Sales Director, Lifestyle - Merrell

Merrell exists to share the simple power of being outside with everyone. We believe the "outdoors" is a much broader space than just the mountain summit; it’s any space beyond your front door. Our mission is to help our community rethink the outdoors by building gear that works everywhere, from technical alpine ridges to urban city streets. We don't just follow the trail; we help define where it goes next.
We are a team that lives at the intersection of elite performance and modern style. Our history on the trail and commitment to innovation has made us the most awarded brand in the outdoor space. Recently, our MTL SpeedARC Peak won the prestigious ISPO Award for its breakthrough trail-racing tech, while the SpeedARC Surge BOA was named one of TIME’s Best Inventions for its modern, futuristic design and energy return. Whether it’s the Moab 3 being named “Best Hiking Shoe” by CNN Underscored and Popular Mechanics, or the Jungle Moc being recognized by HuffPicks as the gold standard for comfort, we are consistently recognized for building the most reliable, and most innovative, gear in the world.
Are you a highly motivated and results-driven individual with a passion for the outside? If so, we have an exciting opportunity to help shape and drive the future of Merrell.
For over 45 Years, Merrell has been trying to share the simple power of the being outside with everyone. As a result, we want to fuel the growth of outside participation through the creation of awesome products and amazing stories that encourages people to get outside everyday whether in the city or on the trail. To help drive this journey, we are looking for a Director of Sales, Lifestyle who will help lead this retail transformation.
The Director of Sales will lead and develop retail partnerships and distribution strategy for lifestyle, mobilizing the sales team to execute in the marketplace to maximize profitable sales. This individual’s success will be based on their ability to build winning retail partnerships, develop and drive a best-in-class team to exceed goals, and leverage data and insights to develop and execute a strategic sales plan.

Primary Duties:

• Own and lead the Lifestyle retail channels for Merrell US Wholesale, including full accountability for Key Account Managers, Account Executives, and Sales Support, delivering sustained growth and strong financial performance through disciplined new business generation and expansion of existing accounts.

• Build and drive Merrell’s sales strategy to elevate the lifestyle segment at national retailers and influential tier zero accounts.

• Own the annual sales budget and regional and key account plans, ensuring alignment to strategy, disciplined execution, and delivery of financial commitments.

• Direct the weekly management of sales by forecasting business trends, assessing growth opportunities, and translating strategy into planning actions that consistently meet or exceed targets and expand market presence.

• Build, lead, and hold accountable a high‑performing sales organization, setting clear strategic priorities, reinforcing a competitive Win Together mindset, and driving consistent results through focus and execution.

• Operate as a senior commercial leader across Merrell, driving global alignment and direction on business planning with finance, regional leadership, product, marketing, and planning partners.

• Establish and lead an insights‑driven selling culture, directing research and competitive analysis and converting consumer, customer, and financial insights into clear, compelling strategic recommendations that influence internal and external decision‑making.

• Make disciplined portfolio and investment decisions, systematically evaluating growth opportunities, establishing clear prioritization criteria, and aligning resources to brand and financial objectives.

• Elevate brand positioning within Lifestyle accounts, leading key strategic initiatives and determining optimal in‑store execution, including shop‑in‑shop strategies where applicable.

• Represent the Lifestyle & Pure Play business with executive presence, delivering fact‑based recommendations to senior leaders and customers through clear, decisive communication that drives alignment and action in a fast‑moving environment.

• Identify, penetrate, and build relationships with future prospect accounts, particularly with key national tier zero and tier one retailers, and track progress.

• Optimize and lead the sales operating model, establishing KPIs, business reviews, and mitigation plans that drive accountability, performance transparency, and continuous improvement.

• Lead commercialized efforts across accounts, directing regular reviews of plans, orders, inventory, merchandising, competitive analysis and markdowns, and driving revenue and profitability through deep wholesaler knowledge, margin analysis, and commercial judgment.

• Build strategic proposals and negotiation strategies through partnerships as the key stakeholder to drive retailer growth.

• Ensure tight execution through cross‑functional alignment, overseeing communication and issue resolution between customers and internal partners across Sales, Design, Production, and retail coordination teams.

• Lead go‑to‑market execution, directing internal and external resources to develop and deploy sales strategies, programs, tools, and assets that support distribution priorities and deliver results; clearly communicate strategy and expectations to customers.

• Partner with Marketing to maximize commercial impact, leading the development and execution of sales and marketing programs that drive brand growth with targeted retailers and consumers and deliver strong returns on co‑op investment.

• Performs duties consistent with the company’s AAP/EEO goals and policies

• Performs other duties as required/assigned by manager

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent work experience.

• 10+ years of progressive sales leadership experience in wholesale footwear, with demonstrated success across multiple distribution channels, including national, sporting goods, and tier zero and/or tier one accounts.

• Proven people leader with at least 3 years at the manager level, known for building, developing, and holding high‑performing teams accountable.

• Demonstrated executive presence with C‑suite customers and senior internal leaders, with a track record of influencing decisions through insights, rigorous analysis, and clear storytelling and recommendations.

• Deep experience partnering with retailers as strategic business partners, beyond transactional selling, to drive mutual growth and long‑term value.

• Strong commercial and negotiation acumen, with the ability to make investment trade‑offs, manage margins, operate to budget, and consistently deliver results.

• Resilient and creative problem solver that can lead in fast paced and dynamic marketplaces.

• Proven change leader, embracing a growth mindset and driving continuous improvement, best practices, and stronger outcomes across the organization.

• Highly effective relationship builder and collaborator, capable of leading through influence and aligning a broad range of stakeholders at all levels internally and externally.

• Exceptional oral and written communication skills, with confidence in executive presentations, customer negotiations, and high‑stakes discussions.

• Ability to balance strategic leadership with decisive execution, managing complexity, prioritizing effectively, and stepping in when needed to deliver results.

• Proficiency in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)

Working Conditions:

Position may be remote.  Travel required.

#LI-KD

Wolverine World Wide, Inc. (NYSE:WWW) is one of the world’s leading designers, marketers, and licensors of footwear and apparel; It’s global footprint spans 170 countries and territories. The Company’s portfolio includes Merrell®, Saucony®, Sweaty Betty®, Hush Puppies®, Wolverine®, Chaco®, Bates®, HYTEST®, and Stride Rite®. The Company is also the global footwear licensee of brands Cat® and Harley-Davidson®.

Wolverine Worldwide is driven by a Vision to Make. Every Day. Better. for its consumers, partners, communities, and shareholders.

In 2025, the Company was recognized by Footwear News as Company of the Year, by Forbes as one of America’s Dream Employers, America’s Best Employers for Women, and America’s Best Employers for Company Culture, and by Inspiring Workplaces as one of the Most Inspiring Workplaces Globally.

Wolverine Worldwide is a Certified™ Great Place To Work®.

Salary Minimum

$172,000.00

Salary Maximum

$225,750.00

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed and are not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills which may be required.

Wolverine Worldwide, Inc. is committed to creating a company that is as diverse as our consumers. We value the differences in one another and believe our differences make us stronger. Our diverse and inclusive corporate culture starts with the recruitment process. We are committed to being an equal opportunity employer. We aim to create equal opportunities for our associates, customers, and suppliers regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other legally protected characteristic.