Brand Specialist - So Cal, South Florida, Chicago

Next Level Apparel; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 60,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

Next Level Apparel is seeking a Brand Specialist to act as a field-based Brand Ambassador across designated territories. You will drive demand, support customers, and promote NLA garments to decorators and promotional product distributors throughout the United States.

Responsibilities include growth of the distributor network, attendance at trade shows and events, lead generation, and CRM management (HubSpot).

Qualifications

• 3–5 years outside sales experience in apparel-related industries.
• Knowledge of apparel manufacturing and distribution.
• Experience in wholesale distribution, screen printing, embroidery, or promotional products channels.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong interpersonal and relationship-building abilities.

Responsibilities

• Increase overall demand and POS for NLA.
• Develop and maintain relationships with existing customers and new prospects.
• Represent NLA at industry events to expand market reach.
• Travel up to ~75% to engage clients in person.
• Generate, track, and route leads to Sales Management and CRM updates.
• Train distributor sales teams on product value and availability.
• Prepare content for customer events and training sessions.
• Maintain up-to-date knowledge of NLA products and the competitive landscape.

Skills

Outside sales

Verbal communication

Interpersonal skills

Presentation skills

Travel readiness

Tools

HubSpot

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

PowerPoint

Outlook

Job description

Please note this is not a marketing role. All candidates MUST have 3-5 years experience in outside sales. Territory areas being considered are: Southern California, South Florida, and Chicago.

The role of the Brand Specialist is to function in the marketplace as a Next Level Apparel (NLA) Brand Ambassador. The Brand Specialist operates as a field service representatives, maintaining a strong in-market presence to support customers, drive brand initiatives, and promote NLA garments to buyers in the promotional distribution market. The buyers are defined as decorators and promotional product distributors who buy their apparel needs through the wholesale supply chain, throughout the United States.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Primary duties and responsibilities include, but not limited to, increasing the overall demand and POS for NLA.
• Additional area of focus will include servicing both existing customers while also developing new business opportunities throughout a defined region.
• Develop and maintain relationships with existing customers and prospects leads to assess product and service needs and provide recommendations aligned with those needs.
• Represent NLA at industry events, including trade shows, open houses, sales meetings, client showroom activations, product clinics, sales training events, and virtual engagements as needed to attract and develop new business opportunities and expand NLA's market reach; role requires approximately 75% travel to support in-person client and prospect engagement.
• Identify and qualify potential business opportunities and refer private label opportunities to the appropriate Sales Manager for follow-up.
• Generate and track leads by promoting NLA products and services, and route qualified opportunities to the appropriate Sales Management.
• Establish and manage a target account list in alignment with business objectives, with required management review and approval.
• Train distributor sales teams and their top customers on NLA quality, value, and availability.
• Prepare content for customer-facing events and training sessions.
• Implement corporate and distributor Next Level brand marketing campaigns.
• Produce recuring reports to include leads, stores visited preferred distributor, preferred brand(s), most used brand(s).
• Maintain exemplary understanding of NLA product and service offerings.
• Proactively gather and share information to stay current on the competitive landscape.
• Drive lead generation through promotion of NLA products and services, track and route qualified opportunities to the distribution sales team, and ensure consistent, accurate, and active use of the company’s CRM system (HubSpot).
• Actively participate in team strategic sales meetings conducted both in person and virtually to support business objectives and sales initiatives.
• Frequent travel to the company corporate office located in Torrance, CA.
• Follows company policies and practices as outlined in the Employee Handbook and/or applicable employment agreement.
• Comply with established safety guidelines, operational procedures, and travel policies applicable to the position.
• Performs additional duties as assigned.

JOB REQUIREMENTS:

• Minimum of 3-5 years outside sales and industry relevant experience
• Knowledgeable about apparel manufacturing and distribution
• Ideal candidates must have prior experience within either the apparel, wholesale distribution, screen printing, embroidery, contract decorating, promotional products, or the promotional product supplier and distribution business channels
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Superior interpersonal skills, including the ability to quicky build rapport with both internal and external customers
• Intermediate experience with Microsoft applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
• Self-sufficient/motivated
• Strong Presentation skills and demonstrated ability to present in front of small groups
• Able to develop strong relationships across all levels of an account
• Promote the Next Level Apparel brand through social media
• Must be able to travel domestically and internationally up to 75% of the time