Wholesale Manager/Director
lemlem is an women resortwear, ready-to-wear and swimwear brand made responsibly in Africa, with a core mission of preserving the local art of weaving in Ethiopia and inspiring economic growth on the continent. lemlem sources and produces responsibly to reduce its footprint through its eco-friendly fabrics, design and packaging choices. lemlem is committed to building a strong, fair and sustainable fashion industry in Africa, taking a holistic approach to production that values and upholds artisans, craftsmanship, and communities.
The position is global and reports directly to the CEO. This position will be responsible for managing and growing a profitable wholesale business, the brand distribution and presence at partners through visuals, corners and SIS. They will be in charge of the wholesale full price and off price channels as well as defining the seasonal merchandising plan.
- Own P&L of the Department. Responsible to achieve sales and margin goals. Define and present sales and merchandising strategies to grow business
- Forecast seasonally as well as up to 3 year growth plans. Allocate annual and seasonal target by account and product category. Plan to deliver on established short and long term sales goals for all accounts.
- Organize and oversee 3 sales markets a year:
- Work with internal teams to create master style list confirming sizes, materials, naming conventions, pricing, etc. Create digital linesheets in various B2B systems. Partner with marketing to create lookbook.
- Book appointments for both current accounts and prospective targets, both in person and virtually. Prepare/Conduct sales appointments. Travel to trade shows as needed. Discuss budgets/OTB, Sell Thru, terms, exclusives, etc. Follow up for final order approval by PO deadline.
- Work with CEO & Logistics Director to ensure minimums & targets are met. Cut all final wholesale POs. Work closely with internal teams to leverage feedback from buyers and retailers to identify growth opportunities for key items and categories
- Forecast sales re-orders and potential new orders placed outside of market with the right balance of on-hand inventory and write ATS order
- Generate a seasonal market report with overview of financial, accounts and products performance
- Cultivate relationships with decision makers and leadership at key accounts, direct accounts and international partners. Assure brand standards at online and physical partners. Conduct some store visits and coordinate brand trainings
- Create seasonal and long term merchandising plan/ product assortment strategies for the Wholesale channel that align with financial targets and brand vision, based on sell-in and sell-out as well as market needs. Be constantly abreast of competitor landscape, market trends and propose new strategies accordingly.
- Collaborate with Marketing Director on wholesale opportunities: social media, digital advertising, in-store trunk shows and events
- Prospect potential clients and locations.
- Execute monthly reports to ensure all sales (sell in and sell out), invoicing, financial and margin targets are met. Monthly update forecasting based on actuals.
- Develop and maintain reporting tools to track third party sales; Develop monthly reports to provide data and insights to internal teams on wholesale performance. React as needed to maximize sales performance.
- Provide hands on direction and constructive feedback to encourage growth to potential interns
Requirements
- Bachelor's or Master's Degree
- A minimum of 6 years of related sales experience with existing relationships with senior management at top-tier retailers
- Swimwear expertise and international experience a plus
- Strong analytical skills, business and financial acumen - retail math, financial KPI, budgeting, P&L management
- Strong merchandising skills
- Business development, selling and negotiation skills
- Ability to be strategic at the same time as being hands-on
- Self motivated with strong attention to detail
- Strong communication and interpersonal skills
- Strong planning and problem solving skills
- Ability to work in a small, fast paced environment
- Proficient in MS Office.
The hiring range for this position ranges from $90,000-$120,000. The rate of pay offered will be dependent upon candidates' relevant skills and experience.
Benefits available:
Generous PTO, holidays, sick time
401K with company match
Clothing allowance and generous discount
Bonus structure
lemlem is committed to building an equitable and inclusive work environment. We believe that diversity in all its forms - race, gender, age, nationality, culture, religious beliefs, disability, and sexual orientation - is a source of creativity that enriches our business. We are dedicated to promoting a culture of belonging for our team, our partners, and our customers.