Director, Branded Merchandise

The Role: A \"Design-to-Delivery\" Architect We are seeking a strategic, high-energy, and hands‑on Director of Branded Merchandise to lead and evolve our promotional products division. This role is responsible for the full lifecycle of branded goods, from the “creative soul” of product curation to the “logistical spine” of supply chain management, while also helping transform the department into a more proactive, insight‑driven strategic partner for clients. This is not a “desk‑only” administrative role. Because our department thrives on complex client campaigns, enterprise‑level relationships, and high‑end retail trends, success in this position requires a leader who is deeply involved in both the day‑to‑day workflow and the bigger‑picture evolution of the business. You aren’t just managing a team; you are observing the market, identifying vendor opportunities, helping modernize operational workflows, and working side‑by‑side with Account Managers to elevate the client experience and drive long‑term account growth. You will lead a dedicated team of 5, serving as the bridge between creative vision, operational excellence, and flawless execution. Success in this role also requires building the operational structure, strategic mindset, and proactive client service model needed to continue scaling and strengthening long‑term enterprise client relationships. A Day in the Life In this role, the morning inbox takes a backseat to the “Team Huddle.” You’ll spend your early hours troubleshooting production snags, helping prioritize workloads, and empowering your Account Managers to deliver “wow” moments for clients. This position requires a rare hybrid of high‑level strategic thinking and in‑the‑trenches execution. You are just as likely to be found architecting departmental workflows and account growth strategies as you are hunting for the perfect innovative product that defines a company store or solves a client challenge in a more thoughtful way. You aren’t a middleman; you are a curator and strategic partner who understands that a brand’s identity is built through details, experience, storytelling, and execution. You are equally comfortable presenting KPIs and operational recommendations to the executive team as you are coaching an Account Manager through stronger discovery questions, reviewing timelines, refining workflows, or helping a client think beyond “just another branded item.” Success in this role requires balancing operational excellence with forward‑thinking client leadership, ensuring the team has the structure, tools, strategic mindset, and capacity to proactively grow accounts instead of simply managing orders. Core Responsibilities Operational Leadership Manage and mentor a 5‑person team overseeing production coordinators and account managers. Build a culture of accountability, collaboration, proactive thinking, and continuous learning. Help evolve the team from a primarily execution‑focused model into a more consultative, strategically minded client partner organization. Lead hiring, onboarding, training, performance management, and team development efforts while creating operational structure and consistency across the department. Strategic Account Growth + Client Leadership Partner closely with Sales, Account Management, Production, and Leadership teams to elevate client relationships beyond transactional order fulfillment. Help teams uncover growth opportunities through: stronger discovery and intake conversations more thoughtful recommendation development improved client communication trend‑forward idea generation stronger understanding of client goals, audience personas, event objectives, and ROI Support retention and expansion of key enterprise accounts through white‑glove service, proactive communication, operational excellence, and innovative thinking. Operational Systems + Workflow Optimization Serve as the NetSuite “Power User” for the department while helping evaluate and improve broader project management workflows, operational visibility, and cross‑functional communication processes. Create scalable operational systems that improve: project visibility accountability timeline management workflow consistency proactive client service communication between sales, account management, production, fulfillment, and warehouse teams Lead ongoing updates and optimization efforts across NetSuite, Sage, Canva, company store platforms, SOPs, and internal workflow documentation. Complex Production + Account Management Personally lead production and strategic oversight on high‑stakes, complex, or enterprise‑level client programs. Act as the escalation point and problem solver for difficult orders, logistics challenges, damaged goods issues, complex decorating questions, or operational risks. Ensure projects are executed with a high‑touch, white‑glove level of service and attention to detail. Merchandising + Store Strategy Own the “Company Store” lifecycle. Determine the best e‑commerce platforms, curate product assortments that feel elevated and trend‑aware, and manage ongoing product refreshes to keep stores engaging and aligned with client brands. Move beyond transactional “promo products” by helping create more ownable, retail‑inspired branded merchandise experiences. Actively manage and expand vendor relationships, negotiate program pricing to improve margins, and collaborate with teams to standardize sourcing strategies where appropriate. Attend trade shows, vendor showcases, webinars, and industry events to stay ahead of: retail behavior decoration innovation experiential gifting trends premium packaging and unboxing experiences Bring those insights back into the organization through internal inspiration sessions, vendor presentations, trend reporting, and team education. Financial + Strategic Oversight Conduct forecasting, budgeting, margin reviews, and operational planning to support departmental growth goals and profitability targets. Help identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, strengthen margins, and grow existing client relationships through more strategic account development and proactive merchandising recommendations. Experience and Skills 5-10 years of leadership experience in branded merchandise, promotional products, experiential gifting Proven success managing high‑volume branded merchandise operations and enterprise‑level client relationships Demonstrated ability to lead operational change, improve workflows, and build scalable processes while maintaining high‑touch client service Strong consultative and strategic client leadership skills with the ability to guide teams beyond transactional product sourcing into more insight‑driven recommendation selling Deep understanding of decoration methods, branded merchandise production, fulfillment, warehousing, and premium unboxing experiences Advanced experience with ERP systems (NetSuite strongly preferred) and industry tools such as Sage/ESP Experience managing e‑commerce/company store platforms including Shopify, OMG, and custom ordering systems Strong understanding of audience behavior, retail trends, merchandising strategy, and consumer‑driven product curation Ability to balance operational discipline with creative problem‑solving and proactive client leadership Excellent communication, leadership, organizational, and cross‑functional collaboration skills In exchange, we offer… A steady, fast‑paced work environment with a close‑knit, collaborative culture. Competitive salary commensurate with experience. Comprehensive benefits package including Health Insurance and a 401K plan. Paid holidays, vacation, and personal time (available after 120 days). #J-18808-Ljbffr CI-Group