Sales Manager, Ulta - Dermalogica LLC

The Sales Manager will play a pivotal role in driving sales growth, operational excellence, and profitability within key National Accounts, including ULTA. This position is responsible for initiating and managing assortment planning, overseeing OMNI forecasting and sell-through analytics, and collaborating with internal planning partners on inventory management.

In partnership with the Account Director and the US Marketing and Visual Merchandising teams, the Sales Manager will initiate and execute visual merchandising strategies, ensuring all projects are delivered on time and within budget. Additionally, this role will work closely with Sephora counterpart(s) to develop in-store collateral and gratis strategy that supports the field team during educational training and events at ULTA.

The Sales Manager will align operational strategies with business goals by contributing to comprehensive 360-degree marketing campaigns that enhance the Dermalogica brand's presence at ULTA. A strong emphasis on leveraging data to inform presentations and strategies is essential, along with a thorough understanding of the competitive landscape, particularly within the prestige skincare category and key retailers.

This position is based out of the corporate headquarters in Carson, CA, with applicable hybrid on site work guidelines.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Account Development & Strategic Planning

• Develop a deep understanding of the ULTA account, including ULTA sales associates and consumer behavior, to optimize assortment planning, inventory management, and visual merchandising strategies.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with retail partners, ensuring alignment on operational and visual merchandising goals and initiatives.
• Develop a comprehensive view of the competitive landscape, including ULTA and other retailers, to inform strategic decisions.
• Collaborate internally to find synergies and shared opportunities, ensuring alignment with broader North American Retail business goals.

Inventory Management

• Take ownership of forecasting and analytics to ensure accurate sell-in and effective inventory management (sellable and non-sellable), reducing instances of over- or under-forecasting in collaboration with the Operations team and National Accounts Coordinator.
• Own planning files and presentations, actively monitoring stock levels for OMNI and dotcom-only assortments to ensure ULTA maintains optimal inventory to support sales. Communicate with ULTA when action is needed, particularly when store out-of-stocks reach critical levels.

Visual Merchandising & In-Store Execution

• Initiate and coordinate the visual merchandising update process in partnership with the Director, internal teams, vendor partners, and ULTA corporate contacts, ensuring all projects meet deliverable deadlines, stay within budget, and align with brand and retailer standards.
• Partner with the Director to candidate and plan secondary placements, co-op strategy, and field marketing spend, evaluating ROI and re-phasing the budget as needed to maximize marketing investments and drive sales growth.
• In collaboration with Sephora counterpart(s), develop in-store collateral to support the field team during education and promotional events, ensuring alignment with brand objectives and the Sr. Director of Field.
• Regularly communicate operational and visual merchandising updates to the Field Sales Team and Senior Management to ensure alignment across teams.

Retailer Initiatives & Promotions

• Initiate and assist in planning and executing retailer-specific initiatives, including new product launches, promotions, education, field support, and in-store merchandising updates.
• Lead ULTA-specific special events, FLC and internal NSM, by coordinating with internal and external partners to deliver best-in-class booths and experiences. Ensure all initiatives stay on schedule and within budget.

Sales Analytics & Performance Evaluation

• Analyze sales data and SKU-specific performance to assess the effectiveness of merchandising and promotional programs, making data-driven adjustments to strategies as needed to meet sales and profitability targets.
• Initiate and support the preparation and presentation of visual merchandising, operational strategies, and performance reports to management and external partners.

Budget Management & Compliance

• Ensure budget compliance by proactively managing outstanding payments from both the retailer and external vendors.
• Monitor and re-phase budgets as needed to stay within limits while maximizing the effectiveness of investments across ULTA initiatives.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE:

BA/BS preferred with a minimum 5+ years of retail/trade marketing experience within the beauty industry.

OTHER SKILLS and ABILITIES:

• Proven ability to lead cross-functional initiatives and collaborate effectively with diverse teams.
• Precision in managing budgets, forecasts, and visual merchandising details, while skilled in overseeing multiple complex projects simultaneously to meet strict deadlines.
• Meticulous planning to ensure accurate deliverables and the flexibility to adapt to shifting priorities in a fast-paced retail environment.
• Capacity to anticipate challenges, propose solutions, and proactively identify opportunities to enhance business outcomes.
• Clear and persuasive verbal and written communication for presenting strategies to internal and external stakeholders.
• Ability to develop innovative merchandising concepts, promotional ideas, and in-store displays that align with brand identity and retailer standards.
• Advanced knowledge of inventory management systems and proficiency in Excel (including pivot tables and v-lookups) to interpret data and inform actionable strategies for sound business decisions.
• Forward-thinking approach aimed at driving long-term account growth and profitability, with a strong commitment to exceeding sales, profitability, and operational performance goals.
• Creative mindset with a keen awareness of current beauty trends.

The expected base salary for this position is $85,000 - $105,000. The exact base salary is determined by various factors including experience, skills, education, and budget. This role is eligible for participation in our company bonus plan, rewarding personal performance and company results.

Why Join Us?

• A Legacy of Success: Dermalogica is the preferred choice of Skin Therapists worldwide, renowned for our exceptional skincare line and industry-leading postgraduate education. We have a record of achievement and are committed to building upon our brand's legacy.
• Entrepreneurial Spirit and Innovation: At Dermalogica, we foster an entrepreneurial spirit and encourage our employees to bring their best ideas to the table. You'll have the opportunity to make a difference and contribute to our success by implementing innovative solutions that reach skincare professionals and consumers.
• Backed by Unilever: In 2015, Dermalogica became part of the Unilever family, one of the world's largest and most successful consumer goods companies. While operating as an independent business, we now have access to cutting-edge capabilities and resources, empowering us to win in our markets.

Ready to make a meaningful impact and advance your career with a global brand revolutionizing the skincare industry? Apply now and complete your online application. Rest assured, all applications will be thoughtfully reviewed, and our HR team will contact you if your skills align with the position.

Dermalogica LLC, a Unilever Prestige Brand, embraces diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are committed to the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees regardless of age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race or ethnicity, religion or belief, gender identity, or marriage and civil partnership. We aspire to have a diverse workforce because, in our view, diversity enables better business outcomes. We also believe that a more inclusive workplace, where people of different backgrounds work together, ensures better outcomes for all staff. From application to interview, we place inclusion at the heart of all we do. In particular, we strongly encourage suitably qualified applicants from a wide range of backgrounds to apply and join Dermalogica.