SALES ACCOUNT EXECUTIVE
Department: Sales
Reports to: CFO
Pay Rate: $85,000 – $110,000
Position Summary
The Sales Account Executive is responsible for driving profitable sales growth and managing strategic relationships across assigned wholesale accounts, including department stores, specialty retailers, and off-price channels.
The AE serves as the primary commercial owner of each account, with a focus on revenue growth, account development, profitability, buyer relationships, assortment strategy, and new business opportunities, while supporting operational activities as needed to ensure successful account execution.
Key Responsibilities
Account Management & Business Development
- Serve as the primary business contact for assigned wholesale accounts and build strong relationships with buyers, planners, and other key partners.
- Develop a deep understanding of each account's business, customer, assortment strategy, and growth opportunities.
- Develop and execute account-specific sales plans and measurable growth objectives.
- Proactively identify and pursue new business opportunities aligned with the company's growth strategy, including new doors, expanded assortments, replenishment programs, exclusives, and new categories.
- Represent the company professionally during buyer meetings, market appointments, trade shows, and account presentations.
Sales Growth & Account Performance
- Review weekly and monthly sales, inventory, sell-through, returns, and other account performance data provided by Planning and other departments.
- Translate reporting into specific commercial actions, including reorder opportunities, assortment adjustments, merchandising reviews, and corrective sales strategies.
- Establish measurable objectives for significant actions and evaluate results.
- Maintain sales forecasts and communicate material opportunities or risks to Sales Leadership and Planning.
Account Strategy & Profitability
- Manage accounts with consideration for both sales growth and the company's profitability.
- Review account-level profitability information provided by Finance and incorporate margin, allowances, returns, markdown support, promotions, and other commercial costs into decisions.
- Develop recommendations for pricing, margin negotiations, promotional participation, and other commercial terms.
- Develop commercially viable alternatives when customer requests are not in the company's best interest.
- Escalate significant financial or profitability risks when appropriate.
Product & Assortment Strategy
- Partner with Design, Product Development, Planning, and other teams to identify product and assortment opportunities.
- Recommend products based on account performance, buyer feedback, market trends, and customer needs.
- Identify strong-performing products for replenishment and underperforming products requiring corrective action.
- Communicate relevant customer, competitive, and market intelligence internally.
Market Meetings & Growth Opportunities
- Prepare for buyer and market meetings with clearly defined business objectives.
- Identify customer needs, business gaps, and potential opportunities before each meeting and develop specific proposals to drive incremental growth.
- Use meetings not only to review historical performance and future assortments, but also to proactively present opportunities such as expanded doors, replenishment programs, new categories, exclusives, merchandising initiatives, and other growth opportunities.
- Establish clear post-meeting action plans and ensure commitments are communicated to the appropriate internal teams.
Merchandising & Marketing Coordination
- Coordinate with third-party in-store merchandising partners regarding important shipments, store-specific priorities, display needs, and performance concerns.
- Use store visit findings and merchandising reports to identify issues and develop corrective actions.
- Communicate account promotional schedules and significant marketing initiatives to Marketing to support the company-wide Master Promotion Calendar.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Planning and designated operational support resources to ensure accurate and timely execution of customer commitments.
- Partner with Planning regarding inventory and account performance.
- Coordinate with Marketing on launches and account-specific opportunities.
- Collaborate with Finance regarding profitability, payment issues, deductions, and commercial terms.
- Perform special projects and other related duties as required or assigned.
Key Performance Indicators
Performance may include:
- Net Sales vs. Plan
- Year-over-Year Sales Growth
- Account Profitability / Gross Margin
- Reorder and Replenishment Growth
- Sell-Through Performance
- New Business / Door Expansion
- Return and Markdown Exposure
- Forecast Accuracy
- Execution and Results of Account Action Plans
- Buyer Relationship Management
Qualifications
- 3–7+ years of wholesale sales, account management, or related experience.
- Department store, specialty retail, off-price, fashion, jewelry, accessories, or consumer products experience preferred.
- Prior experience in a retail buying or planning organization is a plus.
- Strong commercial judgment, negotiation, analytical, and presentation skills.
- Ability to analyze sales and inventory information and translate data into actionable business strategies.
- Ability to balance customer needs with company profitability.
- Strong organization, communication, and follow-through.
- Proficiency in Excel and familiarity with wholesale sales platforms, retailer systems, and ERP systems preferred.
Travel Requirements
Ability to travel as needed for customer meetings, market appointments, trade shows, store visits, and other business-related activities.