Senior Sales Director (GM), Sporting Goods

Who We Are: 

Since 1906, New Balance has empowered people through sport and craftsmanship to create positive change in communities around the world. We innovate fearlessly, guided by our core values and driven by the belief that conventions were meant to be challenged. We foster a culture in which every associate feels welcomed and respected, where leaders and creatives are inspired to shape the world of tomorrow by taking bold action today.

Job Mission:

This position serves as the commercial and cross functional leader for New Balance Sporting Goods channel in the United States.   This role is responsible for managing all aspects of wholesale sales with with Dick’s Sporting Goods and Academy Sports & Outdoor, including retailer partnership, Go-To-Market process leadership, consumer-right product assortments, forecasting, coordination of account consumer marketing strategies, and leading a team of sales professionals to achieve sales, profitability, and retailer partnership objectives. 

Major Accountabilities:

Channel Strategy & Execution

• Proactively lead the development and implementation of a multi-year strategic plan with mutual performance objectives, financial targets, and critical milestones.
• Design and execute the overall sales strategy aligned to New Balance’s strategic priorities, growth targets, consumer needs, and shape of the marketplace for the channel.
• Manage the execution and implementation of the Go to Market calendar and process.

Team Leadership & Development

• Coach, motivate, and develop Director and Key Account Managers, as well as extended commercial cross-functional teams in merchandising, marketing, planning, and operations to ensure alignment and timely execution of strategic plans.  
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Retail Partner Management

• Establish productive and professional relationships with senior-level contacts at large multi-door retail accounts, including Dick’s Sporting Goods and Academy Sports & Outdoor.
• Lead high-stakes negotiations around pricing, terms, marketing investments, and joint business planning.

Business Performance & Forecasting

• Monitor channel performance across KPIs (revenue, margin, inventory, sell-through).
• Lead forecasting, budgeting, and reporting processes in partnership with planning and finance.
• Oversee actions to manage inventory and profitability levels to maintain brand health and achieve margin goals.
• Assess, clarify, and validate the team and partner needs on an ongoing basis.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Serve as a member of the NA Commercial Leadership team, collaborating on strategic topics that aid in the delivery of New Balance’s commercial goals.
• Collaborate with product merchandising teams to ensure product strategy aligns with target consumer and account strategies.
• Collaborate with planning and merchandising to develop sell in, sell through, and inventory goals for the channel.  Develop reporting metrics to measure ROI and sales performance against goals.
• Coordinate the involvement of the Key Account Managers and company’s commercial cross functional team, including merchandising, marketing, planning, operations, and finance to meet account performance objectives and account’s expectations and deliver the multi-year plans.

Requirements for Success:

• Requires bachelor’s degree or equivalent; MBA a plus
• 15+ years of related sales, product management or merchandising experience with a track record of achieving sales objectives.
• Deep understanding of the Sporting Goods retail landscape; experience working with Dick’s Sporting Goods is strongly preferred.
• Ability to embrace managing conflict and quickly providing solutions for escalated issues.
• Exceptional negotiation skills with the ability to influence internal and external stakeholders
• Requires excellent leadership, organizational and communication skills, and the ability to work in a team-oriented environment. 
• Leads by example with managing cross functional relationships with internal business partners.
• Excellent project management skills.
• Retailer and consumer mindset.
• Frequent domestic travel, approximately 20% of the time.
• This role is based at our Boston headquarters. We welcome applicants from outside the area and offer relocation support for the right candidate.

Boston, MA Headquarters - (NB) Only Pay Range: $230,510.00 - $299,365.00 - $368,220.00 Annual (actual base p