Account Executive

Job Description
POSITION TITLE: Account Executive, Footwear

Job Description
POSITION TITLE: Account Executive, Footwear
Position Summary
GUESS Canada is seeking an experienced, results-driven Account Executive to grow its Canadian wholesale footwear business.
The ideal candidate is a well-connected footwear professional with established relationships with Canadian retail buyers, strong market knowledge, and a proven ability to develop new business.
The role combines wholesale sales, account development, merchandising, and product development in collaboration with our footwear licensee partner. A key responsibility will be expanding the off-price business through account-specific product development, particularly with Winners.

Key Responsibilities

2. Off-Price Business – Winners

3. Licensee Collaboration, Merchandising & Pricing

4. Account Planning & Order Coordination

• Sales & Business Development
• Grow GUESS footwear sales across Canada by strengthening existing accounts and developing new business opportunities.
• Leverage established buyer relationships to expand distribution across footwear chains, department stores, major retailers, and specialty stores.
• Present seasonal collections, recommend customer-specific assortments, and negotiate pricing and sales commitments in collaboration with the Director of Wholesale.
• Attend seasonal markets and industry events, including FFANY in New York, to develop customer relationships and identify opportunities.
• Monitor competitive brands, retail trends, and market developments to support business growth.
• Oversee the Canadian footwear assortment and ongoing business activities with Amazon.
• Work closely with the Winners Buying team to grow the GUESS footwear business and identify new product opportunities.
• Collaborate directly with our footwear licensee to develop exclusive or adapted styles tailored to Winners' assortment needs, target retail prices, and customer preferences.
• Participate in product selection, design adjustments, materials, and costing to achieve competitive pricing while maintaining GUESS brand standards.
• Coordinate product development, sample approvals, order confirmations, and deliveries.
• Analyze sales performance and stock opportunities to recommend future assortments and increase business volume.
• Work closely with our footwear licensee on seasonal collections, product development, costing, and production timelines.
• Develop a thorough understanding of the licensee's operating procedures, seasonal calendars, and ordering processes.
• Recommend assortments and account-specific products based on Canadian market trends, retailer needs, and historical sales.
• Negotiate product costs in collaboration with the Director of Wholesale to ensure competitive pricing and profitability.
• Collaborate with the GUESS Canada retail team to maintain consistent pricing strategies across retail and wholesale channels.
• Participate in seasonal product reviews to evaluate performance and identify opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborate with Planning on seasonal sales forecasts, inventory projections, purchasing commitments, and stock opportunities.
• Monitor inventory availability, purchase orders, and shipment schedules to support timely customer deliveries.
• Coordinate with internal Planning, Customer Service, and Logistics teams to ensure accurate order processing and fulfillment.
• Provide necessary product information for SKU setup in internal systems.
• Enter and maintain purchase orders in the licensee's ordering system and confirm seasonal commitments.

Qualifications & Job Requirements

Education & Experience

• Marketing, Fashion Merchandising, or a related field preferred, or equivalent industry experience.
• Minimum 5 years of experience in wholesale sales, preferably within the footwear or fashion industry.
• Established relationships with Canadian footwear buyers, major retail chains, and off-price retailers.
• Experience working with footwear manufacturers or licensee partners on product selection, development, and costing.
• Experience with off-price retailers, particularly Winners, is a strong asset.

Skills & Competencies

• Knowledge of the Canadian footwear market, retail landscape, and competitive brands.
• Solid understanding of merchandising, assortment planning, pricing strategies, margins, and inventory planning.
• Excellent negotiation, communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
• Strong analytical abilities, including interpreting sales reports, identifying trends, and evaluating product performance.