Directeur(-rice) Wholesale (H/F)

The Wholesale Director is responsible for strategically developing the business with opinion leaders, department stores, distributors and online retailers. Working closely with the Commercial Director, the Wholesale Director works on the overall strategy of each territory and category. The main objective of the role is to actively drive sales and achieve budget targets by building and implementing sales plans always supporting the image and priorities of the Brand.

Strategic Development & Execution:

• Collaborate with the Commercial Director to develop and implement a strong worldwide distribution strategy.
• Monitor wholesale activity and the KPIs to ensure profitable business growth.
• Identify and secure optimal locations for the brand, balancing image and profitability using your knowledge of the markets.

• Conduct store-vetting through travel and the development of a strong training program to ensure brand standards are met.

Partnership Management & Growth:

• Lead contract negotiations and agreements in the company's best interests.
• Establish and monitor budget investments and trading terms to drive business and ensure account profitability.
• Manage operations for new partner launches in existing and new markets, overseeing projects from inception to completion. (incl. concept development follow up, capex, etc)
• Ensure partners create strong assortments, including high-potential SKUs and key looks, and that orders are efficiently processed and shipped.
• Collate new stockist requests, assess viability, and manage partner relationships, including exiting partners that no longer align with the brand.

Sales & Marketing Activation:

• Plan and oversee showroom set-up; ensure smooth and efficient run of the Sales campaign. Overview the showroom budget in coordination with the Showroom Coordinator.

• Contribute to worldwide image consistency through VM, product and sales training, and a strong collaboration with marketing teams.
• Propose and execute a strong activation calendar, defining and implementing retailer-specific strategies and trade marketing plans with marketing teams to have impactful local focus.
• Analyze sales at the retail level and implement actions to boost performance (e.g., incentives, stock swaps).
• Provide post-season analysis and feedback to improve future strategies.

Relationship Building & Collaboration:

• Work with in-country teams to understand partner needs and develop operational procedures to fully service territories.
• Collaborate with merchandising to analyze information and share knowledge to drive sales and influence future ranges.

• Post Sales, work with merchandising and production on cancellations.
• Collaborate with finance teams and credit control to ensure customers are within pre-agreed credit limits, that regular payments are being received and ensure that underpayments are cleared monthly and all internal trackers are completed on time.

• Prepare and coordinate sales strategy documents for company meetings and present retailer-specific strategies.
• Establish key relationships with retailer headquarters and retail teams, including personal shoppers.
• Set up and drive cross-functional interaction between retailers and the Alaïa team.

Team Leadership & Development:

• Support, coach, and develop the wholesale team.
• Strategically develop the DSA team across the SIS network, selecting brand ambassadors, providing training, and ensuring profitability.
• Set annual objectives for each member of the wholesale team, monitor performance, and provide feedback in line with company process.
• Act as a brand ambassador at all wholesale events, ensuring excellent customer service.