Sales Manager / Sales Director
About The Position
Vida Shoes International is seeking a hands-on, results-driven sales leader to own and grow our Active footwear business. This is an active selling role where the individual will be in the market, in front of buyers, and walking stores, personally driving volume while building the long-term strategy for the business. The role involves working closely with Design, Product Development, Production, and Planning to build seasonal collections that sell through for our retail partners and meet internal margin expectations. Vida Shoes is seeking a high-performing, hands-on Sales Manager / Sales Director who wants to own a business, not just maintain one. The individual will manage and grow key department store, sporting goods, specialty, off-price, club, and e-commerce accounts, open new doors, and deliver against sales, margin, and sell-through targets. Candidates with deeper experience and a proven leadership track record will be considered at the Director level, with responsibility for leading and developing the sales team.
Requirements
- Minimum 5 years of wholesale sales experience in active, athletic, or lifestyle footwear
- 10+ years with team leadership experience for the Director level
- Established relationships with buyers and merchants at major department stores, sporting goods, and specialty retailers
- Proven track record of growing accounts and hitting targets, with results you can point to
- A self-starter and closer who is energized by being in the market and in front of customers
- Strong analytical skills and a solid grasp of retail math: sell-through, margin, open-to-buy, and forecasting
- Advanced Excel and PowerPoint skills
- Experience with retailer vendor portals a plus
- Excellent presentation, negotiation, and communication skills
- Ability to travel regularly for market weeks, account meetings, and store visits
Nice To Haves
- Bachelor’s degree preferred
Responsibilities
- Personally manage and grow a portfolio of key accounts across department stores, sporting goods, specialty, off-price, club, and e-commerce
- Identify and close new account opportunities; expand door counts and line distribution with existing partners
- Lead seasonal line presentations and market appointments, and build assortment recommendations tailored to each account
- Negotiate orders, terms, and markdown and margin support with buyers and merchandise managers
- Visit stores regularly to walk the floor, train sales associates, and build relationships at every level of the account
- Deliver seasonal and annual sales, gross margin, and sell-through targets
- Build annual and quarterly plans by account, breaking goals into clear, actionable steps
- Analyze weekly selling, inventory, and open-to-buy data; recommend reorders, promotions, and markdown strategies
- Prepare and present sales results, revenue, and realistic forecasts to the management team
- Organize and submit buys to the management team
- Bring market insight and customer feedback back to Design and Product Development to shape winning collections
- Partner with Production and Planning to ensure on-time deliveries and healthy inventory positions
- Director level: lead, coach, and develop account executives and sales support staff
- Plan and execute market weeks, trade shows, and other events
- Keep abreast of the competitive marketplace, emerging channels, and market shifts
- Oversee sales support activities such as order entry, sample trafficking, and account follow-up as needed
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
