Director of Business Development – Activewear & Apparel | U.S. Market

Business Development Director – U.S. Apparel MarketHunter Role | New Business Development | Activewear & AthleisureCompany: AOGU ApparelLocation: United States — Remote initially, field-based with regular travelEmployment Type: Full-timeCompensation: $140,000–$220,000/year + performance incentivesRole Type: New Business / HunterAbout AOGU ApparelAOGU Apparel is a global apparel manufacturing partner specializing in activewear, athleisure, casualwear, loungewear, and lifestyle apparel.We support apparel brands and retail partners throughout the product lifecycle, including:Product developmentDesign collaborationFabric sourcingPattern developmentSamplingQuality controlBulk manufacturingProduction managementOur goal is to become a long-term manufacturing and product development partner for apparel brands and retail businesses.As AOGU expands its presence in North America, we are looking for a highly experienced Business Development Director to lead new customer acquisition and open new business opportunities across the U.S. market.The Role: Hunter, Not Account ManagerWe are looking for a Hunter.This is a new-business-focused leadership position, not an account management or customer maintenance role.Your primary mission will be to identify, approach, win, and develop new customers that have never worked with AOGU before.You will be responsible for opening new business opportunities across the North American apparel market, with a particular focus on:Major activewear retailersAthleisure retailersCasualwear retailersApparel brandsSpecialty boutiquesFashion retailersWholesale distributorsE-commerce apparel businessesOther strategic apparel channelsYou should already understand who the important players are, who makes the decisions, how buying organizations operate, and how to get a meeting with them.This role is designed for a commercially aggressive, relationship-driven business developer who can open doors and turn relationships into revenue.What You Will Own1. New Customer Acquisition — Core ResponsibilityYour number one responsibility is:Win new customers.You will proactively identify and approach high-potential apparel companies across North America.You will:Identify target retailers, brands, boutiques and wholesale channelsResearch decision-makers and buying organizationsDevelop account-entry strategiesInitiate executive-level conversationsArrange meetings and presentationsConduct in-person client visitsPresent AOGU's manufacturing capabilitiesDevelop new business opportunitiesNegotiate commercial termsDrive opportunities toward contract and productionYou will not wait for inbound leads.You create the opportunities.2. Build & Manage the New Business PipelineBuild and manage a healthy new-business sales pipeline.You will be responsible for the entire acquisition process:Target Account → Decision Maker → Initial Contact → Meeting → Opportunity → Product Development → Sampling → Commercial Negotiation → Contract → First Order → Repeat BusinessYou will:Build target-account listsIdentify decision-makersEstablish contact strategiesTrack opportunitiesMaintain accurate pipeline dataForecast potential revenueIdentify stalled opportunitiesDevelop strategies to move opportunities forwardReport pipeline progress to company leadershipThe pipeline should be built around qualified opportunities and expected revenue, not simply the number of contacts.3. Market StrategyDevelop market-entry and customer-acquisition strategies for North America.You will:Analyze market opportunitiesIdentify high-potential customer segmentsResearch competitorsUnderstand competitor positioningMonitor apparel market developmentsIdentify emerging brands and retailersTrack activewear and athleisure trendsIdentify potential gaps in the marketProvide regular market intelligence to AOGU leadership and product development teams.Your feedback will help the company understand:What North American customers want, what products they are developing, what price points they are targeting, and what manufacturing capabilities they need.4. Convert Relationships Into RevenueRelationships alone are not enough.The Business Development Director will be directly responsible for converting new relationships into measurable business results.You will drive opportunities from:First Conversation → Product Opportunity → Sample → Commercial Discussion → First Order → Long-Term AccountYou will work closely with AOGU's China-based:Design teamProduct development teamSourcing teamSampling teamProduction teamQuality control teamto ensure customer requirements are translated into commercially viable products.Performance & KPIsThis position is strongly revenue and new-customer driven.The Business Development Director will be accountable for key growth metrics including:New Customer RevenueRevenue generated from customers acquired through new business development.New Customer AcquisitionNumber and quality of new customers successfully acquired.Sales PipelineValue and quality of qualified new-business opportunities.ConversionPerformance across:Prospect → Meeting → Opportunity → Development → Sample → OrderStrategic AccountsNumber of high-value retail, brand and channel accounts developed.Market ExpansionGrowth of AOGU's presence within targeted North American market segments.Specific annual and quarterly targets will be established based on market conditions, territory and the candidate's experience.What You BringRequired ExperienceApparel Industry6+ years of experience in apparel sales, business development, sourcing, manufacturing or related commercial roles.Activewear / Athleisure5+ years of direct experience in Activewear / Athleisure.You should understand the products, customers, buying cycles and competitive landscape within this category.Proven Hunter Track RecordYou must have a verifiable track record of developing major customers from zero.We want to understand:Who you targetedHow you gained accessWho the decision-maker wasHow you developed the relationshipHow long the sales cycle tookHow you converted the opportunityWhat revenue the customer ultimately generatedCandidates should be prepared to discuss specific examples during the interview.Critical Requirement: North American Industry NetworkEstablished relationships within the North American apparel industry are a hard requirement.Particularly valuable are existing relationships with senior decision-makers at:Major apparel retailersActivewear retailersApparel brandsSpecialty retailersBoutiquesWholesale organizationsDistribution companiesStrong relationships in the Los Angeles / Southern California apparel market are particularly valuable.You should understand the local apparel ecosystem and be able to identify meaningful prospects without starting completely from scratch.Why Join AOGU Apparel?Build a New North American BusinessYou will play a key role in expanding AOGU's presence in the North American apparel market.Direct Access to ManufacturingYou will work directly with our China-based design, sourcing, development and production teams.Significant Growth OpportunityYou will have the opportunity to build relationships with major apparel brands and retailers and create a substantial new revenue channel for AOGU.High OwnershipYou will have significant autonomy in developing target accounts, building relationships and executing market strategies.Leadership OpportunityAs the U.S. organization expands, this role can evolve into a broader leadership position overseeing AOGU's North American commercial operations.Work EnvironmentInitial Setup: RemoteThe role will initially operate remotely while AOGU establishes its U.S. business infrastructure.However, this is fundamentally a field-based business development leadership position.Regular travel is expected for:Client meetingsRetailer visitsBrand visitsTrade showsIndustry eventsBusiness development activitiesAOGU is evaluating Southern California / Los Angeles as a potential future location for its U.S. office.Compensation$140,000 – $220,000 Annual Base SalaryAdditional performance incentives will be tied to new business development and revenue growth.Equal OpportunityAOGU Apparel is an equal opportunity employer.We value diverse professional backgrounds, experiences and perspectives and are committed to building a professional, collaborative and results-oriented North American team.How to ApplyPlease submit your resume and a brief introduction highlighting:Your total experience in the apparel industryYour Activewear / Athleisure experienceYour U.S. / North American market experienceExamples of major customers you personally developed from zeroYour experience developing retail, brand or wholesale accountsYour existing relationships within the North American apparel industryYour experience generating new business revenueYour approach to developing a new market or territoryPlease include measurable results wherever possible, such as:New customers acquired | Revenue generated | Account growth | Sales targets achieved | Major accounts developedCandidates with strong North American apparel industry relationships and a proven Hunter track record are especially encouraged to apply.