Director of Run Specialty

Summary /Objective

The Director of Run Specialty is responsible for leading the sales strategy, business development, and brand representation of the TYR Run category, with a primary focus on footwear. This role oversees sales performance and account growth across multiple channels, including Wholesale, Run Specialty, and European markets.

The Director will cultivate strong relationships with key internal and external partners, ensuring alignment between brand objectives, market opportunities, and consumer demand. By leveraging industry insights, customer trends, and strategic planning, this position will drive sustainable revenue growth, expand market share, and strengthen TYR’s presence within the run specialty marketplace while maintaining profitability and brand integrity.

Position Responsibilities and Accountabilities:

• Manage and direct the selling of the TYR brand in the wholesale sales channels within the U.S market
• Manage hiring, training, and productivity of Run Specialty / Sport Specialty sales reps.
• Oversee TYR’s EU footwear sales in the CrossFit channel.
• Proactive account management: Continual sales analysis to manage product life cycles, inventory models, and rates of sale.
• Identify opportunities to improve existing business, attack new business opportunities, and quickly address business challenges with well-thought-out solutions.
• Work in close partnership with the internal TYR Cross-Functional Teams: Account Service, Marketing, Merchandising, Planning, Sales Operations, Accounting & Credit to provide the highest level of service and product expertise from sell-in to sell-thru.
• Coordinate, prepare, and execute seasonal product sell-in presentations. Strong, strategic negotiation and presentation skills; developing and using effective strategies to persuade and gain retailer support.
• Drive Best-In-Class experience with TYR business and the retailer, partnering to maximize strong assortments for both brick and mortar as well as digital.
• Formalized sales reporting and analysis of all retailer metrics, trends, insights-sales, inventory, gross margin, and customer data, via vendor wholesale portals and reports.
• Knowledge and discipline to adhere to distribution guidelines.
• Build exceptionally strong relationships and communication with retail partners.
• Partner with other TYR channels and product category leads to maximize Brand presentation and growth with key retailers across categories.
• Monitor competitors’ activities and performance; implement strategies and tactics to compete.
• Showroom product set up, maintenance, and assisting in processing retailer product sample requests/shipments.
• Duties are subject to change as the business evolves. Special projects as needed.
• Market travel at least 1x per month to stay informed of trends and account opportunities.
• Domestic Travel up to 50%, and travel to Europe occasionally.

Qualifications and Competencies:

• 8 years of sales and/or sales leadership with Key Accounts, and/or Specialty channels with direct leadership of an extended sales team.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to build lasting professional relationships.
• Communication skills (both oral and written) and the ability to effectively communicate at all levels of the organization.
• Inquisitive and curious to ask thought-provoking questions that develop an understanding of business needs and opportunities.
• Strong presentation skills to influence, command attention, storytelling, and close the sale.
• Demonstrate strong initiative, high energy, curiosity, and a strategic mindset. Be detail-oriented with the ability to prioritize and provide complete follow-through on all responsibilities and KPIs.
• Must have a sense of urgency to analyze a high volume of data/activity to meet tight deadlines.
• Possesses strong analytical skills and working knowledge of retail math financial metrics: sales, inventory, turn, gross margin, open-to-buy, and order book management.
• Working and continued knowledge of national trends and the competitive landscape.
• Computer proficiency in MS Office: Excel, PowerPoint, Word as well as experience using BI tools.
• Travel to account, pertinent markets, regional/national sales meetings, and corporate offices.