Director, Sales Administration & Key Account Management
About The Position
The Director, Sales Administration & Key Account Management is a senior commercial leader responsible for translating brand strategy into disciplined sales plans, profitable key account growth and operational excellence across the U.S. business. Reporting to the Vice President, Sales & Education, this role leads the annual sales and budget planning cycles, the brand S&OP process, account-level shipment and retail planning, and forecasting and inventory alignment. The Director also oversees and develops the Key Account Management organization and broader sales administration team, while building trusted partnerships with the brand’s top four retail partners and cross-functional stakeholders. Team context: Leads Sales Development Managers, 2 Coordinators and 3 Key Account Managers, partnering closely with Education, Marketing, E-Retail, Field Sales, Finance, Supply Planning and local and global Operations. Work environment: Based in the New York City office a minimum of 3 days per week, with additional in-office presence as business needs require. Purpose: Build an integrated, high-performing commercial operation that delivers sales and shipment objectives, strengthens strategic retailer partnerships, optimizes inventory and investment, and develops best-in-class talent.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Finance or a related field; advanced degree is a plus.
- 10+ years of progressive experience in sales, key account management, sales planning or commercial operations, including significant people-leadership experience.
- Beauty, luxury or consumer products experience and U.S. prestige retail knowledge are strongly preferred.
- Fluent English required; additional language skills are a plus.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint; strong command of sales reporting, forecasting and planning tools.
- Demonstrated expertise in annual planning, budgeting, S&OP, account strategy, retail and shipment forecasting, inventory management, financial analysis and cross-functional execution.
- Empathetic and accountable leader; strategic and analytical thinker; clear communicator and influential partner; agile, pragmatic and solutions-oriented; committed to developing talent and delivering results.
Nice To Haves
- Advanced degree is a plus.
- Additional language skills are a plus.
Responsibilities
- Lead the annual sales planning and budget process, ensuring alignment with overall company and brand objectives.
- Build retail sales and gross shipment plans by account and by axis in partnership with Key Account Managers.
- Develop budgets and product allocations in close partnership with Marketing, E-Retail, Key Account Managers and the Leadership Team.
- Lead the brand’s Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) process, establishing clear inputs, decisions, actions and accountability across functions.
- Monitor performance against sales, shipment and budget targets; identify risks and opportunities and recommend timely corrective actions.
- Develop and implement strategic account plans cross-functionally with Key Account Managers, Education, Marketing, E-Retail and Field Sales teams.
- Build strong, senior-level partnerships with merchant teams and retailer leadership, with particular focus on the brand’s top four retail partners.
- Oversee the development and performance of the Key Account Management team, ensuring account strategies translate into sustainable growth and effective execution.
- Review field sales performance by key account and assess commercial tier strategies to maximize productivity, effectiveness and return on investment.
- Partner with the New Jersey Supply Planning team and local and global Operations teams to optimize forecasting across all saleable product categories.
- Ensure monthly and quarterly forecasts accurately reflect account plans, launches, commercial opportunities and sales and marketing budgets.
- Oversee inventory planning for saleable items and point-of-sale materials (POSM), balancing availability, service levels and inventory efficiency.
- Optimize sales planning, reporting, processes and ways of working to improve visibility, decision-making and overall operational efficiency.
- Manage secondary business opportunities and proactively identify new avenues to maximize revenue and profitability.
- Lead with empathy, clarity and effective communication to build trust, accountability and strong collaboration across internal and external stakeholders.
- Hire, develop and retain best-in-class talent across the Sales Administration and Key Account Management teams.
- Coach and mentor direct reports, set clear performance expectations and foster a culture of continuous improvement, inclusion and professional growth.
- Serve as a key connector across Sales, Education, Marketing, E-Retail, Field Sales, Finance, Supply Planning, Operations and the Leadership Team.
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Director
