Senior Account Executive

Senior Account Executive, Full-Price Footwear

Ground Up is looking for a Senior Account Executive to own and grow our full-price business. This role is responsible for the full-price account base end to end — driving revenue, protecting profitability, and expanding our footprint with accounts such as Kohl's, JCP, DSW, Shoe Show, Rack Room, Famous Footwear, Macy's, Nordstrom, Bloomingdales, etc. This is not an off-price role; the ideal candidate has built their career selling into and managing full-price retail relationships.

The Senior Account Executive will own the P&L for their accounts from the bottom up, lead line planning and margin management, and partner cross-functionally with product development, design, marketing, production, and licensing to execute against account strategy. Success in this role means driving revenue, opening new business, and identifying white space across the full-price market.

About Ground Up

Ground Up is a premier footwear manufacturer retaining an integrated portfolio of licensed and owned brands and has grown to be a leading supplier. The company's unique capability to design and translate fashion trends offers a fresh perspective on licensed footwear.

Ground Up was created with the vision of fulfilling the need for fun, innovative products for the true brand enthusiast. As our product entered the market, we found consumers wanting to express themselves and their fandom in new, creative ways. Consumers connect with us through our brand partnerships, giving them brands they love with a brand they now trust. Ground Up has become a recognizable brand for the whole family that stands for elevated fashion and fun.

We aspire to have our teams embody our core values of:

• Service
• People
• Teamwork
• Opportunity
• Results
• Innovation
• Trust

Key Responsibilities

Account Ownership & Profitability

• Own the full-price account base end to end, managing the business and its profitability from the bottom up.
• Build line plans, manage margins, and drive retail math discipline across every account.
• Partner with production and licensing teams to ensure profitable, on-time execution.

Business Development

• Drive revenue growth across the existing full-price account portfolio.
• Open new business and onboard new full-price accounts.
• Identify and open new categories within existing and prospective accounts.
• Find and pursue white space opportunities across the full-price market.

Buyer & Retailer Relationships

• Drive the business directly with buyers, using those relationships to unlock growth.

Cross-Functional Execution & Strategy

• Collaborate with product development, design, and marketing to bring account strategy to life.
• Think strategically about account and category growth, bringing forward-looking recommendations to leadership.
• Travel as needed to support account relationships and business reviews.

Minimum Qualifications

• 5–8 years of experience in footwear, wholesale, or retail; footwear experience is required
• Proven experience managing full-price accounts and acquiring new business in the full-price market — e.g. Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Macy's, Kohl's, JCP, DSW, Shoe Show, Rack Room, Famous Footwear, etc. Off-price experience alone does not meet this requirement.
• Strong retail math skills.
• Established relationships with buyers
• Licensing experience.
• Strong Excel skills; experience with BI tools and AI tools.
• Ability to travel as needed.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or related field preferred.

GUP Perks

• Medical, Dental, Vision, 401k plan & access to employee recognition programs.
• Paid vacation, holidays, Eternal Summer Fridays, birthdays off & more!
• Friendly, fun, creative & collaborative work environment.
• Ground Up International is an equal opportunity employer.