At Astronaut Foods, we don’t play by the traditional grocery rules. We thrive where discovery, gifting, and curiosity meet. We are looking for a Specialty Sales Manager to move beyond account maintenance and start architecting our future retail footprint. If you have the commercial rigor of a CPG veteran and the creative spark of a startup founder, your next mission starts in Boulder.

Astronaut Foods (American Outdoor Products)

Astronaut Foods has been a pioneer in the freeze-dried food space since 1974, delivering innovative and fun products inspired by the wonders of space exploration. From the original freeze-dried ice cream to a wide array of out-of-this-world snacks, we are a brand rooted in curiosity, exploration, and delight. Based in Boulder, Colorado, we are committed to crafting unique, high-quality products that spark imaginations and bring the thrill of space to everyone’s snacking experience. At Astronaut Foods, we believe in inspiring space-age curiosity and creating memorable moments, one bite at a time.

What You Will Do

The Specialty Sales Manager is responsible for owning and growing Astronaut Foods’ retail business at the intersection of consumer packaged goods and novelty. This role focuses on expanding distribution in channels where discovery, impulse, and fun drive purchase, while maintaining the discipline required to build a scalable CPG brand.

This is not a maintenance role. You will be expected to define where Astronaut Foods belongs, build the right retail footprint, and create the structure, partnerships, and operating rhythm needed to support sustainable growth. Success in this role requires sound judgment, comfort operating with autonomy, and the ability to balance creative opportunity with commercial rigor.

You will work closely with marketing, operations, and product teams to ensure the brand shows up consistently, performs well at retail, and continues to evolve as a distinctive player within the CPG landscape.

Responsibilities:

Own specialty channel revenue, forecasting, planning, and growth strategy
Identify, pursue, and develop new retail opportunities where novelty, impulse, and gifting drive purchase
Manage and grow relationships with retailers, distributors, and independent rep groups across non- grocery channels
Set clear expectations, priorities, and accountability with external partners
Build and maintain strong partnerships with key accounts that align with the brand’s positioning and audience
Develop and refine sales processes, tools, and reporting to support scale and visibility
Partner with marketing to support in-store presence, displays, and promotions that drive discovery and conversion
Lead trade show planning and execution with clear objectives tied to distribution and revenue growth
Provide clear, data-informed insights to leadership on performance, opportunities, and channel expansion
Travel as needed to support accounts, distributors, rep groups, and industry events

Who You Are

You are a sales leader who enjoys building something from the ground up. You’re comfortable owning a channel end-to-end, identifying opportunities others might overlook, and bringing structure to environments that aren’t fully defined. You balance creativity with discipline, communicate clearly, and hold yourself and your partners accountable to results. You operate well with autonomy, use data to guide decisions, and are energized by finding the right places for a brand to show up and succeed.

Qualifications:

5+ years of sales experience, preferably within CPG, novelty, candy, toy, museum, or specialty retail
Food experience preferred
Experience managing key accounts and external partners such as distributors and/or rep groups
Strong understanding of non-traditional retail dynamics and impulse-driven purchasing
Ability to balance strategic thinking with hands-on execution
Comfort representing a playful, consumer-facing brand externally
Organized, detail-aware, data savvy and capable of managing multiple priorities
Ability to work from our Boulder office four days per week (Tues–Fri)

Benefits

The total compensation for this position, including base salary and target variable compensation, is $100,000 - $125,000 annually.

Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
Unlimited paid time off.
Paid holidays.
401(K) retirement plan.
Employee profit-sharing program.
Product stipend and access to industry deals.

American Outdoor Products inc. is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating a diverse and inclusive workplace where all employees are treated fairly and with respect. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, or any other protected characteristic. Our commitment to equal opportunity applies to all aspects of employment.

Sales Specialty Manager (Astronaut Foods)