Senior Manager, Sales Strategy & Retail Development - Merrell

FashionUnited; Rockford (IL); On-site; USD 90,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

FashionUnited is looking for a Senior Manager, Sales Strategy & Retail Development to identify growth opportunities across North America. This role involves collaborating with multiple teams to drive strategic initiatives, analyzing market dynamics, and ensuring impactful execution.

The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in sales strategy, strong analytical skills, and a collaborative approach, contributing to the company's mission to redefine the outdoor industry.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in sales strategy or retail strategy.
• Strong understanding of North America wholesale and retail business models.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives.

Responsibilities

• Identify growth opportunities across North America.
• Drive strategic initiatives and business intelligence.
• Partner closely with Retail, Sales, Planning, and Marketing.

Skills

Sales strategy

Retail strategy

Business analytics

Project management

Data analysis

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, marketing, merchandising, or related field

Tools

Power BI

Excel

Job description

Senior Manager, Sales Strategy & Retail Development - Merrell

Merrell exists to share the simple power of being outside with everyone. We believe the “outdoors” is a much broader space than just the mountain summit; it’s any space beyond your front door. Our mission is to help our community rethink the outdoors by building gear that works everywhere, from technical alpine ridges to urban city streets. We don't just follow the trail; we help define where it goes next.

The Senior Manager, Sales Strategy & Retail Development identifies growth opportunities and turns them into actionable plans across North America wholesale and retail channels. Reporting to the VP of North America Wholesale & Retail, this role drives strategic initiatives, business intelligence, market development, and operating frameworks that improve channel performance. The position partners closely with Retail, Sales, Planning, Merchandising, Marketing, and Finance to deliver insights, tools, and recommendations that strengthen commercial execution and alignment.

Commercial Strategy & Market Development

• Support North America commercial strategy across Wholesale and Retail by geography, consumer, channel, and market opportunity.
• Develop frameworks for market prioritization, key city strategy, geographic pods, account growth, and integrated market planning.
• Analyze performance, whitespace, and competitive dynamics to identify risks, opportunities, and growth actions by market, channel, and account.
• Contribute to future‑state commercial planning and transformation initiatives as Retail and Wholesale evolve.

Business Intelligence & AI Enablement

• Identify and support AI and reporting solutions that improve commercial effectiveness, including dashboards, scorecards, automation, analytics, and business recaps.
• Translate business data into clear insights, narratives, and recommendations that improve speed and decision‑making.
• Evaluate emerging tools and support adoption of commercial productivity solutions.

Retail & Wholesale Integration

• Partner with Retail, Sales, and field leadership to translate performance into strategic priorities and execution plans.
• Support store segmentation, fleet optimization, market clustering, seasonal distribution, and related investment frameworks.
• Build tools and playbooks that improve consistency, visibility, and execution across channels.

Executive Planning & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Serve as a cross‑functional partner across Commercial, Finance, Planning, Merchandising, Marketing, and Retail teams.
• Develop executive‑ready presentations and materials for leadership meetings, business reviews, strategic planning, sales meetings, and board discussions.
• Represent strategic priorities in cross‑functional forums and support alignment across planning cycles.

• Performs duties consistent with the Company’s AAP/EEO goals and policies.
• Performs other duties as required/assigned by manager.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• Bachelor’s degree in business, finance, marketing, merchandising, analytics, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in sales strategy, retail strategy, commercial planning, business analytics, merchandising, sales operations, or a related function, preferably in footwear, apparel, consumer goods, or a multi‑channel retail environment.
• Strong understanding of North America wholesale and retail business models, market dynamics, consumer behavior, and the drivers of sales, margin, productivity, and channel performance.
• Demonstrated ability to translate data, trends, and business performance into actionable strategies, recommendations, and growth plans.
• Advanced analytical skills, including strong Excel capability and experience with dashboards, scorecards, reporting tools, and business intelligence platforms such as Power BI.
• Strong financial and commercial acumen, with experience evaluating opportunities, risks, and business cases to support growth and profitability.
• Experience developing executive presentations, strategic planning materials, and clear narratives for senior leadership.
• Proven ability to lead cross‑functional initiatives and influence partners across Sales, Retail, Planning, Merchandising, Marketing, Finance, and Operations.
• Strong project management, communication, and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced environment.
• Familiarity with AI‑enabled tools and reporting automation, with the ability to assess practical applications and support adoption.
• Collaborative, proactive, and solutions‑oriented, with comfort operating in ambiguity and balancing strategic thinking with execution.

Working Conditions

Normal office environment. Some travel may be required.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Wolverine Worldwide, Inc. is committed to creating a company that is as diverse as our consumers. We value the differences in one another and believe our differences make us stronger. Our diverse and inclusive corporate culture starts with the recruitment process. We are committed to being an equal opportunity employer. We aim to create equal opportunities for our associates, customers, and suppliers regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected characteristic.