Sales Operations Analyst
Posted by LifeStraw on 07/14/2021
Job Basics
Industry Sector: Lifestyle
Job Categories: Retail - Sales
Company Type: HardGoods/Equipment
State: MD
City: Baltimore
Country: United States
Required Experience: 3 - 5 years
Contact Name: Helzy Diaz
Job Type: Full Time
Salary:
Required to Relocate: Yes
Required to Travel: Yes
Employee May Telecommute: No
Job Seeker Must Live Within: 50+ miles
Job Description & Requirements
About Us
At LifeStraw, we believe everyone deserves equitable access to safe drinking water. We design beautiful, simple, and functional products that provide the highest protection from unsafe water based on where and how they will be used. We also take our responsibility to people and planet seriously. For every product sold, a child in need receives access to safe water for an entire year. We have been partners in the fight for the eradication of Guinea worm for 25 years, and we actively respond to emergencies across the globe. We are Climate Neutral Certified and from product to packaging, we measure and minimize our environmental impact. We strive to support underrepresented communities through our actions, our products, our marketing, and our communications. We live, work, and create with impact in mind. We fight for good and always err on the side of action.
Position Summary
The Sales Operations Analyst is responsible for creating pathways for LifeStraw to deliver annual revenue and profitability growth targets for the US and Canadian business. They will achieve these results by assisting with the development of a strategic sales plan and partnering cross-functionally with Operations, Logistics, Marketing, Sales and Finance. As the internal expert on retailer go-to-market requirements, the Sales Ops Analyst will foster and facilitate alignment across teams around retailer operations and order management. This role will also be a strategic asset for the Sales team in business planning and buyer/rep group relationships, offering strategic recommendations on assortments, programs, and long-term growth planning.
To be successful, this person will need to rapidly establish effective relationships with external customers and rep groups, internal cross functional team members, and develop a highly transparent communication and leadership style.
This role will be based in our Baltimore, Maryland office, and report to the Ecommerce Sales Manager.
Key Responsibilities include:
- Develop and scale a best-in-class sales strategy and operations discipline for an emerging consumer goods brand that enables go-to-market success. Activities include inventory planning, allocation planning and consolidation of information and reporting for effective business action.
- Serve as business lead for US and Canadian retail operations including sales forecasting/demand planning, financial roll-up, inventory flow-through, order management, invoicing & payments, rep commissions and retail operations optimizations.
- Assess state of discipline/current practice and partner with appropriate cross-functional stakeholders to make/deploy recommendations for new processes and tools that will enable the business to forecast, allocate and sell-through inventory in a more efficient way (i.e., POS sell-through insights and trends, cross-functional hand-offs, forecasting analytics, ramp planning tools and other business insights)
- Build and analyze channel level reporting and presenting insights, risk, and opportunities to Sales Leads monthly. Has ability to deep dive into large data sets and identify trends to support future demand planning.
- Direct ownership and execution of the regional allocation, inventory and order management workflows including EDI orders, manual orders, resolution of order holds/allocations, customer portal logins and documentation management to enable orders and all general customer order management tasks (returns, logistics, scorecard reporting, etc.)
- Maintain monthly review of accounts and work with accounting for data accuracy on monthly reconciliation, including sales order data, payment date, application of allowances, and application of promotional funding; review monthly P&L reports from accounting to ensure accuracy of inputs for assigned channel, including order entry inputs and deductions
- Facilitate customer set-up process including system input, payment/credit terms, and contracts approvals; ensure the business (internal teams and 3PL) is operating in adherence with customer requirements, testing requirements, agreements and other deliverables/requirements tied to shipment readiness
- Collaborate internally to build/maintain a master National Promotion and Event calendar, budgeting, and reconciliation process; in partnership with Sales leads and Finance, create process for budgeting and actualization of promotional funding and P&L impact
- Play pivotal role in the development of the regional road map and placement strategy, including supporting the development/refinement of regional channel strategy to reduce conflicts, promotional and pricing policies and offer keen attention to driving profitability improvements along sales growth
- Collaborate with Marketing and Product Development to ensure top-tier competitive executions across messaging, consumer experience, product design and retail marketing executions
Key Competencies
- Leadership in driving and executing a strategy. Smart and driven to succeed.
- Driven by a desire for positive impact in the world.
- Exceptional communication skills.
- Very high attention to detail.
- Understanding of outdoor / lifestyle retail industry or strong desire to be involved.
- Excellent verbal, written, and presentation skills.
- Confident self-starter with competitive drive, initiative, decisiveness, and the ability to stay focused on results despite changing conditions.
- Maintain an "everything is possible" attitude, breaking habits, and challenging assumptions.
- Strong team player who drives results by securing the commitment and buy-in of others.
- Enjoys travel and adventure, including willingness to travel internationally.
- Willingness to work with a globally cross-functional team across multiple time zones.
- Has a good sense of humor.
Experience and Education
- BA/BS Degree Required
- 3+ years' experience with sales enablement and operations within consumer goods, preferably consumer electronics, durable housewares, or sporting goods categories
- Strong familiarity with mass account sales operations such as Walmart, Target, Bed Bath & Beyond, Home Depot and Lowe's
- Demonstrated high proficiency in Microsoft Suite of products, especially Excel, and advanced data analytic skills
- Functional understanding of supply chain, finance & accounting, sales cycles, retail marketing and category management
- Familiarity with NetSuite and retailer-specific portals advantageous
- Consultative mindset with ability to influence others without direct authority
- Deep-seeded passion to do good and fight for equitable rights for all
Benefits
- Relocation provided if deemed necessary.
- Medical/Dental/Vision
- Life/STD/LTD
- Fitness Reimbursement
- Education Reimbursement/Assistance
- Commuter Incentives
If you possess the above qualifications and the drive to meet the challenges, please send your resume/CV to jobs@lifestraw.com, including day-time telephone contact and names and email contacts of three references.
We will only respond to electronic applications and to shortlisted applicants. LifeStraw believes that diversity, equity, and inclusion is critical to our success. We are an equal opportunity employer whose team works hard to build respect, dignity, and equity into everything we do. We seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most talented, driven, and entrepreneurial minded people from diverse backgrounds and experiences.
