About Learning Resources:
We are on a mission to bring learning to life! We are Learning Resources®, and learning is where we play. Voted one of the Chicago Tribune’s Top Workplaces every year for the last four years, we’re a 150-person strong, family-owned company who make award-winning educational toys, including top sellers Pretend & Play® Calculator Cash Register, Farmer’s Market Color Sorting Set and Toy of the Year winners Botley® the Coding Robot and Coding Critters®. We share that dedication to learning across our family of companies. Learning Resources team members work closely with the curriculum experts at hand2mind, as well as Educational Insights, makers of hit viral products including Kanoodle®, GeoSafari® Jr., and Playfoam®. We even help pets learn and grow through our pet brands Brightkins® and Hunger for Words™.

We pride ourselves on being committed to our employee’s personal and professional development, a thriving culture and a diverse, creative atmosphere. Along with our competitive benefits package, we offer opportunities for training and development by top university professors as well as in-demand, motivating external speakers. We are looking for professionals who are truly just kids at heart! Come join our award-winning team today!

Team & Position Description:
Working as a National Account Manager, Pets at Learning Resources is a role rooted in new business development and collaboration across sales, finance, product development and brand teams. Here's why it's awesome: Contribute to strategic and tactical account planning. Lead daily execution of sales plans. Lead joint business planning. Develop sales forecasts and work closely with senior management to establish sales plans and strategic objectives. Review and analyze reports for increased sales, lost sales, and general status of business. Collaborate with internal teams across Marketing, Product Development, Finance and Sales to develop products, programs and promotions that drive growth within the mass consumer retail and e-commerce markets. Plan and direct the execution of strategic sales initiatives and maximize the opportunities through effective use of Company resources.
Seek, identify and close new business opportunities using market research and comprehensive development of industry knowledge and contacts.
Develop strong relationships with key decision-makers. Earn credibility within the industry and demonstrate solid knowledge of competitive strategies and consumer trends.
Manage the Rep agencies when appropriate to optimize sales potential for their scope of responsibilities to include product knowledge, terms, problem solving and maximizing profitability.
Attend Trade Shows, reviewing new products and seeking out new business. Know competition's product and be acquainted with the deals and terms they offer.

What you’ll do day to day (responsibilities):
New business development: This role is responsible for driving revenue growth and bringing in new business (either through new key accounts, distribution or outside sales representatives). An important element of this role is leading strong growth in a new channel segment for Learning Resources, pets.
Negotiation: Negotiating contract, terms and agreements with business partners, including pricing, promotions, marketing support, and distribution arrangements.
Collaboration with Cross-functional Teams: Working closely with internal teams such as marketing, product development, supply chain, and finance to coordinate activities and ensure alignment with overall business goals.
Industry Intelligence: This role is responsible for understanding the pet industry and applicable trends and insights, then utilizing these trends to develop plans to grow revenue streams strategically.
Trade Shows and Events: Representing the company at trade shows, industry events, and customer meetings.
Reporting and Analysis: Providing regular reports and updates to management on sales performance, market share, and other key metrics. This involves analyzing data, identifying trends and insights, and making recommendations for future action based on findings.
Requirements/Ideal Attributes:

The ideal attributes of a National Account Manager at Learning Resources encompass a combination of skills, traits, and experiences that enable them to excel in a fast-paced and competitive environment. Here are some key attributes:

BS/BA is required.
5-10 years prior industry experience is required, mass consumer retail experience strongly preferred.
Minimum 2 years’ experience managing outside Representatives in a results driven culture.
Proven track record of excellence in sales activity.
Strong computer skills; Microsoft Office Suite
Experience with strategic planning, budgeting (including P&L) and expense management.
Strong communication skills with internal and external stakeholders.

We are a drug-free workplace and an EEO employer.

Please note: This role will be filled by our internal recruitment team, so no assistance is needed from any outside staffing agency at this time.