Sales Director

Reporting to executive leadership, the Sales Director will be responsible for developing and executing national and international sales strategies to drive revenue growth and expand the company’s presence in the collectibles and toy industry. This role will oversee key retail relationships, lead forecasting and budgeting initiatives, and collaborate cross-functionally with product development, licensing, and marketing teams. The Sales Director will also build and mentor a high-performing sales team while ensuring strong market positioning across major retailers and specialty collectible channels.

Responsibilities:

• Build and maintain senior-level relationships with major retailers (e.g., Walmart, Target) and specialty collectible shops to secure optimal product placement and assortment.
• Own sales forecasting and budgeting processes, tracking business performance and adjusting strategies based on material costs and market trends.
• Partner closely with product development, licensing, and marketing teams to ensure product lines align with market demand and retail opportunities.
• Lead, hire, and mentor a high-performing sales team while establishing clear performance benchmarks and quotas.
• Monitor retail calendars, competitive activity, and emerging trends within the toy and collectibles space.
• Identify opportunities to grow distribution, strengthen retailer partnerships, and expand the company’s overall market footprint.
• Represent the company at key industry trade shows and retail meetings to drive brand visibility and sales growth.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field
• Minimum of ten (10) years of progressive sales leadership experience, preferably within the toy, collectibles, entertainment, or consumer products industries
• Proven experience managing major retail accounts and building long-term customer relationships
• Strong financial and analytical skills with experience in sales forecasting, budgeting, and performance tracking
• Demonstrated leadership experience building and managing high-performing sales teams
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel and business reporting tools, with the ability to analyze sales data, forecasts, and retail performance metrics
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills with the ability to work cross-functionally across departments
• Deep knowledge of the toy and collectibles industry, including retail calendars, key selling cycles, and emerging collectibles subsectors (e.g., urban vinyl, action figures)
• Willingness to travel frequently for trade shows, retailer meetings, and regional site visits

Ad Populum Offers:

• Opportunity to shape the future of a growing company
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Opportunities for professional growth and development
• Collaborative and supportive work environment

The salary on offer for this hybrid position based out of Hillside, NJ will be $150,000 per year.

Ad Populum LLC is an equal opportunity employer. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identify, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, age, marital status, military or veteran status, medical condition, genetic information or disability, or any other basis prohibited by federal, state or local law.

ABOUT AD POPULUM: Ad Populum aligns corporate strategy and fosters growth across its diverse portfolio of legendary brands, including: NECA, the industry leader in pop culture action figures and collectibles, Rubies, the #1 costumes company in the world, Enesco, known for Department 56, a top purveyor of holiday décor, Kidrobot, a globally recognized, premier creator of limited edition art toys, plush and lifestyle accessories, WizKids, a top producer of miniatures and award winning table top games worldwide, JEI, the creators of American icons such as the Chia Pet and Clapper, ExKaliber, an esteemed collective of Amazon brands that ranks among the top 150 Amazon sellers globally, Graceland, Rock n Roll’s top destination and #1 music attraction in the world, Smiffys, a leading global innovator in fancy dress, Halloween and Carnival manufacturing since 1894, and Party City, the global leader in the celebrations industry helping tens of millions of people create unforgettable memories.

NECA, LLC. is known as National Entertainment Collectibles Association, one of the leading manufacturers for licensed merchandise. Since the inception of its toy division in 2002, NECA became synonymous with the horror genre, releasing some of the most sought-after collectibles for slasher icons such as Michael Myers, Jason Voorhees, and Freddy Krueger, while shining a light on niche characters like Sam from Trick-r-Treat. In the years since, NECA has also become a staple collectible manufacturer for the Alien & Predator franchises, and more recently, the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!