Field and Training Brand Specialist

Ashley Global Retail; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. is seeking a Bedding Specialist to serve as the brand expert for our in‑house mattress portfolio, including Nectar and DreamCloud, supporting Mattress Firm accounts.

You'll onboard new employees and maintain a cadence of visits to ensure sales associates are experts in our products. Responsibilities include training delivery, field visits, collaboration with leadership, and providing field insights to guide strategic direction and brand presentation in retail

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred or equivalent mix of education and sales experience.
• 3–5 years of retail sales and sales management experience or distribution center background.
• Experience in furniture or bedding retail preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead training for new Mattress Firm hires, introducing in-house lineups and ensuring staff are sales-ready from day one.
• Execute regular store visits to maintain proficiency and promote unique value propositions of current and upcoming lines.
• Collaborate with Mattress Firm leadership to align on performance goals and participate in divisional meetings.

Skills

Retail sales experience

Sales management experience

Training experience

Product knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree preferred

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

The Bedding Specialist serves as the dedicated brand expert for our in-house mattress portfolio, including:

Resident Home brands such as Nectar and DreamCloud, supporting the Mattress Firm account. The primary mission is to empower Mattress Firm teams through high-impact training and consistent on-site support for our specific lineup. This role focuses on the successful onboarding of new employees and maintaining a regular cadence of visits to ensure sales associates are experts in the unique features and value of our brands. By partnering closely with Mattress Firm leadership, the specialist ensures that their teams are fully equipped to represent our products with confidence.

Key Responsibilities

• Product-Specific Onboarding: Lead training efforts for new Mattress Firm hires, providing a deep-dive introduction to our in-house brand portfolio to ensure they are "sales-ready" and confident in our products from their first day. This will be accomplished by attending and presenting at the customers’ new hire training classes and one on one training
• Strategic Training Cadence: Execute regular store visits to maintain a high level of proficiency among existing staff. Focus on the unique value propositions of our current and upcoming mattress lines and how they position within the broader retail environment
• Leadership & Market Partnership: Collaborate with Mattress Firm leadership to align on performance goals for our brands. Participate in divisional leadership meetings (QLM) to discuss district and regional performance of our assortment
• Merchandising & Presentation Support: Ensure our brand presence remains at the highest standard. This includes as applicable supporting the proper display of our products, maintaining point-of-purchase (POP) materials, and partnering with applicable leaders in identifying opportunities for optimized placement of our brands within the store
• Field Insights & Reporting: Utilize visit recaps to capture real-time data on how our brands are performing.
• Document action plans and share field observations with executive leadership to help drive the strategic direction of the partnership.
• Professional Expertise: Maintain an expert-level understanding of the bedding industry and our evolving product roadmap. Participate in quarterly team meetings and furniture markets to stay aligned with the atest in-house brand strategies and product launches

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred in Business Administration, Management, Marketing, or related field (or equivalent combination of education and sales experience)
• 3–5 years of retail sales and sales management or distribution center experience
• Preferably with experience in furniture retail and bedding retail
• Bedding-specific, furniture, or training experience a plus

What Makes You Stand Out

Bedding & Retail Expertise

• Exceptional knowledge of bedding, retail, sales, and training operations processes
• Deep understanding of mattress features, construction, and value propositions
• Ability to translate product knowledge into compelling sales training

Training & Presentation Skills

• Ability to effectively facilitate training and/or presentations in front of small and large audiences
• Confident, engaging, and approachable training style
• Skilled at onboarding new hires and developing tenured retail teams

Time Management & Organization

• Excellent ability to execute consistent store visits, manage multiple priorities, coordinate travel schedules, and complete timely documentation and reporting

Strategic Partnership Management

• Ability to collaborate with partner leadership, participate in divisional meetings, align on performance goals, and develop actionable local market plans

Relationship Building & Influence

• Proven ability to establish high-trust relationships, proactively resolve concerns, and serve as a credible consultant modeling company values

Communication Skills

• Exceptional verbal and written abilities to deliver training, build retail partnerships, and provide clear, actionable reporting to executive leadership teams

Agility & Adaptability

• Strong skills in agility, with the ability to pivot easily when directions and priorities change on short notice

Technical Skills

• Strong skills in MS Office Suite or similar office software

Culture & Impact

By fostering a deep partnership with Mattress Firm, you ensure that our in-house brands remain a top choice for guests seeking quality and value in their sleep experience. You'll model our Core and Growth Values in all interactions, promoting our brand's leadership in style, quality, and value.

• Minimum 45 hours per week (more during Market events, holiday seasons, or blackout periods)
• 95% travel – Regular attendance at assigned stores and other places of business is an essential function of this position
• Field-based role – most, if not all, job functions are performed in the field
• Will regularly travel to other locations, at times on short notice

Physical Requirements

• Seeing: Close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus
• Hearing & Speaking: Must be able to hear, understand, and communicate effectively
• Sitting/Standing/Walking: Will remain on feet and move about for extended periods
• Lifting/Carrying: Up to 25 lbs.
• Pulling/Pushing: Transporting loads up to 40 lbs.
• Work Environment: Predominately retail/office/warehouse environments

Why Join Ashley?

Make a Real Impact

• Serve as the dedicated brand expert for our in-house mattress portfolio
• Empower retail teams through high-impact training and consistent support
• Partner directly with Mattress Firm leadership to drive brand performance and sales excellence

Work in a Values-Driven Culture

• Honesty – We operate with integrity
• Respect & Dignity – We value every individual
• Compassion – We care about our people and communities
• Creativity – We innovate and think differently
• Discipline – We execute with rigor and accountability
• Fun – We create an engaging, positive work environment
• Competitive Spirit – We strive for excellence

Grow Your Career

• Join a dynamic retail training and education team with national reach
• Participate in quarterly team summits and national furniture markets
• Develop expertise in the bedding industry and our evolving product roadmap

Ready to Become Our Bedding Brand Expert?

If you’re a passionate, field-based training professional who thrives on building relationships, developing retail talent, and driving brand excellence, we want to hear from you.

This job description does not constitute a written or implied contract of employment. Ashley Furniture Industries, Inc. | Ashley Furniture HomeStores, Ltd. reserves the right to revise or change job duties and responsibilities as the need arises. We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.