, and capacity planning
• Product and packaging transitions
• Product lifecycle management
• Translate company priorities into clear operating plans
• Create alignment across departments and external partners
• Establish ownership, deadlines, decision points, and escalation paths
• Identify and remove organizational bottlenecks
• Improve operating rhythms, planning processes, and executive visibility
• Build scalable systems without adding unnecessary bureaucracy
• Lead complex initiatives that cross multiple functions
• Step into unclear areas of the business and create structure
• Help leadership prioritize initiatives based on impact, complexity, risk, and available resources
• Partner with Finance to build business cases for new products, formats, and investments
• Evaluate product economics, margin, capital requirements, and commercialization tradeoffs
• Support annual planning, forecasting, and long-range business planning
• Identify opportunities to improve profitability and reduce complexity
• Evaluate the operational implications of new channels, retailers, partnerships, and manufacturing opportunities
• Provide objective, data-driven recommendations to the CEO and leadership team

Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive leadership experience in consumer packaged goods
• Significant experience in Ready-to-Drink beverages, sports nutrition, protein powders, nutritional products, supplements, or closely related categories
• Demonstrated experience commercializing products from concept through full-scale manufacturing and retail launch
• Experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives
• Strong financial and commercial acumen
• Experience working with executive leadership
• Experience building processes within a fast-growing business
• Ability to influence senior leaders without relying solely on direct authority

Required Skills

Deep RTD beverage experience is the highest priority.

Preferred beverage experience includes:

• Shelf-stable beverages
• High-protein or nutritional beverages
• Dairy-based or ultra-filtered milk beverages
• Functional beverages
• Aseptic or retort manufacturing
• Commercial beverage scale-up
• Preferred powder experience includes:
• Whey protein
• Casein
• Collagen
• Sports nutrition or nutritional powders
• Powder blending and filling
• Ingredient and flavor-system qualification
• Co-manufacturer management
• Candidates whose experience is primarily outside beverages, protein powders, nutrition, or closely related CPG categories are unlikely to be a fit.

Preferred Skills

• Experience supporting products sold through several of the following channels is preferred: