The Accounts Manager - Wholesale, owns a portfolio of national and regional retail accounts, serving as the primary business partner between Build-A-Bear and the buyers, planners, and executives who bring our brand to their shelves and customers. This role thinks like a merchant - understanding your accounts' strategies, consumers, and competitive pressures and creates joint business plans that create mutual value. The Accounts Manager - Wholesale will impact the brand as we expand our wholesale footprint.
Responsibilities:- Own day-to-day and strategic relationships with a portfolio of wholesale retail accounts, including national mass, specialty, and mid-tier retailers
- Build and execute joint business plans that deliver revenue growth while protecting brand positioning and assortment integrity
- Lead seasonal line reviews, forecasting conversations, and executive business reviews with buyer and merchant leadership
- Identify growth opportunities through new doors, expanded assortment, or promotional programming - with an eye toward the right fit, not just volume
- Partner internally with merchandising, visual merchandising, marketing, supply chain, and finance to deliver on commitments and resolve issues proactively
- Accurately forecast account-level demand and maintain a clear view of account health and pipeline
- Conduct weekly sell-through analysis by-account, by-style ad by-door; develop and implement immediate action plans to optimize inventory and sales performance
- Additional responsibilities as the wholesale function continues to grow
Required Qualifications:- Bachelor's degree
- 5+ years of wholesale or national account management experience in consumer products, toys, licensed goods, or a related category
- Proven history managing retail accounts in a variety of channels from mass to independents, while driving wholesale revenue growth
- High proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Power BI
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills
- Exceptional time management skills with a proven ability to balance long-term account growth with immediate operational demands
Behavioral Traits for Success:- Confident, assertive leader who takes ownership and drives results
- Highly persuasive and socially skilled; influences others to action
- Energized by leading teams, building momentum, and setting direction
- Comfortable making decisions in fast-paced, dynamic environments
- Motivates and engages others through effective communication and presence
- Results-focused with a bias toward action and progress
- Adaptable and resilient; thrives in change and ambiguity
- Balances authority with approachability to rally teams toward shared goals
Working Environment:- Typical office environment with climate control and sufficient lighting, ergonomic desk/chairs
- Corporate Office located St. Louis, MO
- Some travel required
Your Performance Will Be Measured On:Your performance will be measured by your ability to achieve annual department objectives and corporate goals which include but are not limited to the following:
- Decision-making, judgment, and execution
- Clear and thorough communication, both spoken and written, with internal and external parties
- Timeliness and follow-up
- Problem solving and removing obstacles
- Planning and organization
- Building strong relationships with cross-functional team members and wholesale account contacts
- Tenacity and commitment to tasks
- Internal and external stakeholder feedback
