Accounts Manager, Wholesale

The Accounts Manager - Wholesale, owns a portfolio of national and regional retail accounts, serving as the primary business partner between Build-A-Bear and the buyers, planners, and executives who bring our brand to their shelves and customers. This role thinks like a merchant - understanding your accounts strategies, consumers, and competitive pressures and creates joint business plans that create mutual value. The Accounts Manager - Wholesale will impact the brand as we expand our wholesale footprint.

Responsibilities:

• Own day-to-day and strategic relationships with a portfolio of wholesale retail accounts, including national mass, specialty, and mid-tier retailers
• Build and execute joint business plans that deliver revenue growth while protecting brand positioning and assortment integrity
• Lead seasonal line reviews, forecasting conversations, and executive business reviews with buyer and merchant leadership
• Identify growth opportunities through new doors, expanded assortment, or promotional programming - with an eye toward the right fit, not just volume
• Partner internally with merchandising, visual merchandising, marketing, supply chain, and finance to deliver on commitments and resolve issues proactively
• Accurately forecast account-level demand and maintain a clear view of account health and pipeline
• Conduct weekly sell-through analysis by-account, by-style ad by-door; develop and implement immediate action plans to optimize inventory and sales performance
• Additional responsibilities as the wholesale function continues to grow

Required Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree
• 5+ years of wholesale or national account management experience in consumer products, toys, licensed goods, or a related category
• Proven history managing retail accounts in a variety of channels from mass to independents, while driving wholesale revenue growth
• High proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Power BI
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills
• Exceptional time management skills with a proven ability to balance long-term account growth with immediate operational demands

Behavioral Traits for Success:

• Confident, assertive leader who takes ownership and drives results
• Highly persuasive and socially skilled; influences others to action
• Energized by leading teams, building momentum, and setting direction
• Comfortable making decisions in fast‑paced, dynamic environments
• Motivates and engages others through effective communication and presence
• Results‑focused with a bias toward action and progress
• Adaptable and resilient; thrives in change and ambiguity
• Balances authority with approachability to rally teams toward shared goals

Working Environment:

• Typical office environment with climate control and sufficient lighting, ergonomic desk/chairs
• Corporate Office located St. Louis, MO
• Some travel required

Your Performance Will Be Measured On:

Your performance will be measured by your ability to achieve annual department objectives and corporate goals which include but are not limited to the following:

• Decision-making, judgment, and execution
• Clear and thorough communication, both spoken and written, with internal and external parties
• Timeliness and follow-up
• Problem solving and removing obstacles
• Planning and organization
• Building strong relationships with cross-functional team members and wholesale account contacts
• Tenacity and commitment to tasks
• Internal and external stakeholder feedback