05th March, 2026
Our retail client in Buffalo, NY, is seeking a Director of Sales & Customer Experience to join their team!
This is an onsite/full-time/direct-hire position
Salary range based on experience: $100k-$110k
This role partners closely with Marketing and the Owner/President to align sales execution with brand initiatives—particularly during a major brand modernization and growth phase. The Director will oversee brick-and-mortar sales representatives, coverage of major and e-commerce accounts, specialty accounts, and a customer service department with dedicated managers. This leader will bring structure, clarity, and modern processes to the department, with a strong focus on data-driven decision-making, retailer success, and exceptional account experience.
The Director will establish and manage performance KPIs across the organization while maintaining regular engagement with key retail partners to ensure strong relationships and continued program growth. This leader must be comfortable holding teams accountable, implementing measurable performance standards, and driving consistent improvement in both sales execution and customer experience.
Strategic Leadership Opportunity
The Director of Sales & Customer Experience will have the opportunity to build and modernize systems, improve performance structures, and help guide the company through a major brand and growth phase. This role works directly with the Owner/President and senior leadership to implement initiatives that strengthen retailer partnerships, increase sales productivity, and elevate the overall customer experience.
Candidates who are excited about building systems, leading teams, and driving measurable growth within a respected heritage brand will find significant opportunity to make a lasting impact.
Roles & Responsibilities
Sales Leadership & Strategy
- Lead sales organization across U.S. brick-and-mortar accounts, major accounts, ecommerce partners, and specialty accounts
- Establish clear sales priorities, goals, and execution plans aligned with company growth objectives
- Analyze performance data and trends to develop strategies that increase retailer engagement, reorder frequency, and charm program success
- Identify opportunities for new account growth, program expansion, and territory development
- Provide actionable recommendations to the Owner/President and bring forward key situations that require leadership support to resolve or close
Customer & Retailer Engagement - Maintain direct relationships with key retail partners
- Regularly meet with customers to understand business needs, gather feedback, and strengthen partnerships
- Travel occasionally to key accounts, trade shows, and industry events
- Work directly with customers on:
- merchandising strategy
- program development
- display optimization
- sales growth opportunities
- Ensure retailer feedback and field insights are consistently shared internally with Marketing, Product, and Leadership
Customer Service & Account Experience - Lead and oversee the Customer Service department to ensure consistent service standards and exceptional account experience
- Ensure phone calls, emails, and customer interactions are handled professionally and proactively
- Monitor communications for negative sentiment, recurring issues, or growth opportunities
- Ensure concerns and problems are addressed quickly and resolved professionally
- Work with Customer Service Managers to improve workflows, accuracy, response times, and service quality
- Build a culture focused on account partnership, responsiveness, and long-term retailer success
Cross-Functional Collaboration - Partner closely with Marketing to align sales priorities with marketing initiatives, promotions, messaging, and the company's brand modernization efforts
- Ensure retailer feedback and field insights are shared consistently with Marketing and leadership
- Collaborate with leadership on assortment strategy, program development, and sales initiatives that match retailer and consumer demand
Team Development & Coaching - Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing team across sales and customer service
- Drive accountability through regular performance reviews, training, and improvement plans
- Establish clear expectations for activity, results, and customer engagement
- Foster an environment where team members grow in skill, confidence, and ownership
- The sales team includes one e-commerce and major accounts manager and three brick-and-mortar account managers.
- The customer service team includes three customer service representatives, three senior customer service representatives, and managers.
Performance Management & KPIs - Establish clear Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) across sales and customer service teams
- Track and manage KPIs, including:
- outbound sales activity
- account engagement
- new account growth
- reorder frequency
- program placements
- account retention
- customer service response times
- customer satisfaction
- Build and maintain reporting dashboards that allow leadership to monitor performance and identify opportunities
- Hold team members accountable to KPIs through weekly check-ins, monthly reviews, and performance management
- Regularly review performance data and adjust strategies to improve results
Compensation & Incentive Structure - Evaluate the current sales team's salary and commission structure
- Develop and present proposed compensation and commission structures designed to reward effort, growth, and account development
- Recommend improvements to ensure incentives align with company objectives, including:
- sales growth
- account retention
- new account development
- program placement and expansion
- Provide recommendations for company-wide or leadership-level incentive programs tied to company performance
Process, Systems & Documentation - Bring sales processes and internal knowledge to a current state, replacing outdated and fragmented documentation (including legacy OneNote references)
- Improve operational consistency across the team through clear SOPs, documentation, and playbooks
- Maintain disciplined CRM usage and reporting within Microsoft Dynamics (CRM/ERP)
- Improve reporting and analytics used to measure sales performance and account engagement
Sales & Customer Service Team Structure This role will lead a team including:
- 3 Brick & Mortar Sales Representatives
- 1 Majors & Ecommerce Representative
- 1 Specialty Account Representative
- 4 Customer Service Representatives
- 2 Customer Service Managers
Qualifications - 7+ years of sales leadership experience, preferably in B2B wholesale or retail environments
- Proven ability to lead teams, build structure, and drive performance through clear goals and accountability
- Strong analytical mindset with the ability to translate data into strategy and action
- Experience managing both sales teams and customer service organizations
- Strong organizational skills with a focus on process improvement and operational execution
- Comfort operating in a hands-on leadership role while an organization modernizes and scales
- Excellent communication skills with the ability to lead through clarity, consistency, and trust
- Experience with CRM systems required; Microsoft Dynamics strongly preferred
- Jewelry industry experience is a plus, as is experience in adjacent categories (fashion, gift, accessories, consumer goods, collectibles)
Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.
We are an equal-opportunity employer. We do not discriminate in hiring or employment against any individual based on race, color, gender, national origin, ancestry, religion, physical or mental disability, age, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, pregnancy, citizenship, or any other factor protected by anti-discrimination laws.
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