About the Role:
The International Distributor Account Manager owns the day-to-day commercial relationship with the distributor partners who represent OluKai, Melin, and Roark outside our directly operated markets. These distributors represent our brands in their local markets (i.e. Japan, LATAM, Australia, New Zealand, South Korea, etc).
This is a cross-brand individual contributor role that sits within Tradewind Services and is based in our Irvine, California office. You will be the commercial and operational center of gravity for an assigned book of distributor accounts: building and defending the seasonal forecast, driving prebook and at-once order flow, tracking sell-in against sell-thru, and holding partners to brand standards in every market where they carry our labels.
We are looking for someone equally comfortable in a line presentation and in a pivot table, who can hold a partner accountable to a number without damaging the relationship, and who understands that in a distributor model your partner's inventory position is your problem too.
Key responsibilities in the following areas include but are not limited to:
Distributor Account Management
- Serve as the primary day to day contact for an assigned portfolio of international distributors across all three brands
- Run the seasonal sell-in cycle end to end: line presentation, market-level assortment planning, prebook collection, order entry accuracy, and confirmation
- Manage at-once demand and in-season replenishment against available inventory, and coordinate seasonal samples, price lists, and asset delivery to partners
- Own the order book: monitor open orders, ship windows, cancellations, and backorders, and drive on-time delivery in partnership with Planning and Operations
Forecasting and Planning
- Build and maintain rolling seasonal forecasts by distributor, brand, and category, and reconcile them to the annual plan
- Partner with Planning and Production on demand signals, buy quantities, and inventory positioning for the International channel
- Track sell-in against sell-thru by partner, and flag risk to plan early with a recommended course of action rather than a report of the problem
Commercial Performance
- Own revenue, margin, and order fill targets for the assigned book of business
- Prepare and present monthly and quarterly business reviews covering performance to plan, category and product mix, sell-thru trends, open opportunities, and corrective actions
- Support pricing, terms, and margin discipline within approved guardrails, and escalate exceptions with a clear recommendation
- Partner with Credit and Finance on payment terms, credit exposure, and collections issues affecting the book
Brand and Market Stewardship
- Hold distributors to brand standards for assortment, presentation, pricing integrity, and channel distribution in their markets
- Review distributor retailer lists, marketing plans, and go to market activity against each brand's guidelines, and route brand asset requests appropriately
- Surface market intelligence (competitive activity, retail trends, product gaps, pricing pressure) back to the brand and product teams
Cross-functional Partnership
- Work daily with Planning, Production, Operations, Customer Service, Credit, and the three brand teams to keep the distributor experience seamless
- Partner with Logistics and trade compliance resources on export documentation, freight, incoterms, and country specific requirements
- Contribute the International point of view to seasonal go to market and range planning
Requirements & Qualifications:
- Four or more years in wholesale account management, international sales, or distributor management, in consumer products. Footwear, apparel, headwear, or an adjacent premium lifestyle category is strongly preferred
- Demonstrated ownership of a revenue book with personal accountability for forecast accuracy and delivery to plan
- Working command of the wholesale seasonal calendar and how prebook, at-once, sell-in, and sell-thru each move the order book
- Advanced Excel (pivot tables, lookups, large data sets) and the ability to build a forecast you can defend line by line
- Experience operating in an ERP and a BI or reporting environment, and the judgment to move from raw order data to a clear recommendation
- Clear, organized written and verbal communication with partners across time zones, languages, and business cultures
- Actively seeks out AI-enabled tools and emerging technologies, adapting quickly to leverage them for improved productivity, deeper insights, and more effective processes, while exercising sound judgment and maintaining compliance with organizational standards
- A valid passport and the ability to travel internationally
Preferred Experience
- Direct experience managing distributor relationships, as distinct from direct wholesale accounts
- Familiarity with export logistics, incoterms, customs documentation, and international trade compliance
- Professional working proficiency in a second language
- Experience with Full Circle, Domo, or comparable ERP and BI platforms
- Experience supporting more than one brand or category at a time
Location & Office Structure: This is an in-office hybrid position, mandatory 4 days per week in office in Irvine, CA with the option to work from home 1 day per week. Subject to change without notice as per company guidelines.
Compensation: The pay range for this position is $90,000 - $115,000 plus opportunity for annual bonus; salary is based on the experience that you bring to the position.
Benefits and Perks:
- Complimentary chef prepared breakfast and lunch provided Monday - Thursday
- Generous product gift program and all brand discounts
- Company bonus program
- 5 year and 10 year Milestone Anniversary travel gifts
- Medical, Dental, Vision insurance in accordance with plan guidelines
- Company paid life insurance in accordance with plan guidelines
- 401k with employer match in accordance with plan guidelines
- 15 Days of PTO accrued annually, plus one additional day of PTO every year on your anniversary, and 3 Floating Holidays per year
- Paid beach and giveback days, bi-annual team building events and other in-person celebrations
- Work with talented and great people who share a love of the ocean lifestyle
