Senior Vice President, Managing Director in Cambridge

PACT is revolutionising materials with creativity and purpose. We develop biomaterials ingredients that meet luxury aesthetic and performance standards at an industrial scale. Collaborating with the world’s leading luxury brands, we craft beautiful products that align with their creativity, quality, and profitability needs. Powered by our patented technology, we’re transforming bio-based raw materials into a multi-billion-dollar opportunity, creating elegant circular materials with a fraction of the environmental impact.

Founded at the University of Cambridge in 2020 by Dr Yudi Ding, PACT is a global biomaterials leader backed by over $35M in funding to date from leading venture capital firms. Our team of 30+ visionary scientists, creatives and engineers are scaling solutions to revolutionise industries from fashion, footwear, interior, to automotive.

Role Summary

As VP of Sales at PACT, you will close a sales target of multiple millions over the next 12 months. You’ll build and lead a world-class B2B sales engine for next-generation biomaterials into luxury, premium and mass fashion, footwear, interiors and automotive brands. You will own the commercial pipeline end-to-end — sourcing leads and converting inbound interest into sales / supply agreements. Working closely with your executive peers, you will be responsible for facilitating the supply of sales from our outsourced manufacturer network, always ensuring adherence to our customers’ requirements. Working directly with the CEO and in close partnership with the VP Growth, you will bring discipline, rigour and success to our commercial operations. This is a high-impact leadership role for an experienced sales operator who is excited to help scale a breakthrough sustainable materials company at a pivotal growth stage.

Location: Cambridge/London (2–3 days per week in Cambridge HQ; frequent travel to France, Italy, the US and other brand/manufacturing hubs)

Mission: Build and run a professional B2B sales engine for PACT's biomaterials into luxury, premium and mass fashion. Focus is on sales to accessory, footwear, interior brands whilst facilitating supply through textile manufacturers.

Requirements

• Strong track record and contact book in B2B materials sales to the apparel, footwear or interior industry.
• Proven experience building or significantly improving a sales process from scratch: CRM implementation, funnel definitions, qualification criteria, forecasting and reporting.
• Experience defining product specs and advantages for first time (innovative) products; translating this to pitches / proposals.
• Comfortable operating autonomously as the first dedicated sales hire in an early-stage company, working hands-on with up to one junior support.
• Builder mindset: enjoys creating structure where there is little, and iterating processes based on data and feedback.
• Disciplined operator: manages pipeline rigorously, follows through on every lead, moves forward and closes deals with urgency (especially around contracting).
• Strong communicator and dealmaker: able to navigate multiple stakeholders and long decision cycles, and to push for clear next steps.
• High integrity and collaboration: works seamlessly with the CEO, VP Growth and technical teams.
• English is mandatory. Knowledge of additional languages, such as French or Italian, will be beneficial.
• Passion and curiosity for fashion and lifestyle brands across luxury, premium and mass segments; understands their aesthetics, hand feel, expectations and ways of working.
• Personal presence, communication style and demeanour suited to representing PACT with senior stakeholders at leading fashion houses and premium brands.
• Genuine interest in innovation and responsible sourcing in materials and creative industries.

Core Responsibilities:

• Drive sales through pipeline: Take full ownership of the sales pipeline for PACT-based materials to luxury, premium and mass fashion/footwear/interior brands in Europe and the US. Close multi-million-pound sales targets with said brands, facilitating supply through PACT’s manufacturer network. Qualify and prioritise opportunities generated through the CEO, VP Growth, and PACT's network, ensuring no warm leads are dropped. Drive end-to-end sales cycles from first meeting through offer and contract signature, coordinating the supply of sample materials and requirements from team and manufacturer network.
• Commercial Execution & Contracting: Prepare and iterate on offers, term sheets, and contracts swiftly, coordinating with VP Growth, Finance, and legal support as needed. Negotiate pricing, volumes, and contract structures that maximise commercial growth for PACT while aligning with brand expectations.
• Build Sales Process, Tooling and Discipline: Design and implement a simple, rigorous B2B sales process tailored to PACT's biomaterials and customer buying cycles. Select and run core sales tooling (CRM, pipeline dashboards, templates, reporting) and continuously improve them as volume grows. Introduce clear operating rhythms: e.g. weekly pipeline reviews with CEO/VP Growth, forecast updates, and deal review cadences.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Product, Tech Sales and Operations to align brand demand with manufacturer readiness in Europe and Asia. Partner with Product and Supply Chain to translate brand feedback into product requirements, performance specifications and go-to-market materials. Provide structured, data-driven feedback from the field to inform commercial strategy, pricing, and prioritisation of target segments.
• Representation & Relationship Building: Represent PACT convincingly with senior stakeholders at leading fashion houses, matching their standards of professionalism, refinement and brand sensitivity. Regularly visit key brand hubs (Paris, Milan/Florence, NYC, Shanghai) for in-person meetings, material presentations and relationship-building. Serve as a visible commercial leader for PACT at industry events and key stakeholder forums alongside the CEO and VP Growth when appropriate.

Personal Requirements

• A self-starter that is highly motivated to create the most effective solutions to problems possible.
• Strong track record in B2B sales with a professional, process-driven approach, ideally in branded or ingredient-like products for our target markets (e.g. apparel, accessories, footwear, interiors or other categories).
• Proven experience building or significantly improving a sales process from scratch: CRM implementation, funnel definitions, qualification criteria, forecasting and reporting.
• Proven experience closing annual sales of £1m+ (individually or leading a team).
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively across multi-disciplinary teams.
• Work independently to manage timelines and deliver results, while being an effective team contributor.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Aptitude with electronic word processing, spreadsheet and presentation systems, as well as comfort in using electronic systems and databases.
• Excellent organisation, data analysis, and communication skills.
• It is highly desirable if you have expertise in one or more of the following areas: Experience selling novel materials / ingredients to the apparel / accessories / footwear / interiors industries; Experience in the creation and/or characterisation of CASE (coatings, adhesives, sealants and elastomers) materials; Understanding of polymers, biomaterials, or textile-related production.
• A great team player, utilising both their own talent and that of the team in the most effective way.
• Someone who loves solving problems and seeing their solutions realised.
• Person with the ability to tailor their communication to the audience, to provide concise and understandable presentations.
• Good attention to detail and data-driven.
• A desire to do something that has a positive impact on both people and the environment.

Compensation

OTE over £200k.

Benefits

At PACT, we know that our people are at the heart of everything we do. That’s why we offer a compensation package that reflects your talent and expertise, with a range of benefits designed to support your well-being, growth, and work-life balance, including: 25 days holiday plus 8 bank holidays (UK). Bupa medical and dental insurance for peace of mind. 4x salary life assurance to protect what matters most. £50 per month Juno allowance – use it on wellness, learning, or lifestyle. DASH Cycle to Work scheme for a greener commute. Salary Sacrifice Pension (6% employer and 2% employee minimum contribution). EMI Options. You’ll also be part of a dynamic team of visionaries who are passionate about the application of biomaterials in the fashion industry. If you’re looking to make an impact while working in a fast-paced, innovative environment, we’d love to hear from you!

PACT is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.