Company Description

Informa Markets provides customers and partners around the globe with opportunities to engage, experience, and do business through live, virtual, and hybrid events, specialist digital content, and actionable data solutions. People are at the heart of Informa Markets. Our business thrives on the passion and entrepreneurship of our 4,000+ colleagues, who deliver over 500 international events and brands in more than 40 countries across the globe. Using our industry insight, comprehensive portfolio of markets, content, and digital resources, we are passionate about creating platforms for our customers to connect and shaping environments that enable businesses to flourish. 

Job Description

The Retail Relations Specialist engages, develops, cultivates and maintains strong relationships with key contemporary women’s fashion retailers on an international level with the purpose of securing attendance for our contemporary womenswear events including COTERIE.  The role focuses on maintaining and strengthening contemporary buyer/retailer relationships, while identifying and actively pursuing new retailer targets through industry knowledge, networking and travel. Working with the VP, Events, they will educate and recruit retailers to attend and build customer relationships with, while supporting sales, marketing and PR with retail-specific information. These responsibilities will be managed through routine and year-round phone and email outreach to retailers; travel to local meetings in NYC and the tri-state area weekly and other key destinations within the US and International quarterly. The Retail Relations Specialist also will offer a high-tough concierge service such as brand matchmaking and curation to service retailers.

Role Accountability and Duties:

• Strengthen and maintain relationships with key retention retailers within assigned segment via phone, email, and face to face interactions to invite and register for live events and digital
• Proactively build relationships with new key retailers via phone, email, and face to face interactions to invite and register for live events and digital platforms – Identifies new retailers to pursue weekly
• Identifies both the key contemporary retailers as well as the decision-making buyers within each company in assigned segments
• Tracks, updates, and analyzes data regarding retailers In Salesforce.com; provides ongoing retailer information for the sales team including key retailer lists and relevant content about new and returning retailers. Prepares and executes reports and analysis as requested
• With understanding of contemporary and advanced contemporary women’s fashion retailer needs, provides high-touch concierge services to VIP retailers both on-site at events and remotely in between events, such as thoughtful matchmaking between retailer and brands
• Understands the contemporary fashion landscape in terms of brand mix, categories and trends and continues to expand this knowledge base daily
• Studies market categories and identifies industry leading companies in both the contemporary brand and retailer roles
• Supports the contemporary sales team by meeting, engaging and consulting with contemporary brands to encourage their understanding of the value of our offerings
• Responds promptly to retailer inquiries via in person meetings, phone, and e-mail; researches and resolves all questions
• Qualifies prospective attendees as retailers and helps them complete the registration process to attend the shows
• Penetrates retailer registration call and email campaigns to drive attendance
• Works with Brand team and marketing, contributes to the “voice” of retail relations. Collaborates on the creation of copy and other retail collateral; to encourage retailer attendance.
• Provides retailers with information including brand listings, hotel rates sheets and other show information
• Maintains integrity of the database by continuously updating retailer information
• Helps manage VIP buyer programs in partnership with the Retail Ops Specialist and Experience team
• Presents themselves professionally, acting as host to retailers on-site at all contemporary events
• Coordinates and assists on-site show set-up and retail programs/events as needed

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, fashion buying/merchandising or equivalent experience
• 3-4 years retail sales or fashion brand or showroom experience
• Deep understanding, knowledge and interest in the contemporary women’s fashion industry and international retail landscape
• Existing relationships with key retailers a must
• Strong interpersonal and relationship building skills
• Sales experience preferred
• Strong customer service approach
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal
• Digitally-savvy and comfortability with learning new systems
• Detail oriented, creative and innovative thinker
• Exceptional time management skills
• Self-starter who knows how to work in a team environment
• Team player who is willing to support team members in pursuit of a common goal
• Proficient in Excel, Word and PowerPoint
• The salary range offered for this position is between 70,000 to 90,000 USD, without any additional bonus or commission structure.
• The job posting is set to expire on April 28, 2024.

Additional Information

• Freedom & flexibility: colleagues rate us highly for the flexibility and trust they receive, and we support a range of working patterns
• Great community: a welcoming culture with in-person and online social events, our fantastic Walk the World charity day and active diversity and inclusion networks 
• Broader impact: take up to four days per year to volunteer, with charity match funding available too
• Career opportunity: the opportunity to develop your career with bespoke training and learning, mentoring platforms and on-demand access to thousands of courses on LinkedIn Learning. When it’s time for the next step, we encourage and support internal job moves
• Time out: 15 days PTO rising to 20 after three years and 25 after six years, plus 10 national holidays, a birthday leave day and the chance to work from (almost!) anywhere for up to four weeks a year 
• Competitive benefits, including a 401k match, parental leave and an ESPP offering company shares at a minimum 15% discount 
• Strong wellbeing support through EAP assistance, mental health first aiders, free access to a wellness app and more
• Recognition for great work, with global awards and kudos programs 
• As an international company, the chance to collaborate with teams around the world