Sales Manager – APAC

Studio Nicholson; East London; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 800 000; Full time

Job summary

A premium fashion brand is seeking an experienced Sales Manager to oversee their APAC operations, especially focusing on the China franchise. The role involves managing wholesale partnerships, driving sales performance, and ensuring brand representation across various markets. Ideal candidates should have strong analytical skills, proven experience in franchise management, and excellent communication skills. The position offers a dynamic, fast-paced environment with opportunities for significant impact in a growing market.

Qualifications

• Proven experience in premium or contemporary wholesale and franchise sales, particularly in APAC.
• Experience managing franchise partners and performance metrics.
• Strong commercial acumen in forecasting and budgeting.

Responsibilities

• Manage sales for APAC and develop China franchise partnership.
• Conduct monthly trade meetings and deliver training to partners.
• Monitor market trends and franchise performance.

Skills

Account management

Analytical mindset

Sales optimization

Strong negotiation skills

Communication skills

Fluency in Mandarin

Proficient in Microsoft Office

Job description

Job Details

Studio Nicholson - Sales Manager, APAC

Overview

Studio Nicholson is seeking an experienced and commercially driven Sales Manager for the APAC region to support and grow our presence across key markets, including the management and development of our new China franchise partner. The role is responsible for managing strategic wholesale and franchise partners, driving seasonal sell in and sell through performance, and ensuring the brand is consistently and appropriately represented across all regional points of sale.

This position requires strong analytical capability, excellent account management skills, and a deep understanding of the premium wholesale and franchise landscape in APAC.

Key Responsibilities

Seasonal Selling and Account Management

Sell and support seasonal Studio Nicholson collections to key APAC wholesale and franchise partners, cultivating long term relationships and becoming an expert in customers’ business models to maximise sales and profitability.

Act as the primary point of contact for the China franchise partner, overseeing seasonal sell in, order management, and ongoing commercial performance.

Organise and lead seasonal showroom appointments and in market meetings with key and top accounts, including regular travel to China as required.

Maintain a strong understanding of commercial budgets by account and deliver growth targets across the region, with specific accountability for the China franchise business.

Conduct monthly trade meetings with customers and the internal wholesale team, offering insights, opportunities, and performance updates.

Deliver seasonal key account and franchise partner training, in person or digitally, to support product knowledge, brand alignment, and sales performance.

Regional Market and POS Management

Understand, support, visit, and review all regional points of sale, including franchise operated stores, to ensure correct distribution, strong performance, and premium brand representation.

Partner closely with the China franchise to ensure alignment on brand guidelines, VM standards, merchandising strategy, pricing architecture, and promotional activity.

Monitor franchise store performance, sell through, and inventory levels, providing clear and actionable recommendations to optimise results.

Evaluate competitor activity, pricing, and market trends to identify risks and opportunities, with a strong focus on the China market.

Uphold merchandising standards in the showroom and ensure Studio Nicholson’s aesthetic and values are consistently represented across wholesale and franchise environments.

Cross Functional Collaboration

Partner closely with Marketing, Logistics, Finance, VM, and Production to ensure seamless execution across the wholesale and franchise business.

Collaborate with Marketing and VM teams to support China specific activations, store openings, and seasonal initiatives in line with global strategy.

Deliver accurate feedback to Production teams regarding product performance, regional needs, and market trends, including franchise specific insights.

Coordinate the setup and breakdown of collections for showroom, regional, and franchise presentations.

Support additional ad hoc tasks as required.

Skills and Experience

Proven experience in the premium or contemporary wholesale and or franchise sales industry, ideally within the APAC market with direct exposure to China.

Demonstrated experience managing franchise partners or distributors, including brand governance and performance management.

Strong commercial acumen with extensive experience in forecasting, budgeting, and managing seasonal order books.

Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret sell through data, identify opportunities, and optimise results.

Passion for product with a refined commercial sensibility.

Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with strong presentation and influencing ability.

Skilled negotiator with a track record of building and maintaining strong account and franchise relationships.

Fluency in Mandarin is highly desirable; additional Asian languages are a plus.

Highly organised with the ability to multitask in a fast paced environment.

Collaborative, enthusiastic team player with adaptability to evolving business needs.

Proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Excel.

Demonstrates a strong brand mindset and acts as a Studio Nicholson ambassador at all times.