Key Account Manager - Academy

adidas; Houston, Northern (TX, KY); On-site; USD 120,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

HSA

FSA

Stock Purchase Plan

Parental Leave (12 weeks)

Education assistance

Job summary

adidas seeks a seasoned senior sales leader to drive strategic growth with key retailers in the Houston area. You will own sell-in and sell-through for focus categories, partnering with marketing and retail activation to implement profitable, brand-aligned plans.

A strong financial acumen and retail math skills are essential. You will manage complex accounts, negotiate favorable terms, and deliver timely reporting while traveling up to 50% to support partners.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required or preferred in business-related field.
• Minimum eight years of field sales experience with key accounts in consumer goods/sporting goods.
• Experience across multiple internal/external partners and strong negotiation skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead sell-in and sell-through for focus categories with major accounts.
• Drive top and bottom line profitability for the account through retail tactics and pricing opportunities.
• Develop strategic sales plans aligning with brand/category objectives.
• Collaborate with marketing and retail activation to drive sell-through programs.
• Build strong cross-functional relationships and provide timely reporting/forecasts.

Skills

Negotiation

Sales leadership

Strategic planning

Retail math

Presentations

Relationship building

Travel

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Advertising or related field

Job description

Purpose:
Implement specific product and brand direction for focus categories within specific key accounts. Lead sell-in and sell-through for those categories along with retail activation and the merchandising team to achieve profitable growth with the account.

Key Accountabilities:

• Using strong business acumen and retail math abilities drive the top and bottom line number for the account.
• Drive account growth and profitability by assessing and building on areas of momentum; capitalize on product/pricing opportunities and course correct with innovative sales tactics to improve sales performance with account.
• Develop strategic sales plan for complex retail accounts leveraging account insight and goals to achieve sales targets and align with brand and category objectives.
• Leverage market and competitor trends along with buyer preferences at the category level to build strategic sales plan
• Based on specific product and brand direction for focus categories at account, lead the sell in and especially sell through process in collaboration with marketing and retail.
• Collaborate with marketing and retail activation partners to drive sell through programs at the account.
• Develop and maintain strong relationships with all internal departments and assigned key accounts based on respect.
• Deliver on time reporting and forecasting for all required reports and documents to appropriate parties.
• Manage, track and resolve all customer compliance issues regarding freight claims, charge-backs, shipping violations, RTV and DFA.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities:

• Thorough knowledge of key metric levers and how to use them to create increased profitability and sales for both adidas and its’ retail partners.
• Ability to apply financial data to make decisions and influence outcomes. This includes margins, retail math, forecast/projections, probability and statistical inference, fractions, percentages, ratios, etc.
• Ability to lay out practical and logical assortment plans based on retail space, inventory turn, and sell through.
• Ability to portray a confident and winning attitude in challenging business interactions.
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate and influence outcomes with both internal and external contacts.
• Proven background that reflects being results-oriented.
• Agile and confident communication skills with internal and external business partners.
• Experience working across a wide range of business partners on projects.
• Ability to effectively interact with all levels of business via phone, written communication and in person
• Strong presentation skills. Effectiveness in a variety of formal presentation settings within and outside of the company. The ability to command attention and manage group process during the presentation.
• Ability to understand and incorporate all levels of brand marketing plans and ideals in to presentations
• Ability to tell a holistic story verses taking a transactional approach.
• Merchandising and planning skills, and the ability to create merchandise plans based on sell through targets.
• Ability to enhance consumer interaction/experience at our retail partners.
• Strong understanding of retail sales practices
• Ability to lift and carry samples and bags weighing up to 25 lbs.
• Ability to travel up to 50%
• Passion for sport.

Qualifications:
Four year degree preferably in Business, Marketing, Advertising or a related field.
Minimum eight years of field sales experience, preferably with key accounts within a consumer goods company in the sporting goods industry. The equivalent combination of education and experience may be substituted.

Please note:

• adidas celebrates diversity, supports inclusiveness and encourages individual expression in our workplace. We actively encourage individuals with disabilities to apply and will provide reasonable accommodations throughout the recruitment process. We do not tolerate the harassment or discrimination toward any of our applicants or employees. We are an Equal Opportunity Employer.
• adidas offers robust and progressive medical, including HSA (Health Savings Account) with employer funding or FSA (Flexible Spending Account) options, dental, vision, prescription drug coverage, adoption, with surrogate and fertility support , short and long-term disability, and basic life and AD&D insurance, which can be supplemented with employee-paid coverage. Employees are able to enroll in adidas’ 401k plan and Stock Purchase Plan with employer match. Full-time employees are eligible for education assistance and generous Leave policies including 12 weeks of paid parental leave.
• Employees are eligible to earn annual and bi-annual bonuses based on sales performance. Employees accrue prorated flexible time off in the amount .4388 hours per day that increases with years of service, eleven paid holidays throughout the calendar year and Service Time Off during milestone years.
• This role is home based in Houston, TX or within 3 hours driving distance to Houston.
• Though our teammates hail from all corners of the world, our working language is English.

AT ADIDAS WE HAVE A WINNING CULTURE. BUT TO WIN, PHYSICAL POWER IS NOT ENOUGH. JUST LIKE ATHLETES OUR EMPLOYEES NEED MENTAL STRENGTH IN THEIR GAME. WE FOSTER THE ATHLETE’S MINDSET THROUGH A SET OF BEHAVIORS THAT WE WANT TO ENABLE AND DEVELOP IN OUR PEOPLE AND THAT ARE AT THE CORE OF OUR UNIQUE COMPANY CULTURE: THIS IS HOW WE WIN WHILE PLAYING FAIR.

• COURAGE:Speak up when you see an opportunity; step up when you see a need..
• OWNERSHIP:Pick up the ball. Be proactive, take responsibility and follow-through.
• INNOVATION: Elevate to win. Be curious, test and learn new and better ways of doing things.
• TEAMPLAY: Win together. Work collaboratively and cultivate a shared mindset.
• INTEGRITY: Play by the rules. Hold yourself and others accountable to our company’s standards.
• RESPECT: Value all players. Display empathy, be inclusive and show dignity to all.

At adidas, we strongly believe that embedding diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) into our culture and talent processes gives our employees a sense of belonging and our brand a real competitive advantage.
Culture Starts With People, It Starts With You
By recruiting talent and developing our people to reflect the rich diversity of our consumers and communities, we foster a culture of inclusion that engages our employees and authentically connects our brand with our consumers.