Sr. Director, Retail Development (UP&E)

Job Description:
Reporting to the Vice President, Retail Development, the Sr. Director, Retail Development will identify and drive opportunities supporting Client brands within the Toys-Hardlines-Food-Beverage lines of business at Target and Amazon.
This Sr. Director will partner both internally with our Category, Franchise Strategy, Product Development, and Retail Marketing teams as well as externally with licensee partners, merchants, and retailer License Committee members to develop, pitch, secure, and implement merchandise programs that deliver sales at retail and support franchise building efforts allowing UP&E to reach its annual revenue targets and long-term growth objectives.
Responsibilities:

• Develops plans that maximize Universal IP product and program placement across the Toys-Hardlines-Food-Beverage lines of business.
• Plans must be grounded in data, retail and consumer insights, and driven by UP&E IP prioritization, category and retailer strategies, as well as white space analysis.
• Plan includes corresponding revenue deliverables that are tied to annual goal setting.
• Develops influential relationships with merchants and is the Target and Amazon expert for UP&E. Is the leading authority on key category, departmental, and corporate strategies for internal teams.
• Monitors, observes, researches, reports, and recommends action plans to address dynamic business shifts including sales trends, corporate and departmental strategies, the competitive landscape, and categorical changes. Keeps up to date on organizational structure shifts and buyer changes at retailers and communicates those to internal and external partners in a timely manner.
• Owns and drives kick-offs with internal teams and partners outlining IP prioritization, asset and product development needs driven by both Category strategies and retail-led opportunities.
• Drives each merchant meeting agenda, presentation, and delivers timely recaps for both internal and external partners.
• Develops strong relationships with licensees retail account teams to support the sell-in of Client IP; Regularly reviews performance of existing licensees and makes recommendations to Category based on buyer feedback, first-hand experience, and program opportunities.
• Meets with licensees in partnership with Category often and proactively maintains and publishes agendas, key takeaways/notes, and outlines next steps.
• Proactively tracks and prioritizes product placement for marketing program development and communicates all meeting dates.
• Has an entrepreneurial spirit and thinks about new ways to work or drive new processes, go to market, and thinks big from ideation through to execution.
• Can handle a wide range of tasks or situations, demonstrating a broad skillset and the ability to switch between different roles or activities that show that they are versatile, adaptable, or resilient.
• Monitors travel and entertainment budget within the company budget and files all expense reports in a timely manner.
• Must be willing and able to travel, sometimes on short notice.

• Bachelor s degree required.
• 10+ years of National Account sales experience in Toys-Hardlines-Food-Beverage. Target and/or Amazon experience preferred.
• Strong skill set:

• Solution-based selling
• Relationship building, influencing
• Presentation skills and comfortable presenting to small and large groups
• Strategic planning, analytical, and project management
• eCommerce best practices
• Communication
• Retail marketing principles

• Deep knowledge of retail business including consumer products businesses, retail marketing tactics, promotional partnerships/packaged goods partners and home entertainment.
• Desire to collaborate and communicate consistently and effectively with supervisor, UP&E colleagues, and cross-divisional stakeholders.

• eCommerce experience.
• Demonstrates ability to excel in a fast-paced environment
• Highly adaptable and resourceful; proactive versus reactive
• Open to additional projects or account responsibility.

• Owner and driver of the business
• Entrepreneurial
• Innovator
• Creative thinker
• Communicator
• Collaborative partner
• Proactive and Resourceful
• Personable, outgoing, and positive personality
• Flexible and adaptable
• Understands the Target and Amazon businesses