Retail Sales Advisor - Chicago, Illinois

Division Information

The Pet Care business unit of Spectrum Brands is based in St. Louis, Missouri with distribution, manufacturing and sales offices throughout the U.S. and globally. Owners of dogs, cats, birds, small animals, fish and reptiles rely on our brands for exceptional value and trusted results. Our industry‑leading brands include Tetra®, Instant Ocean®, Marineland®, 8‑in‑1®, Dingo®, FURminator®, Nature’s Miracle®, Glo Fish®, Dream Bone® and Smart Bones®.

The Retail Sales Advisor is responsible for managing and advancing sales relationships with both existing and prospective accounts. This role includes strategic planning, presentation development, data analysis, and tactical execution in preparation for customer engagements, events, and sales initiatives across the Global Pet Care business within a defined account base.

• Develop and execute strategies to maximize Spectrum Brands Global Pet Care SKU distribution within assigned accounts.
• Support the development of annual sales quotas, profit plans, and action plans; monitor performance against objectives and adjust strategies as needed.
• Create customized, retailer‑specific presentations for line reviews, promotional programs, and mid‑season business updates.
• Provide consistent weekly updates outlining business performance and key impacts.
• Contribute to accurate forecasting processes in collaboration with account managing teams.

• Drive profitable sales growth within a defined account base, focusing on Global Pet Care products across multi‑store and independent retailers.
• Develop deep expertise within assigned accounts by understanding retailer strategies, objectives, and needs to grow the business effectively.
• Prioritize efforts using data‑driven insights, focusing on top‑performing/accelerator accounts that generate the majority of revenue.
• Partner with distributor sales representatives to strengthen relationships with key store personnel and provide product training to enhance in‑store recommendations.
• Deliver product knowledge and sales training through seminars and ride‑along with distributor partners.
• Identify new store opportunities within the account base; consult on assortment, merchandising, and promotional strategies; secure opening orders and support store setup execution.
• Participate in events including open houses, trade shows, sales blitzes, distributor meetings, and store resets.
• Collaborate with consumers, store teams, and marketing to identify and support new product opportunities.

• Target and convert prospective accounts by executing strategic sales plans, building relationships, and securing new business opportunities.
• Develop a strong understanding of gross margin performance by SKU; evaluate against benchmarks and competitive insights.
• Recommend pricing strategies and promotional programs that align with customer objectives while maximizing profitability.
• Maintain and update competitive intelligence and communicate emerging trends.
• Leverage data tools (AGDATA, CRM) to support promotional planning and execution.
• Assist in developing annual promotional plans to optimize product mix and timing.
• Evaluate promotion performance to drive continuous improvement.
• Apply and refine selling techniques to grow the business and be the Trusted Advisor.

An Equivalent Combination Of

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field preferred or equivalent experience.
• Minimum of 2 years of experience in consumer products and/or sales.
• Field sales experience in the pet industry preferred.
• Experience with syndicated data or category management is a plus.

• This role requires frequent travel, including overnight stays, depending on territory needs and customer activity.
• A significant portion of each workweek is spent driving and traveling between distributors, retailers, and customer locations.
• Daily work includes being in and out of retail stores, distributor locations, events, and customer sites.
• Workdays may begin early and occasionally extend into…