What are the responsibilities and job description for the General Manager, Designer Trade position at James & James?
General Manager, Designer Trade
James & James is seeking a results-driven General Manager, Designer Trade to lead the growth and strategic engagement of our interior designer customer segment. This pivotal role will be responsible for expanding our market share among U.S. interior designers, increasing designer-related revenue from 15% to 40% of total company revenue, and positioning James & James as the premier source for U.S.-made, solid hardwood, custom dining solutions.
The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of the design industry, with the ability to build strong relationships, influence marketing strategy, and lead designer-focused initiatives that enhance our presence and revenue in the trade segment.
What You’ll Be Doing:
Market Expansion & Sales Growth
o Increase sales penetration within the U.S. Interior Designer Market, achieving targeted growth in designer revenue share.
o Cultivate relationships with large-scale interior design firms in key markets such as Dallas, Houston, Nashville, Atlanta, NWA/Little Rock, and Kansas City.
o Act as the primary sales contact for both prospective and existing designer trade clients.
Strategic Engagement & Brand Building
o Coordinate with key ASID chapters and design organizations to elevate brand awareness and drive new business.
o Conceptualize and execute local pop-up events in strategic design markets to showcase product offerings and build community engagement.
o Identify and pursue new engagement opportunities to establish James & James as a trusted designer partner.
Marketing & Brand Influence
o Collaborate with internal teams to shape and guide the marketing strategy targeting the designer trade.
o Advise marketing team on new trade-specific advertising campaigns, email communications, catalogs, look-books and other sales materials.
o Assist in the merchandising and positioning of new products for the designer community
Team Leadership & Experience Management
o Oversee and support the existing Customer Experience team dedicated to the designer trade segment and build out the team as needed to accommodate growth
o Provide leadership and guidance to ensure a high-touch, personalized service experience for trade customers.
o Work closely with production, design, and logistics teams to align customer needs with manufacturing capabilities.
Digital & Product Strategy
o Lead the optimization of a trade-specific website, ensuring user-friendly functionality and exclusive offerings for designers.
o Contribute to the product development process, offering insights on trends, pricing, and designer needs to influence product roadmap decisions.
o Leverage MarTech artech tools (e.g., CRM, automation platforms, analytics tools to track engagement, measure ROI, and optimize outreach
The Right Candidate
- Bachelor’s degree in marketing, Business, Interior Design, or related field; MBA preferred.
- 7 years of experience in business development, trade sales, or marketing within the furniture or home goods industry.
- Strong relationships or working knowledge of the U.S. interior design community.
- Proven track record of revenue growth and market penetration within trade channels.
- Proven experience as a subject matter expert in manufacturing operations and MarTech platforms.
- Experience managing marketing strategies and teams with a focus on customer experience.
- Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to travel regularly to key markets and events.
What We Offer:
- Competitive salary performance-based incentives
- Comprehensive benefits package
- A dynamic, collaborative, and creative work environment
- Opportunity to shape the future of a rapidly growing furniture brand
The ideal candidate will have experience leading a team and managing the daily operation of the business. They will be responsible for maintaining the standard of work from employees as well as onboarding and hiring new team members.
Responsibilities
- Provide leadership and direction to a team of people
- Manage operations and finances of business
- Recruit and train new hires on business practices
- Drive development of employees
- Ensure that quality of work or service is maintained
Qualifications
- Management and Customer Service experience Strong administrative skills
- Demonstrated ability to lead
- Comfort working with budgets, payroll, revenue and forecasting Strong communications skills