Trade Development Manager – Architecture & Design

Trade Development Manager – Architecture & Design

Newark, NJ

$150,000–$200,000

Monday–Thursday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; Friday, 8:00 AM–1:00 PM

Travel: Regular East Coast market travel; approximately 50% field-based

 

Why This Role Exists

The business has built a strong dealer-based channel and is now investing in a major growth opportunity: the architect and designer community.

This role will help build that channel from the ground up.

The Trade Development Manager will become a visible face of the brand within the A&D community, developing trusted relationships with architects, interior designers, specifiers, and design firms. The objective is to create awareness, earn advocacy, influence recommendations and specifications, and ultimately drive demand through the existing dealer network.

This is not a traditional direct-sales role. Success comes from influence, relationships, education, and long-term market development.

What You Will Own

• Build and grow relationships with architects, interior designers, specifiers, and design firms across the region.
• Develop new A&D relationships while deepening existing ones into long-term brand advocates.
• Create consistent market activity through firm visits, Lunch & Learns, CEUs, showroom presentations, product training, and industry events.
• Present the brand and product story in a credible, engaging way that resonates with the design community.
• Influence product recommendations and specifications from early-stage design through project execution.
• Identify the firms, associations, events, and market opportunities that can create the greatest impact.
• Build a measurable pipeline of relationships, projects, specifications, and opportunities.
• Partner closely with Sales, Marketing, Product, and the dealer network to help convert design influence into business.
• Bring market intelligence, designer feedback, competitive insights, and emerging opportunities back into the organization.
• Help shape the long-term A&D strategy, process, and go-to-market approach.

What Success Looks Like

Success is not measured simply by the number of meetings held.

The right person will:

• Consistently secure meetings with relevant architects and designers.
• Turn cold relationships into active, engaged opportunities.
• Build a growing network of professionals who know, trust, recommend, and specify the brand.
• Generate meaningful project activity and specification influence.
• Create a repeatable approach for developing the A&D channel.
• Build relationships that eventually translate into measurable business through the dealer network.
• Establish the brand as a credible and increasingly recognized resource within the design community.

What You Need

• A current, active network of architects, interior designers, and/or specifiers that you personally manage and can begin activating quickly.
• Proven experience developing business within the A&D community.
• Demonstrated ability to open new doors rather than simply manage inherited accounts.
• Strong presentation presence and comfort representing a brand in front of individual designers, firms, and groups.
• Experience influencing specifications, recommendations, material selections, or other long-cycle design decisions.
• Experience representing a design-led product such as architectural materials, surfaces, appliances, kitchen & bath products, flooring, tile, plumbing, furniture, wallcoverings, decorative products, or related interior finishes.
• Ability to combine a hunter mentality with long-term relationship development.
• Strong follow-through and ability to manage relationships from initial introduction through project opportunity.
• Comfort operating independently in a fast-moving, entrepreneurial environment.
• Practical business judgment and an understanding of how market influence ultimately translates into revenue.

Helpful, But Not Required

• Experience delivering CEUs or accredited educational presentations
• NKBA, ASID, AIA, CSI, NEWH, or similar industry involvement
• Kitchen, bath, cabinetry, or residential interiors experience
• Formal design or architecture education

The Opportunity

This is an opportunity for someone who wants more than a traditional territory-sales position.

You will have the ability to build a channel, shape the strategy, establish key relationships, and create a market presence that does not yet fully exist.

The right person will not simply inherit a playbook.

They will help create it.

 

Email Resume: [email protected]

Apply Online:

https://jobs.crelate.com/portal/maiplacement/job/h3n7rkr6utm94xdfo4ha5sukxe

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