What are the responsibilities and job description for the Account Executive - Sales position at American Greetings?
Job Description
As this role is based out of our Creative Studios in Westlake, Ohio, we will focus on candidates who currently reside in Northeast Ohio.
The Account Executive will assist the Sales Leadership Team in growing American Greetings' business profitably by managing key programs, categories, or activities for small accounts.
In addition, the position will work closely with the Occasion and Category Teams, Insights & Analytics, Marketing, and Sales Operations to ensure cross-functional collaboration to deliver against commercial objectives.
The Account Executive is responsible for evaluating performance, making recommendations, and delivering solutions for areas within job scope. Serves as a liaison for specific sales and marketing activities between the retailer and American Greetings.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Builds strong foundational knowledge of the retailer, the consumer, the industry, and the American Greetings business and product categories.
Be customer-centric and solution-oriented when presenting recommendations to manager, cross-functional partners, and if presenting to retailer (may have buyer-interfacing exposure.)
Demonstrates a growth-mindset with a focus on relentless selling and results: profitable sales growth, market share growth vs. the competition, new store, new category or new placement growth.
Responsible for assisting the strategic management of the retailer’s Everyday and/or Seasonal business, including but not limited to:
Responsible for delivering the sales and margin goals of both the internal plan and the joint business plan.
May be responsible or assist in managing the marketing/initiative budget, in conjunction with the Sales Director/Senior Director/Executive Director and internal business and marketing partners; evaluates and manages spend based on results and retailer obligations.
May assist with management of contract funds
Jointly with Sales Operations, has deep knowledge and understanding of all retailer requirements including but not limited to key priorities, and financial, contractual, and distribution obligations and ensures flawless execution and service. Leverages knowledge of retailer requirements to influence business decisions internally and externally.
Partners seamlessly with all internal cross-functional team members; understands and can articulate retailer strategies and commercial objectives.
Other duties as assigned
Experience Required
Required Length & Type of Experience:
5 years previous experience in sales, marketing or product management; including proven strategic and proactive account management skills
Previous experience in a retail or merchandising environment preferred
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Customer centric: understands the retailer - priorities, situation, perception, and expectations; tailors recommendations, programs, and interactions to retailer preferences and needs.
Builds strategic thinking skills by homing in on analysis and the assimilation of insights to identify opportunities and create clear recommendations. When problem solving, leverages forward-thinking to assess impact of decisions to identify longer-term benefits and consequences of immediate action.
Identifies the problem or opportunity, researches, asks questions, and seeks advice to gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation, considers various options and weighs alternatives, escalates vetted ideas for approval.
Develops an understanding of financial statements and relationship between sales, cost, and profit. Applies these business fundamentals to make informed decisions and/or recommendations.
Demonstrates a sense of urgency and a desire to accomplish. Initiates action within scope of role, learns on the fly, ensures deliverables are understood, and meets deadlines. Finds ways to continuously improve processes, presentations, and relationships.
Effectively communicate: attends fully when others speak, summarizes ideas, actively seeks and shares information, and is clear and articulate both in oral and in written communication.
Establishes and maintains productive relationships through collaboration and teamwork. Devotes energy to cultivating relationships and is aware of their impact on others.
Strong planning and organizing skills that allow for highly productive and efficient meetings.
Education Required
Bachelor’s degree in Business/Marketing/Sales or related field
Career Site Category
Corporate Jobs
As this role is based out of our Creative Studios in Westlake, Ohio, we will focus on candidates who currently reside in Northeast Ohio.
The Account Executive will assist the Sales Leadership Team in growing American Greetings' business profitably by managing key programs, categories, or activities for small accounts.
In addition, the position will work closely with the Occasion and Category Teams, Insights & Analytics, Marketing, and Sales Operations to ensure cross-functional collaboration to deliver against commercial objectives.
The Account Executive is responsible for evaluating performance, making recommendations, and delivering solutions for areas within job scope. Serves as a liaison for specific sales and marketing activities between the retailer and American Greetings.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
Builds strong foundational knowledge of the retailer, the consumer, the industry, and the American Greetings business and product categories.
Be customer-centric and solution-oriented when presenting recommendations to manager, cross-functional partners, and if presenting to retailer (may have buyer-interfacing exposure.)
Demonstrates a growth-mindset with a focus on relentless selling and results: profitable sales growth, market share growth vs. the competition, new store, new category or new placement growth.
Responsible for assisting the strategic management of the retailer’s Everyday and/or Seasonal business, including but not limited to:
- Working with manager to prepare for key agenda items and/or retailer deliverables
- Working with internal cross-functional partners to assess the business and coordinate and plan activities to meet retailer-facing deliverables
- Evaluating performance / identifying key drivers for key programs or categories
- Providing and packaging insights (POS, trend, consumer, or product) to support the creation of compelling sales presentations/pitches and/or creating the presentations in entirety.
- May present performance recaps and sales plans to the retailer
- Document and understand key retailer feedback and expectations and support manager and cross-functional partners in progressing work and/or driving outstanding issues to closure.
Responsible for delivering the sales and margin goals of both the internal plan and the joint business plan.
May be responsible or assist in managing the marketing/initiative budget, in conjunction with the Sales Director/Senior Director/Executive Director and internal business and marketing partners; evaluates and manages spend based on results and retailer obligations.
May assist with management of contract funds
Jointly with Sales Operations, has deep knowledge and understanding of all retailer requirements including but not limited to key priorities, and financial, contractual, and distribution obligations and ensures flawless execution and service. Leverages knowledge of retailer requirements to influence business decisions internally and externally.
Partners seamlessly with all internal cross-functional team members; understands and can articulate retailer strategies and commercial objectives.
Other duties as assigned
Experience Required
Required Length & Type of Experience:
5 years previous experience in sales, marketing or product management; including proven strategic and proactive account management skills
Previous experience in a retail or merchandising environment preferred
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
Customer centric: understands the retailer - priorities, situation, perception, and expectations; tailors recommendations, programs, and interactions to retailer preferences and needs.
Builds strategic thinking skills by homing in on analysis and the assimilation of insights to identify opportunities and create clear recommendations. When problem solving, leverages forward-thinking to assess impact of decisions to identify longer-term benefits and consequences of immediate action.
Identifies the problem or opportunity, researches, asks questions, and seeks advice to gain a comprehensive understanding of the situation, considers various options and weighs alternatives, escalates vetted ideas for approval.
Develops an understanding of financial statements and relationship between sales, cost, and profit. Applies these business fundamentals to make informed decisions and/or recommendations.
Demonstrates a sense of urgency and a desire to accomplish. Initiates action within scope of role, learns on the fly, ensures deliverables are understood, and meets deadlines. Finds ways to continuously improve processes, presentations, and relationships.
Effectively communicate: attends fully when others speak, summarizes ideas, actively seeks and shares information, and is clear and articulate both in oral and in written communication.
Establishes and maintains productive relationships through collaboration and teamwork. Devotes energy to cultivating relationships and is aware of their impact on others.
Strong planning and organizing skills that allow for highly productive and efficient meetings.
Education Required
Bachelor’s degree in Business/Marketing/Sales or related field
Career Site Category
Corporate Jobs
