National Sales Manager: KOBO Candles

About the Hiring Process

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About Us

The Merz Family of Businesses includes 151-year old retail brick & mortar business Merz Apothecary, online store Smallflower.com, a sizable Amazon channel, and KOBO Candles - a home fragrance manufacturing operation.

KOBO Candles is a Chicago-based home fragrance brand known for distinctive design, quality craftsmanship, and a thoughtful approach to scent. Sold through independent gift retailers, specialty stores, and expanding national retail partnerships, KOBO is at an exciting stage of growth as it scales from a niche artisan brand to a recognized national name. Because we manufacture our own products, we maintain close control over quality, innovation, and execution.

What We Offer

• Annual bonus opportunity tied to revenue targets and key account milestones
• Great benefits (health, dental, vision)
• 401K Profit Sharing Plan
• Employee bonus (incentive plan)
• Employee discount
• Paid time off

The benefits provided by Merz are worth greater than $7000 annually.

Why We Are Different

• We are family-owned and operated.
• We live by our core values.
• Gracious service is the soul of the Merz experience, starting with customers and extending to the way we work with each other.
• We are one of the oldest businesses in Chicago and in the nation, and have served many generations of customers locally and across the country.
• We speak multiple languages fluently and come from all different backgrounds and life experiences.

About the Position

KOBO Candles is seeking a strategic, entrepreneurial National Sales Manager to lead wholesale growth across the United States. This is a pivotal role for the business and an opportunity to build the systems, relationships, and commercial discipline that will support KOBO's next phase of growth.

This role is ideal for a self-directed sales leader who combines strong relationship-building skills with operational follow-through. You will oversee independent rep groups and showroom relationships, drive key account development, shape the annual sales and promotional calendar, and partner cross-functionally with operations, production, and marketing to translate strategy into results.

The position may be based in Chicago or remote for the right candidate, with regular travel required. Chicago-area candidates who can work in person periodically are preferred. Travel is expected to be approximately 25-35% and includes trade shows, rep visits, and key account meetings.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Rep Group and Territory Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for KOBO's rep groups and independent sales representatives across U.S. territories.
• Conduct regular sales and planning calls with reps to review performance, set goals, identify opportunities, and address underperforming markets.
• Use sales data and territory mapping to evaluate coverage, spot whitespace, and recommend rep recruitment, retention, or territory changes as needed.
• Lead rep onboarding and training so partners are equipped to communicate KOBO's product story, pricing, positioning, and seasonal newness effectively.
• Maintain strong rep engagement through clear communication, accountability, incentive programs, and practical sales support tools.

Key Account and National Retail Management

• Own the commercial relationship with key national or regional accounts, serving as KOBO's primary sales contact.
• Manage distributor and retailer compliance requirements, including routing guides, promotional calendars, labeling expectations, merchandising coordination, and sell-in support.
• Develop and execute account-specific sales plans, launch strategies, and promotional programs that support both revenue and brand positioning.
• Identify and pursue new national and regional retail opportunities to expand KOBO's distribution footprint.

Trade Show, Showroom, and Promotional Planning

• Lead planning, preparation, and execution for major trade shows and markets, including Atlanta, Dallas, and Las Vegas.
• Manage showroom relationships, participation agreements, and brand presentation to ensure KOBO is represented in a way that reflects its premium positioning.
• Build and maintain a 12-month sales and promotional calendar aligned to seasonal launches, trade shows, rep training, and retailer buying cycles.
• Coordinate samples, catalogs, sell sheets, booth assets, and post-show follow-up to convert leads and support order capture.

Sales Operations and Cross-Functional Coordination

• Develop annual sales plans, budgets, forecasts, and key performance indicators; report on performance against targets on a monthly and quarterly basis.
• Collaborate closely with operations and production to align sales commitments with manufacturing capacity, inventory availability, and launch timing.
• Partner with marketing and creative teams to develop retail-ready catalogs, digital asset libraries, rep tools, and training materials.
• Provide input on product development, channel strategy, pricing, and assortment decisions based on customer feedback, sell-through, and market trends.

What We're Looking For

• 5-10 years of progressive sales experience in home fragrance, candles, gift, home decor, beauty/personal care, or a related consumer products category
• Demonstrated experience managing independent sales rep groups or multi-territory rep networks
• Strong key account management experience; natural/specialty grocery or large retail experience strongly preferred
• Track record of helping scale a brand from a smaller niche presence to broader national distribution
• Familiarity with the wholesale gift market trade show circuit and the seasonal rhythms of wholesale buying
• Strong negotiation, contract management, and relationship-building skills
• Experience working with CRM and ERP systems; NetSuite experience is a plus
• Excellent communication, organization, and follow-through in a fast-moving environment
• Comfort operating with autonomy and building processes from scratch in a growing business

Competencies

• Entrepreneurial and self-directed, with the judgment to prioritize effectively without close supervision
• A persuasive communicator who can build trust with reps, buyers, distributors, and internal teams
• Highly organized and detail-oriented, with the discipline to keep multiple workstreams moving at once
• A systems builder who creates calendars, tools, and routines that make selling easier and more consistent
• Data-informed and accountability-driven, using numbers and market feedback to guide decisions
• Collaborative, adaptable, and energized by helping a growing brand scale thoughtfully

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change or expand at any time with or without notice.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This position is full-time, salaried, and roughly 40 hours per week. Core work is generally Monday through Friday, with flexibility required for trade shows, travel, customer meetings, and occasional evening or weekend business needs.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Merz Apothecary, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.