Sales Account Executive

Cesna Recruitment•Hackensack, NJ

About The Position

The Sales Account Executive drives profitable sales growth and manages strategic relationships across assigned wholesale accounts, including department stores, specialty retailers, and off-price channels. As the primary commercial owner of each account, the role focuses 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. The position develops account-specific sales plans and growth objectives, reviews account performance and profitability, and turns sales, inventory, sell-through, and other reporting into actionable strategies. It partners with internal teams—including Planning, Design, Product Development, Marketing, and Finance—and coordinates with third-party in-store merchandising partners. The role also represents the company in buyer meetings, market appointments, trade shows, and account presentations, and travels as needed for business activities.

Requirements

At least 3 years of wholesale sales, account management, or related experience.
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.
Ability to travel as needed for customer meetings, market appointments, trade shows, store visits, and other business-related activities.

Nice To Haves

Experience in department stores, specialty retail, off-price, fashion, jewelry, accessories, or consumer products.
Prior experience in a retail buying or planning organization.
Proficiency in Excel and familiarity with wholesale sales platforms, retailer systems, and ERP systems.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary business contact for assigned wholesale accounts and build relationships with buyers, planners, and other key partners.
Develop a detailed understanding of each account's business, customer, assortment strategy, and growth opportunities.
Develop and execute account-specific sales plans and measurable growth objectives.
Identify and pursue new business opportunities, including new doors, expanded assortments, replenishment programs, exclusives, and new categories.
Represent the company during buyer meetings, market appointments, trade shows, and account presentations.
Review weekly and monthly sales, inventory, sell-through, returns, and other account performance data.
Translate reporting into commercial actions such as reorder opportunities, assortment adjustments, merchandising reviews, and corrective sales strategies.
Set measurable objectives for significant actions and evaluate their results.
Maintain sales forecasts and communicate material opportunities or risks to Sales Leadership and Planning.
Manage accounts with consideration for sales growth and company profitability.
Incorporate account-level profitability information, including margins, 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 and escalate significant financial or profitability risks when appropriate.
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.
Prepare for buyer and market meetings with defined business objectives, identify potential opportunities, and develop proposals to drive incremental growth.
Establish post-meeting action plans and communicate commitments to appropriate internal teams.
Coordinate with third-party in-store merchandising partners regarding shipments, store 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 for the company-wide Master Promotion Calendar.
Work with Planning and designated operational support resources to ensure accurate and timely execution of customer commitments.
Partner with Planning on inventory and account performance, Marketing on launches and account-specific opportunities, and Finance on profitability, payment issues, deductions, and commercial terms.
Perform special projects and other related duties as required or assigned.