Sales Lead Northern & Eastern Europe

For a quarter of a century, the Jellycat family have brought joy, wonder and playful fun to people of all ages, in every part of the world. Utterly original and in a class of their own, they are currently among the most loved and collected toys of their kind. How has this gentle tribe endeared themselves to so many? Perhaps it is their whimsical expressions. Or the deliciously soft fabrics. Or the beautiful way in which they sit in your hand. Whatever it is, there is something magical and unmistakeable about each one of them.

We are looking for someone to take full ownership of the Northern and Eastern European Markets.

Reporting directly into the Head of EU Sales, with whom you will develop and implement the respective go-to-market strategies, you’ll be responsible for all EU agents, distributors, and direct markets, with a primary focus on Scandinavia and emerging Eastern European markets.

Unlocking all untapped growth opportunities via luxury & premium channels, including in-store branding executions, pop-up activations and shop in shop installations. Working closely with your account managers, distributors, agents and Marketing team building the brand for sustainable long-term future growth.

This role will be based in London, White City, with the willingness to travelling within the EU for meetings with agents, distributors and customers as well as trade shows as required.

You'll be;

• Working closely with the Head of EU Sales to build and execute a clear strategic 5 year growth plan for key regions in Northern and Eastern Europe.
• Identifying key and upcoming markets, retailers and new business opportunities, assigning clear objectives and timelines to your team.
• Collaborating with the Marketing team to establish and nurture key relationships with partners and industry influencers in order to generate leads that ultimately drive business growth.
• Project managing (with marketing and sales teams) the execution and delivery of shop-in-shop executions, pop-up’s and brand activations.
• Working cross functionally with the UK/ROW/USA/CN teams to share best practice across the business.
• Working with your team to build out robust go-to-market plans for each pillar of our Brand – Loveables, Amuseables, Accessories and Baby.
• Presenting plans and initiatives to the CEO, CCO and Leadership Team.
• Working with the team to ensure we are always innovating the way we take Jellycat to the customer as well as the end-consumer.
• Building plans and leading the execution of re-inventing how we reach our customers – tradeshows, pop-up showrooms, travelling showrooms, innovation always!
• Collaborating and work with design and production team to ensure that the Sales Team have everything they require on time to be able to execute the go-to-market plans and strategy.
• Presenting monthly/quarterly/annual strategy performance updates back to the Head of EU Sales and the Leadership Team.
• Analysing market trends, competitor activities and customer and consumer needs to identify opportunities product development or improvement.
• Negotiating contracts with partners where necessary ensuring that we are getting the best deal , ensuring favourable terms and conditions for Jellycat (always within our brand guidelines and working with our legal team).
• Staying abreast of industry trends, regulatory changes and marketing risks to identify potential risks and opportunities.
• An integral part of the EU sales leadership team – working closely with the Head of EU Sales, International Sales Director and Country Managers (France & DACH) to explore and maximize the opportunities for Jellycat.

You'll have;

• A minimum of 5 years experience as a Business Development / Senior Sales Manager (ideally in the EU/Northern and Eastern European markets).
• A minimum one year people management experience.
• Experience in working with distributors, agents and wholesalers alike.
• 2-3 years’ experience in building budgets and presenting financial results in relation to budgets – with explanations on results.
• The ability to speak confidently with gravitas to chair and lead meetings with senior teams.
• Excellent PowerPoint and Excel skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills are essential.
• Ideally fluency in additional languages reflecting the cultural understanding and sensitivity required to effectively engage with these key markets.
• A collaborative approach with much face to face interaction with the team
• A creative, tactical and able to influence across all areas of the business and all levels of management.
• Ideally, experience within a Luxury brand / has worked with Luxury Department Stores to understand Jellycat’s premium positioning.
• Great organisation skills and ability to multi-task and manage multiple deadlines.
• Problem solving and solution based methodology.
• P&L Knowledge would be welcomed.
• The ability to be a true team player who is flexible, dynamic, personable, positive and is motivated by being part of a high performing team.
• The ability to hit the ground running and inspire confidence both internally and externally.
• A high-energy, and be results-oriented, leading by example in a hands-on manner.
• A collaborative, adaptable mindset and be skilled at managing multiple priorities in a fast-paced, data-driven environment.