Head of Sales & Business Development

Cecilie Bahnsen is looking for a Head of Sales & Business Development to lead our Sales team in Copenhagen.

In this position you will play a vital role in the Cecilie Bahnsen brand and will take on a key position within the company and one of importance in terms of building brand perception, achieving growth and profitability targets, making Cecilie Bahnsen’s ambitions possible.

Reporting to the Managing director, you will be leading a growing team of three, and be responsible for leading the global Cecilie Bahnsen wholesale, marketplaces and 3rd party pure plays across 125 partners with US, China, Italy and UK being key markets — however realizing that our playground sits worldwide.

With 40% of the business already coming from pure plays it is crucial that you are digitally savvy and use the 3rd party channel to support the Cecilie Bahnsen growing DTC business — especially with the Head of E-Commerce with whom you will be working closely with. Your most important peers will be the E-Commerce team, the Creative Director and Founder, The Finance Director and the Head of Product Development.

Your tasks will take lead on evolving and protecting brand perception to align with the brand’s values and long-term ambitions. In doing so you will manage our global brand moments that can elevate perception and bring the Cecilie Bahnsen customer closer to the product and DNA of the brand. 

Key accountabilities    

  • Achieve sales goals, manage sales pipeline, and close new business via strategic partnerships.
  • Generate bold and imaginative partnerships that increase brand equity ideas and sit at the intersection of Cecilie Bahnsen’s strategic needs and those of its partners. 
  • Develop and grow existing strategic partnerships while securing a blanked and geo channel split across pure plays, specialty stores and department stores. 
  • Collaborate across channels with a consumer centric mindset. 
  • Lead the Paris Showroom with collection presentations 2 times a year 
  • Lead our GTM China Strategy 
  • Drive marketplace partners and initiatives 
  • Deliver and present full collection briefs per sales channel to Creative Director and Head of Product Development 
  • Full P&L responsibility on related channels 
  • Take part in the Leadership Team 
  • Constructively and Proactively contribute to the positive development of the Sales Team — inform, collaborate and utilize the capabilities of the full team

You will be expected to deliver on the agreed targets — and present in board meetings when relevant. Your KPI’s sit on: 

  • Defining sales budget and strategy to meet growth targets 
  • Secure full execution of the annual Roadmap
  • Maintain and deliver on the targeted partner brand moments 
  • Secure full integrity with Managing director and with leadership team 
  • Customer centric mindset to aid Cecilie Bahnsen to meet the DTC success criteria 

The Ideal Candidate 

The ideal candidate has documented a strong business acumen and commercial experience on a senior level. You hold a relevant Business Degree and is fluent in written and spoken English. You have 5-7 years of business development and sales management experience, where preferably 2-3 of these are from experience in the apparel luxury goods industry. 

With 70% of Cecilie Bahnsen’s distribution being digital already, the ideal candidate can work efficiently in a virtual and digitalized reality. You can demonstrate an ability to develop, adopt and utilize digital sales tools and processes and knowledge and experience in the US or Chinese market are a plus.

Desired Behaviors

  • A natural self starter, confident in communication, responsive and competent negotiator
  • Strong drive for results
  • Innovate and creative mindset 
  • Motivated by stretched ambitions and targets
  • Positive and optimistic — demonstrates a positive and team oriented approach to solving challenges
  • Tenacity and discipline — ability to execute and deliver on agreed objectives
  • Strong relationship builder — develops and nurtures good relations to partners and co-workers 
  • Dares to lead — able to take the initiative in growth environments 

Desired Mindset

  • Emotional Intelligence — asks quality questions, demonstrates curiosity, listens actively and can take onboard customer input 
  • Passion — Passionate about the products and services we sell. Ability to let enthusiasm shine through in every conversation
  • Enthusiasm — Stays positive - even during the most challenging times 
  • Flexibility — Is receptive, responsive, and ready to adapt when required 
  • Hard Working — Creating opportunities rather than waiting for them 
  • Ambitious — Defines specific stretched goals, achievable yet challenging, relevant to yourself and your team 
  • Committed - Is in it for the long run, and has a viewpoint beyond just closing the next deal 

We look forward to hearing from you. 

Please send your CV and cover letter to the external recruiter; Thomas Thorsen at tthorsen@people-integrated.com