Sales Director - International Markets

Our mission

Our client is a trailblazing team with a universal mission:

to create out-of-this world products that make people feel inspired and happy inside.

And guess what? That makes us happy, too.

Our client moves faster than the speed of light to produce products that matter.

For tiny tots to the young at heart, we love nothing more than delivering groundbreakingly

awesome toys, craft, books and stationery for everyone, everywhere.

The sky’s not the limit. Be extraordinary.

Join our client – inspiring the stars of today and tomorrow

to explore, play, imagine and create.

Location

Düsseldorf and Surroundings

Purpose of the Role

Our client is seeking a seasoned and results-driven International Sales Director to manage existing relationships with Aldi International and Tedi along with leading our efforts in expanding our presence in Europe in the toy, arts & crafts and stationery sectors.

Main responsibilities

• Develop and execute a comprehensive market penetration strategy to establish and expand our brand presence within major retail chains such as Aldi International, Pepco and Tedi

• Cultivate and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers and stakeholders within target retail chains, ensuring our products receive optimal shelf space and visibility.

• Recruit, train, and manage a high-performing sales team, initially focusing on establishing a satellite office and gradually expanding the team to effectively cover the target markets.

• Oversee the negotiation and management of contracts and agreements with retail partners, ensuring mutually beneficial terms and maximizing sales opportunities.

• Stay abreast of market trends, competitor activities, and consumer preferences within the target markets, providing strategic insights to inform product development and marketing strategies.

• Collaborate closely with internal teams, including Marketing, Product Development, and Operations, to ensure alignment of sales strategies with overall business objectives and facilitate seamless execution.

• Establish key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics to track sales performance, regularly reporting on progress towards targets and identifying areas for optimization and improvement.

Skills & Experience

• Proven track record of success in international sales leadership roles, preferably within the Toys, Arts & Crafts, Stationery or Books industry.

• Extensive experience working with key retail chains such as Aldi International, Pepco, or Tedi, with a deep understanding of their operational dynamics and purchasing processes.

• Strong leadership and team-building skills, with the ability to recruit, motivate, and develop a high-performing sales team.

• Excellent negotiation, communication, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.

• Strategic thinker with a results-oriented mindset, capable of developing and executing complex sales strategies to drive business growth.

• Fluency in English and German (additional languages such as Dutch or Austrian German are a plus).

• Willingness to travel frequently within the target markets.

• Confidence and a good communicator

• Initiative, honesty and integrity

• Positive can-do attitude within a fast-changing environment

• A Team Player

Our clients value

‘Simply the Best’

The Best in the Market - be innovative and create fantastic quality products at amazing prices. The end result – products that sell fast

‘It’s got to be Perfect’

Passion for perfection - be responsive and proactive with excellent customer communication throughout – deliver on time, every time

‘We are Family’

Team Spirit, working together as one – be knowledgeable and share your experience across all teams - Work together and be kind, always

‘Don’t stop me now’

Keep ahead of the game – keep ahead of the competition, keep gaining market share – Keep on innovating

‘Ain’t no mountain high enough’

Believe that anything is possible – let nothing stand in our way by staying solution focussed and by supporting each other to achieve our goals

Our clients value is very important to them, and we encourage everyone that works for them to live by these and demonstrate them on a daily basis.