The Shadow Manager will lead the attack in building brand awareness at a grass roots level. The right candidate will lead a small force of Saucony Shadows and also become engaged as the “face of Saucony” in the retail environment serving. The Shadow Manager will be the key conduit between the Saucony Shadows, corporate management and retail associates. The group of Shadows will work in conjunction with key Saucony mall and sporting goods accounts to educate and excite retail associates and conduct monthly count/fills. The Shadow representatives will also work in conjunction with Saucony Sales Representatives in the Specialty Run Channel to drive sell-through and education. Additionally, Saucony Shadow representatives will be called upon to execute specific promotional activities in the market in which they are based, as well as at select national events.


RESPONSIBILITIES:

Lead the group of Shadow Representatives by:

  • Ensuring all representatives receive up to date training techniques and accompanying materials
  • Holding each representative accountable to the established schedule of visits and activities
  • Overseeing the administration of the program budget and assuring adherence to the established budgets
  • Compiling individual Shadow reports into more comprehensive management reports
  • Providing assistance in covered areas where necessary and venturing in to uncovered zones on special assignment

The Saucony Shadow Manager is also expected to perform all the tasks of the Shadow Representative while traveling in the field. These tasks include:

  • Manage the ongoing educational needs of Saucony’s key retail partners to ensure strong sell-through.
  • Conduct regular schedule of educational clinics with retail associates
  • Schedule ongoing account visits to maintain brand awareness and measure market trends
  • Routinely contribute to working along with the retailer by being on the floor for Retail Days
  • Provide feedback reports to Saucony sales, management, and product teams detailing specific competitive insights.
  • Become the “eyes and ears” of the brand.
  • Refine experience and insights in to a comprehensive Market Intelligence Report to share with management
  • Utilize promotional activities in store and at events to develop sell through insights, as well shoe count data at regional events
  • Saucony Vs. Competition: identify and report competitive program information, pricing information, product fit data, promotional information and other types of insights relative to allowing the brand to compete against the industry
  • Understand retail landscape of territory by developing in depth knowledge of the retailers and the channels which they are focused on.

Execute promotional strategies which may include:

  • Set-up, attendance and dismantling of exhibits at various event marketing activities
  • Directing staff in attendance at events
  • Assisting corporate management at larger regional and national events
  • Fulfilling brand representation requirements at various fashion / nightlife marketing opportunities.


QUALIFICATIONS:

It is critical to the success of this individual that s/he shares the passion and vision of the Saucony leadership team. Indeed, s/he is expected to be a key contributor to this vision, assisting with identifying, reporting and acting on insights found in the region for which s/he is accountable.

Specifically:

  • Someone with a minimum of 2-4 years of experience working in the athletic, running or footwear industries. Experience may include retail, customer service, marketing or other grass roots led efforts. We are seeking someone who demonstrates high-energy and an established track record of accomplishment. We need a “doer”, someone who enjoys working hard and rolling up their sleeves to get the job done.
  • The preferred candidate will have previous supervisory experience. The individual should be organized, detailed and disciplined in his / her habits.
  • He/she should have a reference-able track record of understanding experiences and interpreting these to insights relative to the position(s) which they have served.
  • This person will ideally have a passion for running and understand how our running customer thinks. Someone who understand our customer’s requirements and what drives their shopping habits will be of interest in the process.
  • An open, flexible demeanor, which solicits the input of customers and co-workers. This person should be an active listener and a motivator who can seamlessly step into the role of a leader. We believe the best marketing people are also the best listeners. Someone able to function in a fast-paced environment with emotional and professional maturity.
  • Saucony seeks a candidate who can create positive energy around the fellow Shadow representatives, along with the program’s customers and store employees.

OTHER REQUIREMENTS:

High-energy, creative and positive culture focused on growing Saucony as a leading provider of high-performance running shoes and apparel for serious runners and recreational runners alike. The right candidates must be disciplined with their schedule in a position which calls for significant independence. Bachelor’s degree in Marketing or related field is required.

Saucony, Inc. is a leading global supplier of performance athletic footwear, casual footwear, apparel, and accessories with its widely recognized brands Saucony, Saucony Originals, Hind, and Spot-bilt. All Saucony, Inc. sports brands develop and manufacture technically advanced products that improve the performance of active sports participants.

We design, develop and market performance-oriented athletic footwear, athletic apparel and casual leather footwear. Our principal products are:

  • Technical running, walking and outdoor trail shoes and athletic apparel, which we sell under the Saucony brand name;
  • Technical running shoe models from the early 1980's, which we reintroduced in 1998, as Saucony “Originals”, our classic footwear line;
  • Athletic apparel, which we sell under the Hind brand name; and
  • Shoes for coaches and officials, football and soccer cleats and casual leather walking and workplace footwear, which we sell under the Spot-bilt brand name.

Our products are sold in the United States at more than 5,500 retail locations and at our 19 factory outlet stores. Outside the United States our products are sold in 53 countries through 22 distributors located throughout the world and through our subsidiaries located in Canada, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom.


RESPONSE GUIDELINES:

All entries will be kept confidential. Include salary requirements in your cover letter, along with resume and address to:

Director, Human Resources
Saucony, Inc.
13 Centennial Drive
Peabody, MA 01960

978 326 5355 fax
No telephone calls, please.

SauconyCareers@saucony.com

Notice to Third-parties or Agency/Recruiters:

Principals only. Submissions and referrals (written, oral or otherwise) received from third-parties or agencies (contingent or retained) not currently under contract with Saucony, Inc. will be considered a gift, and as such, Saucony, Inc., will not be obligated to pay a fee or service charge of any amount related to gifted submissions. Saucony, Inc. actively maintains a Preferred Vendor List. Access and acceptance to the Preferred Vendor List is granted exclusively by Human Resources. Inquiries related to recruitment and candidate submissions must be directed to the Human Resources Department.