National Teamwear Manager

Classic Sportswear (Classic) is an iconic Australian-owned sportswear brand which has been providing high-performance sportswear for elite athletes and teamwear for grassroots teams and associations since 1934. Classic has enjoyed a period of significant growth since the brand was purchased by the current shareholder group in late 2019. 
We are proudly part a group of leading Australian owned apparel brands which includes Dina Uniform Group, providing total apparel solutions across a diverse range of industry segments including elite and grassroots sport, schools, major government services, corporate uniforms, health and PPE.
Classic is the largest apparel provider in the National Rugby League (NRL), enjoying partnerships with five NRL clubs and all NRL programs including the Kangaroos, Jillaroos and the Indigenous and Maori All Stars. In 2024 the Classic brand extended across the Tasman striking five-year partnerships with the five New Zealand based Super Rugby clubs.
The foundations of the Classic brand extend beyond just elite sport and elite athletes. We have decades of proven experience designing and manufacturing quality Teamwear for the future stars of tomorrow, junior participants across a wide spectrum of sports extending to Australian Rules, Football, Netball, Hockey, Cricket, Basketball and others. We also offer an extensive range of school leavers' garments.
At Classic, our ongoing success and growth is directly related to the quality of our people. To help drive our next phase of growth, we are seeking a National Teamwear Manager to join our team.
You will bring a proven background in the Sports Teamwear and apparel industry, with a passion for and proven experience in sales. You will be an expert communicator with a strong ability to collaborate across a wide range of stakeholders and lead others, driven by the desire to ensure maximum productivity, profitability and efficiency within your role.
You will work with the CEO to develop the strategy to grow this important segment of the Classic business and lead its tactical implementation through the management of priority customers and a committed team of Teamwear specialists in place across major metropolitan and regional markets in Australia. Continuing the development of the Teamwear category in New Zealand will also be an important objective.
Position Purpose To lead the strategic development and tactical implementation of the Classic Teamwear program in Australia and New Zealand, and in doing so, guiding and managing a committed group of Teamwear specialists to achieve budgeted revenue and customer retention objectives.
Key Selection Criteria  Essential Criteria Industry ExperienceProven background in the Sports Teamwear and apparel industry.Demonstrated success in sales within the sportswear sector, particularly teamwear.2.  Leadership and Management Strong leadership skills with experience in managing and guiding a team of sales specialists.Ability to develop and implement strategic plans in collaboration with senior management.Experience in setting and achieving sales targets, managing budgets, and ensuring team productivity.3.  Sales and Business Development Expertise in identifying and leveraging growth opportunities within the teamwear category.Proven ability to manage and grow a portfolio of key accounts, ensuring high levels of customer satisfaction and retention.Experience in using elite sport programs and associated deliverables for business development.4.  Communication and Collaboration Excellent communication skills, both verbal and written, with the ability to collaborate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.Experience in managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders, including factories, warehouses, and customers.Ability to advocate for all brands within the group and ensure alignment with overall company objectives.5.  Operational Excellence Strong understanding of design, production, and shipping processes, ensuring strict adherence to timelines and quality standards.Ability to manage and optimize sales workflows and workloads across the team.Experience in conducting market research and competitor analysis to maintain a competitive edge.6.   Analytical and Reporting Skills Proficiency in providing management reporting and analysis to support informed decision-making.Ability to monitor and analyse sales activity, producing regular and thorough reports for senior management and shareholders. Desirable Criteria Market KnowledgeIn-depth knowledge of the Australian and New Zealand sportswear markets, including grassroots and elite sport segments.Understanding of market trends and the ability to provide product feedback and recommendations.2.  Supplier Management Experience in maintaining supplier relationships and attending new product launches.Ability to negotiate best prices with suppliers and ensure compliance requirements are met.3.  Technical Skills Familiarity with sales software to manage customer relationships and sales processes efficiently.Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, for data analysis and reporting. Personal Attributes Passion for Sports and TeamwearGenuine passion for sports and a strong understanding of the needs of athletes and teams.Commitment to delivering high-quality products and services to customers.2.  Results-Oriented Strong focus on achieving targets and driving growth in the teamwear category.Self-motivated and proactive in identifying and pursuing new business opportunities.3.  Adaptability Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.Flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions and customer needs.4.  Customer-Centric Approach Dedication to providing exceptional customer service and maintaining positive relationships with clients.Ability to manage customer expectations and ensure timely and efficient resolution of issues.This set of key selection criteria is designed to help identify a candidate who not only meets the technical and experiential requirements of the National Teamwear Manager role at Classic Sportswear but also aligns with the company's values and commitment to quality, growth, and customer satisfaction.
How to apply: Please forward your resume together with a cover letter answering the Key Selection Criteria.
Key Accountabilities Work closely with the CEO to review the Teamwear category, identify opportunities for growth, and develop strategies to unlock these opportunities.Lead the tactical implementation of the Teamwear program, guiding and managing a group of Teamwear specialists based in major metropolitan and regional markets in Australia and New Zealand.Achieve overall Teamwear revenue budgets and customer retention objectives.Proactively identify opportunities for growth in the Teamwear category and leverage Classic's investment in elite sport programs and deliverables (ticketing etc.) to drive business development. Manage, effectively service and grow the revenue of customers that fall under your direct portfolio, ensuring all requirements are managed in a timely and efficient manner and a positive relationship is maintained.Ensure the strict adherence of internal and external stakeholders to design, production and shipping processes and timelines, including (but not limited to) design development, artwork approvals, ordering portals, contact with factory etc.Undertake market research and competitor analysis to ensure Classic remains ahead of the trend thus maintaining its market leading position.Provide management reporting and analysis as required to support informed decision making.Advocate all brands within the group. Responsibilities & KPI's Lead and manage Teamwear staff, leading the communication of agreed strategy to achieve sales outcomes and ensuring resources required to meet targets are in place. Manage, qualify and assign all inbound enquiries via phone, referral and email onto Direct Reports for transaction.Monitor and manage sales workflow and workload across all Direct Reports, in addition to those customers that have been allocated to you.Work with the CEO and staff to develop, implement and manage staff KPI's ongoing. Conduct regular formal check ins and annual reviews with staff to ensure targets are managed and met.Ensure annual budgeted revenue and profitability objectives for the Teamwear category are met or exceeded.Achieve an overall customer retention rate of 90% or above.Work collaboratively with internal stakeholders and team members and adhere to all processes and policies in place at any given time. Follow and respect all process and communication with external company stakeholders including our Rydalmere Warehouse and China Factory. Monitor and provide product feedback, recommend any new product or technical specification aspects and market trends.Attend all internal product development / sourcing workshops.Ensure all sales strategies support supply chain requirements, allowing sufficient time to produce bespoke apparel and send to our local gateway by air freight. Air freight costs to be passed onto the customer if any request on product delivery or delay is a direct result of the customer requirement.Maintain all supplier relationships and attend all supplier new product launches.Negotiate best price with suppliers and review on an annual basis.Ensure supplier compliance requirements are managed and maintained.Source and provide all buy in product pricing for any of our brands on request with appropriate margins that are in the best interests of the company, seek Executive input where required. Report monthly to the CEO on sales activity by team and individual staff member.Produce regular and thorough management reporting and sales analytics for shareholder review as required Terms and conditions of employment:  A competitive salary package will be negotiated with the successful candidate, commensurate with their experience and qualifications.