Senior Commercial Lead / Senior Commercial Lead

Join Us in Shaping the Future of Materials!

We are a fast-growing startup, an ETH Zurich spin-off, pioneering sustainable biomaterials made from microorganisms. Our mission is to develop high-performance, renewable functional ingredients designed to replace petroleum-based additives and materials in applications such as cosmetics, adhesives, and advanced composites.

Job Opportunity

We are seeking a senior, commercially driven professional with deep industry expertise and a solidly established network. This role will actively shape segment-specific market access strategies, build a customer portfolio, and develop a market pipeline to ensure solid commercial revenue growth for Treeless AG.

Key Responsibilities

• Revenue Ownership & Business Development: You will be fully accountable for early commercial success, including driving revenues through winning commercial collaborations and converting opportunities into revenue-generating contracts.
• Leverage your existing network to engage cosmetic and adhesive manufacturers and ingredient distributors.
• Identify and connect with the right stakeholders across organizations.
• Lead commercial negotiations and close agreements.
• Build and manage a robust commercial pipeline with a clear path to recurring revenues, supported by structured pipeline management and CRM tools.

• Technical Sales & Customer Interface: Act as the commercial owner of key customer relationships, ensuring effective coordination between customers and Treeless' internal technical experts.
• Serve as the main commercial point of contact for customers and partners.
• Strategize and steer technical-commercial discussions in close collaboration with Treeless' product innovation teams.
• Lead the conversion of technical validation into commercial agreements and long-term supply partnerships.

• Market, Pricing & Value Proposition Development: Shape how Treeless competes by applying your understanding of pricing ranges, margins, and purchasing logic in the cosmetics and adhesives sectors.
• Position Treeless ingredients clearly against incumbent solutions and competitive alternatives.

Requirements

• Higher degree in Chemistry, Materials Science, Chemical Engineering, Polymer Science, or a related technical field; a business background with strong technical exposure is also welcome.
• 3+ years of experience in technical sales, business development, procurement, or key account management in cosmetic ingredients, adhesive ingredients, specialty chemicals, or related materials industries.
• Proven track record of winning business, closing contracts, and generating revenue in B2B sectors.
• Strong existing industry network with manufacturers, distributors, and key decision-makers.
• Deep understanding of industry supply chains, purchasing structures, qualification processes, and decision dynamics.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, relational, and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluent in English and German; French is a plus.
• Willingness to travel as needed within the Greater Zurich Area, Switzerland.

Nice to Have

• Experience introducing new or disruptive materials into conservative or regulated markets.
• Experience within large international organizations and startups.
• Familiarity with long sales cycles and scale-up transitions.

Soft Skills & Mindset

• Strong entrepreneurial and ownership mindset.
• Team player who collaborates effectively with founders and colleagues.
• Results-driven focus on revenue and impact.
• Credible, confident, and persuasive at senior stakeholder levels.
• Strategic thinker with hands-on execution ability.
• Comfortable in a fast-paced, early-stage startup environment.
• Resilient and motivated by building something new.

What We Offer

This is a key commercial leadership role in a purpose-driven deep-tech biotech startup, with direct impact on the company’s early revenue generation and market positioning. You will play a central role in shaping Treeless’ commercial success and long-term partnerships.

Work closely with an experienced founding team, gain exposure to cutting-edge biomaterials technology, and benefit from a flexible, collaborative environment focused on impact and innovation. We also offer a competitive compensation package aligned with responsibility and performance.

Location and Additional Information

• Location: Zurich / Greater Zurich Area
• Start Date: To be agreed
• Language: English and German; French is a plus
• Workload: 80-100%, candidates must be eligible to work in Switzerland

How to Apply

If this opportunity excites you and you believe you’d be a great fit, we’d love to hear from you. Apply online using the form below. Only applications matching the job profile will be considered.