Director, Sales Handbags

The Opportunity At Designer Brands, we believe great partnerships drive great results. As a Senior Director, Sales, you'll play a pivotal role in shaping the future of one of our key brand businesses by building strong retail partnerships, influencing product strategy, and driving profitable growth. This is a highly visible leadership role that combines customer relationship management, strategic business planning, merchandising insight, and cross-functional collaboration. You'll serve as the primary commercial leader for an assigned brand and key retail account, working closely with Design, Production, Planning, and Brand leadership to deliver products and assortments that resonate with consumers while supporting business objectives. Success in this role requires a strong understanding of the retail landscape, the ability to transform data into actionable strategies, and a passion for building lasting partnerships that create mutual value. This is a hybrid role. What You'll Be Doing Drive Strategic Account Growth Develop and strengthen relationships with new and existing retail partners for assigned brand(s). Lead business strategy discussions and assortment planning with key customers. Create and execute growth strategies that align customer needs with brand priorities. Develop account plans that balance sales growth, profitability, inventory management, and long-term partnership success. Identify opportunities to grow market share and strengthen brand presence within key accounts. Lead Customer and Brand Partnerships Serve as the primary liaison between assigned customers and internal cross-functional teams. Collaborate closely with Brand, Design, Production, Planning, and Sales teams to align strategies and business goals. Represent customer priorities during brand pre-line and post-line meetings. Attend industry markets and customer meetings to strengthen partnerships and identify business opportunities. Maintain ongoing communication with customers regarding product development, assortment needs, and business performance. Drive Product and Assortment Strategy Partner with Design and Brand leadership to ensure product assortments reflect brand vision while meeting customer needs. Collaborate with customers on product development initiatives and assortment decisions. Work with Mainline Sales teams to identify best-selling products and inform future product development. Help ensure products maintain brand integrity while meeting targeted cost structures and pricing expectations. Support sourcing strategies focused on delivering value-driven products without compromising quality. Manage Business Performance Analyze weekly, monthly, and seasonal selling trends to identify opportunities and risks. Monitor sales performance and recommend actions to maximize revenue and profitability. Assess best-selling and underperforming products and provide recommendations to internal teams and customers. Develop retail analyses that include inventory management, markdown planning, turnover performance, and shipment strategies. Utilize retail math, sales metrics, and industry insights to forecast trends and support business decisions. Own Profitability and Financial Performance Maintain a clear understanding of profitability expectations and margin objectives. Partner with Planning teams to manage account P&Ls and markdown projections. Develop strategies that maximize shipments and profitability while minimizing liabilities. Recommend markdown strategies and identify alternative channels for unproductive inventory when appropriate. Lead pricing and margin negotiations across mid-tier product categories. Troubleshoot product, margin, and delivery challenges and develop solutions that support business goals. Lead and Develop Talent Provide leadership, coaching, and development for professional individual contributors and direct reports. Help team members understand the complexity and strategic importance of key customer relationships. Teach wh…

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