Field Training & Brand Specialist

Ashley Global Retail; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 72,000 - 80,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Profit sharing

Paid holidays

Vacation time

Job summary

Ashley Global Retail is seeking a Bedding Brand Expert to lead training for our in-house mattress portfolio with Mattress Firm. You will onboard new hires and provide on-site support to ensure sales teams are confident with our products from day one.

This field-based role requires regular store visits, up to 95% travel, and close collaboration with Mattress Firm leadership to align on performance goals. You will translate product knowledge into engaging training, support store merchandising, and

Qualifications

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

Responsibilities

• Lead training efforts for new Mattress Firm hires, introducing our in-house brand portfolio and ensuring new hires are sales-ready from day one
• Conduct regular store visits to maintain high proficiency among staff and reinforce unique value propositions of current/upcoming mattress lines
• Collaborate with Mattress Firm leadership to align on performance goals and participate in divisional meetings to discuss market performance
• Support merchandising and presentation to maintain brand presence, including proper display, POP materials, and optimized product placement
• Capture field data through visit recaps and share insights with executive leadership to influence strategic direction
• Maintain expert-level bedding industry knowledge and participate in quarterly meetings and markets to stay aligned with product roadmaps

Skills

Onboarding

Training delivery

Store visits

Leadership collaboration

Merchandising support

Field reporting

Product knowledge

Presentation skills

Time management

Communication

Adaptability

MS Office

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

Compensation: Annual Salary = $72,000 - $80,000. Individual compensation packages are based on various factors unique to each candidate, including skill set, experience, qualifications, and other job-related factors.

Profit sharing is available to eligible employees; this discretionary program is dependent on the profitability of the company.

Benefits: When you join our family, you are eligible to participate in our comprehensive benefits programs which includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life/Disability, Flexible Spending Accounts, 401(k), Paid Holidays, 80 hours paid vacation and 40 hours of California Paid Sick Leave. Benefits may vary based on position and location, so we encourage you to speak with the recruiting team during the interview process.

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.

We are an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer.