JOB DESCRIPTION
Specialist – Independent Channel & Regional Customer Development
Status
Full-Time, Non-Exempt (40 hours per week)
Reports To
Director of Sales – East and Director of Sales – West; dotted-line to the CEO / Sales Enablement Manager (role currently open)
Location
Irvine, CA (On-Site)
Travel
Occasional travel to support tradeshows, customer meetings, and industry events
About Whimsocal Studios
Since 2009, Whimsocal Studios (formerly Orange Circle Studio) has created thoughtfully designed products that transform everyday moments into something extraordinary. Today we are a growing portfolio of purpose-led brands spanning stationery, gifting, lifestyle, and baby categories—including Orange Circle Studio, Bella Tunno, Studio Oh!, Saturday Sundae, JuJuBe, and Scoops. Together, these brands spark delight, celebrate everyday moments, and make a meaningful impact.
Everything we create is guided by a single purpose: to curate small joys. Whether we’re bringing a smile through beautiful design, supporting independent artists, or giving back to our communities, we believe the smallest moments hold the power to create the greatest impact.
Our greatest strength is our people. We’re a collaborative team of curious thinkers, creative problem-solvers, and passionate brand builders who believe creativity, innovation, and purpose can brighten everyday life. Together, we build brands that inspire joy, foster connection, and make a meaningful difference for our consumers, our retail partners, our employees, and the communities we serve.
About the Position
The Specialist - Independent Channel & Regional Customer Development is a strategic, relationship-driven role responsible for growing our business across the gift, specialty, college & university, baby, and regional retail channels. Partnering closely with the Sales Directors, the Specialist drives sales performance with independent retailers, specialty shops, and regional accounts—expanding distribution across doors and categories while building partnerships that reflect our brand values.
This role is central to delivering an exceptional experience for our customers and valued rep partners, and is accountable for meeting an annual sales objective across its channels and accounts while driving customer loyalty. Working cross-functionally with the sales, finance, and operations teams, the Specialist ensures that promotions, price changes, new product launches, and incentive programs are communicated proactively to our representative agencies and accounts.
As direct support to the Sales Directors and our global sales representative agencies, the Specialist maintains the systems, promotional calendars, and sales tools—on MarketTime and Box/Box Hub—that give reps everything they need to sell and grow the business. Partnering with marketing, the Specialist also develops compelling customer communications in HubSpot and builds HubSpot into a tool that elevates the overall customer experience.
This is an ideal opportunity for a detail-oriented, reliable, and proactive professional with excellent organizational skills who thrives in a fast-paced, purpose-led environment.
Key Responsibilities
Channel & Rep Group Development
· Drive rep group performance by setting clear goals and tracking progress against key priorities, with the aim of growing doors, distribution, and categories.
· Build a standout customer experience that earns long-term loyalty from both customers and rep groups.
· Partner with the Sales Directors to develop quarterly business reviews, priorities, and scorecards, and actively contribute to sessions with rep groups.
· Partner with the Sales Directors to create compelling sales rep trainings—preparing materials, setting up showrooms, and completing a readiness checklist at least one week in advance.
· Deliver consistent weekly communications to representative agencies on a reliable schedule that builds credibility.
· Collaborate with the Sales Directors to identify risks, trends, and growth opportunities within the assigned channel.
· Partner with the Sales Directors and marketing each year to plan a successful show season (rep kit samples, catalogs, showroom imagery, promotions, and more).
· Curate rep kit sample assortments and oversee their distribution and execution.
· Work with the Sales Directors, marketing, and product/creative to develop regional account presentations that win and retain business, ensuring deadlines, follow-up, and customer service are met.
Reporting & Analysis
· Prepare performance reports, track division metrics, and develop presentation materials for representative agencies—continually balancing positive and constructive feedback to improve each launch, show, and training.
· Develop quarterly business reviews and maintain quarterly timelines throughout the year.
· Review monthly commission reports and validate Faire data for accuracy, partnering with finance to ensure reps are paid accurately and on time by the 15th of each month.
· Distribute reporting to representative agencies.
Promotions & Incentive Programs
· Manage and track channel promotions and incentive programs, ensuring payments are accurate and on time.
· Review and approve channel-specific credit memos below the agreed-upon threshold, escalating any manufacturing or shipping issues.
· Submit marketing material requests through Asana and coordinate with the relevant teams at least 90 days ahead of each program or promotion (promotions, show specials, incentive programs).
· Design ad-hoc sales collateral using the applicable tools as needed.
Systems & Sales Tools
· Leverage AI tools to simplify complexity and streamline reporting.
· Manage and maintain MarketTime, keeping all products and promotions valid and current; load all products 60–90 days before launch. Create checklists and coordinate with cross functionalteams in advance—via Teams—to eliminate last-minute requests (product descriptions, CADs, catalogs, promotional recommendations).
· Maintain promotional calendars and announcements on MarketTime and Box/Box Hub so reps have everything they need to sell.
· Update the Sales Tool Box Hub as new assets become available.
· Use HubSpot to communicate weekly promotions, launches, and updates to customers.
· Keep HubSpot current with accurate customer information and segmentation.
· Maintain and update the sales representative master list, database, and territory map.
Operational Support
· Support the Sales Directors and Operations teams with daily organizational tasks and project management.
· Ensure sales operations stay current on new-customer verification, order entry, and customer service.
· Review open orders and release backorders accordingly.
· Provide general administrative and operational support to keep division operations running
smoothly.
Qualifications
· Bachelor’s degree in Business or a related field, or equivalent experience in the gift, baby, channels
· Experience working with major customer retailers and consumer packaged goods (CPG).
· Exceptional organizational skills and strong attention to detail.
· A creative problem-solver who thinks strategically and resourcefully.
· Skilled at managing multiple priorities and meeting deadlines.
· Strong communication and collaboration skills with a team-oriented mindset.
· A self-starter and results-oriented, effective both independently and as part of a team.
· Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
· Proficiency in Microsoft Office, with strong Excel skills (formulas, pivot tables, etc.).
· Experience with data analysis and reporting.
· Proactive and curious about making work simpler for internal and external stakeholders—
pursuing classes, industry connections, and new ideas in AI, customer loyalty, and CRM to
improve the customer and rep experience.
Preferred Qualifications
· Experience in the gift, stationery, greeting card, or consumer products industry.
· Experience managing MarketTime and Faire, including maintaining and developing systems to
maximize sales.
· Experience with SAP or a comparable ERP system.
· Experience supporting sales representative agencies or an independent/regional retail channel.
· Experience with Hubspot.
· Experience with a CRM (customer relationship management) system.
Measures of Success
· Growth in doors, distribution, and category penetration across the independent and regional channels.
· Strong customer loyalty—building brands that customers love enough to reorder consistently.
· Timely, consistent weekly and quarterly communications that keep representative agencies informed and engaged.
· Promotions, incentives, and commission payments processed accurately and on time.
· MarketTime, Box, HubSpot, and sales representative master data kept current and accurate.
· Reliable reporting and analysis that helps the Sales Directors spot opportunities and grow the business.
· Contributions to identifying and implementing the right CRM system.
· A pattern of learning from current systems and processes and bringing forward recommendations for improvement.
Physical Requirements
· Lifting of samples/catalogues, packing boxes and executing shipments.
· Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
· Primarily sedentary work with occasional standing.
Benefits
· Competitive salary
· Medical, dental & vision insurance
· Flexible spending account
· 401(k)
· Paid vacation, sick time & holidays
· Employer-paid long-term disability
· Employee product discounts
· Career growth opportunities
If you’re passionate about people and customers, thrive in a fast-paced environment, and want to help build a company that creates joy every day, we’d love to hear from you.
How to Apply
Please apply through our Indeed posting or submit your resume directly to [email protected]. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. No recruiters or job-placement agencies, please.
Equal Opportunity & Accommodations
Whimsocal Studios is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.
Whimsocal Studios provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities in the application process and in the performance of essential job functions. To request an accommodation, please contact [email protected].
Qualified applicants with arrest or conviction records will be considered for employment in accordance with the California Fair Chance Act.
Pay: $55,000.00 - $62,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
