Head of Growth

ABOUT THE ROLEWe’re looking for an experienced Head of Growth to join our team on a 12-month fixed term contract to lead our commercial team through an exciting time for the business. Reporting to the Co-founder & CEO, you will drive the company’s commercial activity through partnerships, brand activity and leading on new market opportunities. The Head of Growth will help join the dots between our customer’s requirements and our technical capabilities, keeping a pulse on market trends and furthering our brand impact within the biomaterials and fashion worlds.ABOUT USModern Synthesis is a biotech company bringing life to materials. Founded by ex-Adidas designer Jen Keane and synthetic biologist Dr. Ben Reeve, we work with bacteria to produce an entirely new class of nanocellulose-based materials, which deliver performance without plastics and aesthetics without animal inputs. Designed for applications within fashion and beyond, our biobased materials not only displace animal leathers or plastic-based materials, but also generate entirely new textile possibilities for designers. You can read more about our technology on our website.We believe that big breakthroughs happen when disparate disciplines, perspectives and ideas collide. As a team of biologists, chemists, designers, engineers, business experts, and microbes, we benefit from these creative collisions on a daily basis. From our strong culture of debate (hot takes always welcome) to our bi-weekly deep dives, we intentionally embed collaboration and growth into everything we do.We hire people, not roles, so we can be flexible on scope. We strongly encourage you to apply if you think you’re qualified for a portion of this role, and can demonstrate a proven ability to take on new skills and challenges.RESPONSIBILITIESBusiness Development, Sales and Partnership ManagementAttract, develop and close long-term commercial dealsOwn the B2B customer journey, from early due diligence to contract signing, collaborating closely with our technical leads throughout the processSource and prioritise customer requirements to ensure that all outbound partner collateral reflects clear alignment between customer needs and our solutionsManage existing partnerships, working with our R&D team to ensure that development projects run to target timelines, scope, and budgetLead terms negotiation and liaise with legal counsel with support from senior leadershipClose existing pipeline opportunitiesRepresent the company with key customers, and at relevant industry eventsCommercial StrategyCollaborate with the Senior Leadership Team to develop long-term innovation strategyConduct market segmentation and analysis to support business planning and investment needsBuild out and refine pricing strategy on an ongoing basisDevelop and execute go-to-market strategy for new products and servicesBrand DevelopmentOversee key brand-building initiatives like brand identity refreshes and website buildsManage event participation at trade shows and industry eventsDesign and manage strategic marketing activations in partnership with our brand partnersManagementManage our Partnerships Manager and Content Strategist, fostering their development and building team trustSupport the growth of our wider team as requiredManage the commercial budgetREQUIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE10+ years of experience in a commercial role, with a proven track record in a leadership role executing commercial strategy to drive business successEffective management and growth of high-performing commercial teamsExperience working in a start-up or other fast-paced environment, with evidence of driving cross-functional collaboration in the midst of competing prioritiesExperience identifying, negotiating, and managing strategic partnerships, including reviewing legal contracts like NDAs (Non-Disclosure Agreements) and MTAs (Material Transfer Agreements)Proactive and comfortable navigating ambiguity/ wearing multiple hatsKnowledge of the fashion industry and sustainable materialsAn ability to quickly understand people (and what motivates them)Excellent verbal and written communication skills with key internal and external shareholders and stakeholdersDESIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCEThe following skills and experience are not required for the role, but would be beneficial for a successful applicant:Experience using Monday.com or another similar CRMAn understanding of biodesign, material trends and the circular economyExperience marketing or branding an early stage technical innovationBENEFITSCompany pension schemePrivate health insurance, including vision, dental and stipendsEnhanced parental leave policyHybrid working arrangementsFlexible working hours and up to two days per week working from home following our policiesCycle-to-work schemeHeadspace subscriptionIndividual training budget for professional development, including access to LinkedIn LearningOUR VALUESCo-Culture – We Co-Culture ChangeCo-Culture reflects our commitment to cross-pollination internally and externally, our ability to lean on one another, and our role as a catalyst in both business and culture.Growth – We Put Growth on a PedestalGrowth speaks to our inspiration and creative use of biology, our bias towards impact and scale, and our dedication to empowering industry to ‘grow up’ from a harmful past.By Design – We Do It All By DesignBy Design articulates the intentionality, empathy and creativity built into every aspect of our work. It also denotes the importance of accountability and our adherence to core design thinking principles.OUR HIRING PROCESSRound 0. Apply onlineRound 1. 25 minute exploratory phone interview where we’ll dive into your work history and motivations for applying to Modern SynthesisRound 2. 1 hour skills interview where we’ll explore the skills and knowledge you’ll bring to this role. Successful candidates will be asked to prepare a case study for the final Round 3.Round 3. An on-site panel interview, where you’ll present your preparation for the case study and meet with key members of the team.MODERN SYNTHESIS ED&I STATEMENTInnovation rarely happens in a vacuum. The greatest ideas stem from a variety of perspectives, and an environment that supports equal representation and opportunities for all.We are committed to driving global change. We only have one planet we all call home, and we need to work together to protect it. We believe in collaboration and a culture of debate. Disagreements are a chance to refocus our direction. We call this co-culture.We welcome people of all races, genders, religions, ages, backgrounds, and abilities to our workplace and are committed to ensuring all our employees are safe, heard, represented and provided with every opportunity to thrive. Equally we will act with integrity, purpose and respect in everything we do. We too are human. We will likely make mistakes and need to continue evolving our approach to ED&I as the world around us changes. #J-18808-Ljbffr