The client is seeking an Executive Director of Sales and Merchandising to lead and grow retail relationships within key account segments, including Farm & Home and Sporting Goods. In this role, you will help ensure product offerings align with market expectations while driving product line development and overall company growth in a startup environment.
You will develop and implement sales and merchandising strategies, curate seasonal graphic and product assortments in collaboration with the creative team, and guide a sales organization by setting performance targets and motivating team members. Additional responsibilities include forecasting inventory levels to optimize stock and minimize losses, ensuring strong retail presentation to maximize sales potential, collaborating across operations and product development to execute merchandising plans, managing sales activity budgets, and using data analytics to track performance and inform decisions.
The ideal candidate will have a robust background in the apparel industry with a strong emphasis on private label experience and a proven track record of success selling into retail accounts. Experience in sales, account management, or apparel merchandising is expected, along with strong understanding of retail and wholesale performance metrics, merchandising and category management, and visual merchandising. The role requires exceptional communication and negotiation skills, the ability to work independently on strategic initiatives, and a proactive, results-oriented mindset suited to a fast-paced environment.