Key Account Manager & Field Sales Team Lead DACH

Paula’s Choice, a global skincare leader that empowers individuals to define beauty on their own terms through science-backed products. We are an ambitious fast-growing brand with an inspiring mission: we uncover the truth about skincare and deliver smart, safe products based on scientific research, without gimmicks and misleading claims. Part of Unilever Prestige Brands since 2021, our mission comes to life through four core values that guide our actions, decisions, and impact:

• Build Trust: We set the standard for skincare, transparency, and shared knowledge.
• Be Bold: We lead through innovation and by challenging the status quo.
• Act with Kindness: We operate with respect and care—for our customers, colleagues, and the planet.
• Create Community: We believe in the power of connection—whether educating customers, supporting each other, or giving back, we grow stronger together.

Our Global Headquarters remains at the heart of the brand, where it was founded by Paula Begoun in 1995, Seattle. Our European headquarters are in the Netherlands and local offices in selected European countries like London, Berlin and Paris. We market our skincare via different business models: direct-to-consumer via our own websites, marketplaces and selected retail partners, including Sephora, Galeries Lafayette, Space NK, Douglas and many more.

We’re a rapidly growing entrepreneurial team that thrives on change, prioritising a culture of feedback and inclusivity. Our culture encourages continuous learning and is fuelled by connection, curiosity, and cross-functional collaboration.

Paula’s Choice is committed to diversity! Our customers come from all walks of life and so do we. We hire great people from a wide variety of backgrounds, not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because it makes our company stronger. If you share our values and our enthusiasm for empowering people to achieve their own definition of beautiful, Paula’s Choice could be a wonderful fit for you.

Does this sound inspiring? That’s great! Because we’d love to get to know you. We are looking for a

KEY ACCOUNT MANAGER & FIELD SALES TEAM LEAD DACH

Description

As Key Account Manager & Field Sales Team Lead DACH, you will own our strategic retail partnerships — including Douglas, Niche Beauty, and Sephora — and lead our DACH field sales team. You will drive sell-in and sell-out performance by building strong retailer relationships, developing rigorous revenue forecasts, and owning the full BPL (Basis, Promotion, Launch) calendar from planning through in-store and online activation. You will lead a KPI-driven field sales team to ensure flawless execution at the point of sale, while acting as the central liaison translating brand goals into retailer-specific strategies across online and offline channels. This position reports directly to the Country Director DACH.

What Will You Do?

• Key Account Ownership: Own end-to-end relationships with strategic retail accounts (including Douglas, Niche Beauty, and Sephora), understanding their business needs, goals, and challenges, and building trusted, senior-level partnerships.
• Strategic Account Planning: Develop and execute strategic account plans to drive growth, maximise revenue, and ensure the continued success and expansion of key client accounts.
• Revenue Forecasting & Anticipation: Build and continuously refine rolling revenue forecasts by account and channel; anticipate risks and opportunities in sell-in/sell-out trends; align forecasts with supply chain to ensure healthy inventory flow and service levels.
• BPL Management: Own the BPL agenda across all key accounts — core assortment (Basis), promotional calendar and mechanics (Promo), and new product introductions (Launches) — ensuring each is planned, negotiated, and executed on time and on budget.
• Retail Activation: Translate BPL and brand plans into flawless in-store and online execution: visibility, planogram compliance, POS materials, digital shelf content, and launch moments that land with impact at retail.
• Field Sales Team Leadership: Lead, coach, and hold accountable a field sales team of sales managers and representatives, setting clear KPIs (distribution, visibility, call coverage, compliance) and driving performance through regular reviews and structured field routines.
• Sales & Business Development: Identify and pursue opportunities for upselling, cross-selling, and expanding product distribution across key accounts; manage account P&L and adjust commercial strategy accordingly; contribute to new business pitches.
• Communication & Coordination: Act as the main liaison between key accounts and internal teams, coordinating closely with marketing, education, customer support, and supply chain to ensure account needs are met and internal teams stay aligned to retailer priorities.
• Negotiation & Contract Management: Negotiate contracts, pricing, trading terms, promotional investment, and marketing contributions with key accounts to achieve growth targets while protecting margin.
• Performance Monitoring & Reporting: Conduct regular business reviews, track KPIs across accounts and the field team, and report on account health, forecast accuracy, and field execution quality.
• Market & Industry Awareness: Stay ahead of industry trends, retailer developments, and competitor activity, adjusting account and field strategies accordingly.

Key Skills & Focus Areas

• Field Sales Leadership: Skills to hire, inspire, set KPIs for, and guide a high-performing field sales team.
• Forecasting & Revenue Planning: Building rolling, data-driven revenue forecasts and translating them into account and inventory decisions.
• BPL Execution: Planning and executing Basis, Promo, and Launch cycles end-to-end across multiple retail accounts.
• Omnichannel Strategy: Understanding and executing plans across physical stores, e-commerce, and social media.
• Data Analysis: Using insights from retailer portals and sales data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities.
• Controlling: Understanding and steering retailer P&Ls and budgets, identifying areas of improvement and growth.
• Communication & Negotiation: Strong presentation, negotiation, and interpersonal skills are crucial.
• Brand Stewardship: Deep understanding of the brand's DNA and ensuring its effective representation in competitive retail environments.

Requirements:

• 7+ years in key account management, field sales, or a combination of both, with a proven track record of growing strategic retail accounts and leading field teams. Beauty or FMCG retail experience is a strong plus.
• Demonstrated experience building and defending revenue forecasts, and translating data into commercial decisions.
• Track record of leading a team against clear KPIs, with the discipline to hold both self and team accountable to targets.
• Exceptional interpersonal skills and the ability to build trust with clients and team members alike.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills; confident leading business reviews and negotiations.
• Ability to develop effective account strategies, analyse sales potential, and translate data into actionable plans.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to manage complaints and escalations effectively.
• Comfortable navigating retailer and internal data systems to create commercial opportunities.
• Highly organised, self-motivated, and able to multitask and prioritise efficiently across multiple accounts and team members.
• Familiarity with CRM systems and strong general computer skills (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite).
• A Bachelor's degree in marketing, business administration, sales, or a related field is preferred.
• A team player focused on expanding the company's reach and improving client and team results.
• Hybrid role with regular travel to key accounts and field sales team locations.
• Professional English and German are required; additional languages are a plus.

Do you recognize yourself in the above and do you enjoy working in a dynamic and informal work environment? Then we’d love to get to know you and hopefully welcome you to join our enthusiastic team soon.