Position summary
the national sales manager, professional trades segment will lead s ales strategy, account management, channel development, and rep execution for 5 core end-user verticals ( consumer / diy, beauty / barber, flooring & surface prep, paint & wallcovering, and general contracting).
this leader will be responsible for driving profitable revenue growth, strengthening national account relationships, improving manufacturer’s rep performance, and executing segment-specific growth plans. The ideal candidate will bring demonstrated experience managing home depot, lowe’s, major tool or trade-focused national accounts, and independent manufacturer’s rep networks.
key responsibilities
* strategic account management
* directly manage strategic professional segment accounts, including: home depot, lowe’s, milwaukee tool.
* directly manage and drive beauty / barber share gain with our manufacturer’s rep agencies.
* build and execute annual account plans for each assigned strategic account.
* own sales growth, profitability, forecasting, promotional planning, line reviews, assortment strategy, and account-level execution.
* develop strong relationships across buying, merchandising, category management, supply chain, ecommerce, private label, and cross-functional customer teams.
* identify new growth opportunities through assortment expansion, product upgrades, promotional programs, ecommerce optimization, and professional trade engagement.
* partner with product management and marketing to support customer-specific innovation, packaging, merchandising, and product positioning.
* monitor account performance, competitive activity, pricing, promotional effectiveness, inventory, and sell-through trends.
home center and retail channel leadership
lead sales strategy and execution for big-box retail and home center channels .
bring demonstrated experience working with home depot and lowe’s, including line reviews, category planning, retail merchandising, promotional programs, and ecommerce/catalog execution.
support sell-in and sell-through of professional blade solutions across retail, pro desk, ecommerce, and trade-focused programs.
partner with internal teams to ensure readiness for retail requirements, including product data, packaging, compliance, forecasting, inventory planning, and channel-specific content.
identify opportunities to strengthen presence with professional users shopping through home center channels.
collaborate with marketing on retail and ecommerce content, product messaging, merchandising, and promotional support.
beauty / barber vertical leadership
* manage and support the national manufacturer’s rep network serving beauty / barber channels.
* build and execute a beauty / barber growth plan focused on:
* rep productivity, share gain, new product placement, distributor expansion, new account development, barber / beauty school activation, product educations, account management & repeat purchase cadence.
* lead rep performance reviews, territory planning, pipeline tracking, and sales cadence.
* ensure reps are equipped with clear selling tools, product knowledge, pricing guidance, samples, and market-specific messaging.
* partner with marketing on schools, influencer, distributor, and education-based activation programs.
* partner with product management on voice-of-consumer, sku opportunities, packaging needs, product feedback, and competitive insights.
* track market trends, competitive products, pricing pressure, customer needs, and channel opportunities.
manufacturer’s rep management
* lead, manage, and develop the national manufacturer’s rep network supporting the professional segment.
* set clear goals, territories, expectations, reporting cadence, and performance metrics for rep agencies.
* conduct monthly business reviews with rep agencies principles.
* develop rep scorecards measuring revenue, pipeline, new account activity, account coverage, training participation, and opportunity conversion.
* partner with marketing and product management to provide reps with sales tools, samples, product comparisons, launch kits, and customer presentations.
sales planning, forecasting, and business management
* own sales planning, forecasting, and performance tracking for the professional trades segment.
* track revenue, margin, sell-through, account profitability, pipeline, and rep productivity.
* provide timely and accurate forecasts to leadership, operations, and supply chain.
* monitor risks and opportunities against plan and recommend corrective actions.
* partner with finance on pricing, margin analysis, promotional roi, and account profitability.
* support annual budgeting and long-range planning for the professional segment.
required qualifications
* bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, sales, or related field.
* 7+ years of progressive sales, national account management, channel sales, retail sales, or manufacturer’s rep management experience.
* demonstrated experience m anaging or supporting major retail/home center accounts, specifically home depot and lowe’s is preferred
* demonstrated experience managing independent manufacturer’s rep agencies networks.
* experience selling into professional trades, retail, home improvement, hardware, tools, beauty/barber, industrial, construction, flooring, paint, general contracting, or related channels.
* strong understanding of retail account management, line reviews, category management, assortment planning, promotional planning, ecommerce content, and sell-through execution.
* proven ability to develop and execute annual account plans and channel growth strategies.
* strong sales forecasting, business planning, negotiation, presentation, and relationship management skills.
* ability to analyze sales data, margin, product mix, promotional results, customer performance, and rep productivity.
* experience with syndicated retail data, customer portals, crm systems, erp systems, and account planning tools.
* strong cross-functional leadership skills with the ability to influence product, marketing, operations, finance, customer service, and external partners.
* willingness to travel for customer meetings, rep meetings, trade shows, distributor visits, retail reviews, and field work.
preferred qualifications
* mba or advanced business degree.
* experience managing oem/private label customers, or trade-focused strategic accounts.
* experience in razor blades, utility blades, cutting tools, hand tools, safety products, hardware, home improvement, construction products, grooming, beauty/barber, or professional trade consumables.
* experience with beauty / barber distributors, reps, schools, or professional grooming channels.
* travel
* expected travel: 50-70%, depending on customer meetings, rep management, line reviews, trade shows, distributor visits, retail reviews, and field work.