Director, Wholesale Strategy & Business Development

Duluth Trading Company; Mount Horeb (WI); On-site; USD 140,000 - 190,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical plan options

Dental & Vision plans

401(k) Employer Match

Parental Leave

Paid holidays

Daily pay

40% Employee Discount

Job summary

Duluth Trading Company is seeking a visionary Director of Wholesale Strategy & Business Development to own and scale our 1P Amazon business while architecting a broader wholesale strategy. Based at our HQ near Madison, WI, this role blends strategic leadership with hands-on execution across negotiations, advertising, and go-to-market planning.

The ideal candidate brings 10+ years in wholesale leadership within outdoor/workwear retail, deep Amazon experience, and a proven ability to build a

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Fashion Merchandising, Business, Marketing, or equivalent corporate experience.
• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience.
• 5+ years in senior wholesale strategy or business development in Outdoor/Workwear/National Specialty Retail sectors.
• 5-7+ years managing Amazon Ads budgets (multi-million)
• Active relationships with major retail buyers and executives.
• Strong P&L, forecasting, and cost-to-serve analysis skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the Amazon 1P P&L, lead AVN negotiations, and optimize margins with MDF, damage allowances, and freight terms.
• Lead full-funnel Amazon ads strategy, budgets, and performance metrics (ROAS, ACOS, TACOS).
• Coordinate catalog/inventory with advertising, protect buy-box health, and pause low-stock campaigns as needed.
• Partner with supply chain to audit operations and eliminate chargebacks.
• Develop a standalone wholesale P&L model with margins and shipping terms.
• Define wholesale GTM calendar and infrastructure requirements (EDI, labeling, logistics).
• Leverage existing retailer relationships to pilot programs and validate the model.

Skills

Industry relationships

Financial acumen

Omnichannel understanding

Amazon logistics

Strategic architect

Brand protection

Cross-functional diplomat

Project management

US sponsorship authorization

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

Position Overview

Duluth Trading Co. is a highly successful omnichannel business, leveraging a robust direct-to-consumer digital platform alongside a strong retail footprint. As we explore new horizons for growth, we are seeking a visionary and highly analytical Director of Wholesale Strategy & Business Development who can quickly jump in to own, optimize, and scale our existing first-party (1P) Amazon business and evaluate, architect, and pilot our broader entry into the wholesale market.

We need a true wholesale expert who possesses deep industry relationships and the strategic horsepower to build the wholesale roadmap for Duluth. You will immediately drive profitable revenue growth and manage the Amazon ecosystem and lay out the definitive blueprint of what it will take for us to more broadly enter wholesale; including the timeline, the Go-To-Market calendar, the operational infrastructure required, and the multi-year financial potential.

Position Details

Work Location & Travel:

At Duluth Trading Company, we value face-to-face interactions that foster our culture of learning, creativity, and teamwork. The role is based at our headquarters near Madison, WI. You will work in the office Monday through Thursday, with the option to work from home on Fridays if you prefer. Relocation assistance is available for candidates located outside of commuting distance to the headquarters office.

What You’ll Do:

Immediate Amazon Management & Scaling

• Strategic Negotiations & Account Management: Instantly take ownership of the holistic P&L for the Amazon 1P channel, balancing top-line media-driven growth against bottom-line profitability. Lead the Annual Vendor Negotiation (AVN) process, defending wholesale margins against Amazon's aggressive targets for MDF, damage allowances, and freight terms.
• Full-Funnel Advertising: Own the strategy, execution, and optimization of all Amazon paid acquisition campaigns (Sponsored Products, Brands, Display, and Video). Set clear ad spend targets, architect keyword bidding strategies, and optimize against core performance indicators like ROAS, ACOS, and TACOS.
• Catalog & Inventory Alignment: Connect advertising push-periods with physical inventory realities, heavily funneling ad dollars into high-margin, high-stock items while pausing campaigns on low-stock items to protect buy-box health.
• Chargeback Elimination: Partner with internal supply chain teams to audit operational compliance and permanently eliminate margin-eroding chargebacks.

Simultaneous Wholesale Blueprinting & Strategy

• Viability Assessment & Financial Modeling: Conduct a comprehensive assessment of the wholesale landscape to determine target partners that align with Duluth’s brand equity. Develop a rigorous, standalone wholesale P&L model that maps out margins, chargebacks, markdown structures, shipping terms, and overall revenue potential.
• Infrastructure & GTM Architecture: Identify the operational requirements necessary to support wholesale (EDI compliance, ticketing/labeling, logistics) without disrupting existing DTC and retail operations. Establish a comprehensive Go-To-Market calendar, mapping the lifecycle from product design to retail delivery.
• Relationship Leveraging & Pilot Execution: Utilize deep, pre-existing relationships with major retailers to gather market feedback, secure initial presentations, and launch tightly managed pilot programs to validate the model before a broader national rollout.

What We’re Looking For:

Education: Bachelor's Degree in Fashion Merchandising, Business, Marketing, or equivalent corporate experience

Years of Experience

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience
• 5+ years specifically in a senior wholesale strategy or business development role within the Outdoor, Workwear, Corporate Apparel, or National Specialty Retail sectors, including proven experience in architecting a wholesale division from the ground up.
• 5-7+ years of direct, hands‑on experience managing a high-volume brand on Amazon Vendor Central (1P)
• 3+ years directly managing complex, multi-million dollar Amazon Ads budgets.

Required Skills & Competencies

• Deep Industry Relationships: Must possess an active, robust network of established relationships with major retail buyers and retail executives across relevant sectors.
• Financial & Analytical Acumen: Expert-level capability in P&L management, financial forecasting, and cost-to-serve analysis. Strong fluency in digital marketing math (ROAS, TACOS, CVR, CPC) alongside standard corporate retail finance, such as wholesale margin structures and co-op allowances.
• Omnichannel Understanding: A strong grasp of how wholesale integrates into a broader omnichannel business, ensuring harmony between wholesale, brand retail stores, and e-commerce.
• Amazon Logistics Expertise: Practical knowledge of Vendor Central operational compliance, including EDI integrations, ASNs, packaging compliance (FFP/SIOC), and chargeback dispute mechanisms.
• Strategic Architect vs. Operator: Comfortable building a complex, numbers-driven business case for the executive leadership team just as much as picking up the phone to pitch a major retail buyer.
• Brand Protectionist: Ensures that both traditional wholesale and Amazon amplify Duluth’s legendary brand story, creating a win-win strategy that protects the brand without diluting it or causing channel conflict.
• Cross-Functional Diplomat: Capable of pivoting seamlessly between a creative marketing growth mindset and a rigid, execution-focused logistics mindset to guide internal cross-functional teams through complex new timelines and operational demands.
• Project Management & Timeline Rigor: You possess a meticulous approach to project architecture, translating complex, multi-phased strategies into clear, actionable roadmaps with precise deadlines, milestones, and contingency planning.
• Authorization to work in the United States without sponsorship.

Duluth Headquarters Benefits and Perks

Our pursuit of a better way isn't just about our products—it's about our people too. That's why our Dam Good Crew enjoys a comprehensive benefits package, designed to support their well-being and success.

• Multiple Medical plan options

• Dental & Vision plans

• Medical and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts

• Health Savings Account including company contributions

• Company paid Life Insurance and AD&D

• Company paid Short-Term Disability

• Other various voluntary benefits including: Accident, Critical Illness, Hospital Indemnity, Long-Term Disability and Supplemental Life Insurance

• 401(k) Employer Match

• Parental Leave

• Paid holidays: New Year’s Day, Martin Luther King Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, Christmas Day

• Paid Time Off: take it as you need it policy for exempt employees

• Daily pay available

• 40% Employee Discount

Position Compensation Outline

Compensation Range: $140,000 - $190,000/year

This position is eligible to participate in the company bonus and long term incentive programs upon hire.

Relocation assistance is available for candidates located outside of commuting distance to the headquarters office.

Compensation listed is for the full-time position at these specific locations and is based on several factors, including experience, and qualifications. Benefits and perks may have eligibility requirements and are subject to change.

The responsibilities outlined in this position description are a guideline for the general duties of the position and are not exhaustive of all duties inherent in the job. Duluth Trading Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

About Duluth Trading Company

Started in 1989, Duluth Trading Company exists to enable hard‑working individuals to take on life with their own two hands. Folks that revel in doing it the hard way and celebrate finding a better way. We seek talented individuals who share these beliefs and are excited to further the Duluth Trading legacy with a digital‑first mindset, always moving forward and always innovating.

From ingenious Duluth workwear, to comfortably capable Buck Naked Underwear, to outside‑embracing AKHG, it’s all about the innovative gear and gadgets that equip customers for a more hands‑on way of life.

Top‑notch quality, immersive storytelling, outstanding customer service, and the shared belief that the go‑all‑in‑and‑dig‑deep spirit exists with everyone are what sets Duluth Trading Co. apart. We seek talented folks looking to be part of a can‑do team that’s hellbent on helping the world to gear up, get its hands dirty, and do.