Company overview:
The Japanese subsidiary of a French premium fashion brand handles the planning, production, and sales of apparel. Headquartered in Shinagawa, Tokyo, it operates directly managed stores and distributes products through department stores nationwide. The company’s offerings center around an iconic crocodile logo and include multiple brands in the Japanese market.
Job Description
Strengthen relationships with existing accounts, including direct clients and distributors, and drive selection, acquisition, and expansion of sales areas for each product category.
Manage all wholesale operations, including order proposals at trade shows, delivery negotiations, and in-store support for agents and retailers.
Conduct business that contributes to overall profitability and maximizes margins.
Balance short-term results with mid-term strategic planning and follow-up.
Commit to achieving mid-term wholesale business goals, such as sales growth and long-term targets.
Detailed Responsibilities
Manage accounts for specific product categories, such as footwear or sports apparel, depending on experience and expertise.
Handle communications and negotiations with clients via meetings, phone, email, or online platforms.
Monitor in-store sales performance and implement improvement measures.
Prepare for trade shows, including reviewing past performance, developing sales plans, and creating proposals.
Attend trade shows to take orders and interact with clients.
Oversee pre-delivery preparations, including product master registration and labeling.
Manage monthly product delivery schedules, track sales and numerical data, and mitigate risks.
Collaborate with internal teams such as Merchandising for assortment planning and Marketing for in-store promotions and activations.
Work with other departments, including Production, as needed.
Qualifications
Required:
Experience managing footwear accounts, including chain stores.
Sales experience involving negotiation and in-store promotional activities.
Background in sports shoes or sneakers, preferably in sports or casual footwear brands.
Experience handling sports or casual apparel chain store accounts.
Practical knowledge of system registration and shipment operations for chain stores.
Category management experience in footwear, sports, or casual apparel.
Additional Requirements:
Experience managing multiple product categories is advantageous.
Established relationships with buyers and the ability to work independently.
Responsible for multiple product categories per account, including apparel, leather goods, underwear, and accessories.
Expected to handle additional accounts beyond footwear due to small team size.
Broad sales experience across categories (fashion, sports, distributors) is preferred.
Include online business partners in account management.
Self-motivated and proactive, capable of developing new accounts.
Conduct consultative sales with focus on client sell-out performance, particularly around trade shows.
Capable of managing budgets and independently negotiating with clients to achieve targets.
Understanding of in-store promotion planning, negotiation, and preparation.
Experience in schedule management and promotional planning.