US Retail Lead
Confirmed on the employer's own hiring board on Oct 29, 2026. First seen by Alion on Oct 28, 2026.
About the role
You’ll own Pocket’s US retail business. Today, Pocket sells through its own Shopify store and Amazon. Your job is to bring Pocket to retail shelves across the US and build retail into a profitable, growing channel.
You’ll build this channel from the ground up: deciding which retailers to pursue, pitching buyers, negotiating commercial terms, managing launches, and making sure Pocket sells through once it’s on the shelf. You’ll work closely with operations on forecasting and inventory, marketing on in-store presence and launches, and finance on margins and commercial terms.
This is a hands-on role for someone who has already taken a consumer product into major US retailers and can get things done with a high degree of independence.
What you’ll own
Pocket’s US retail strategy: which retailers to pursue, in what order, and with what assortment and pricing
Buyer relationships, pitches, and line reviews across national, specialty, and online retailers
Commercial terms, including margins, MDF, co-op, payment terms, returns, and allowances
Retail launches from end to end, from vendor setup through to the product being available in stores and online
Sell-in and sell-through performance, including regular reporting and actions to address issues
Forecasting and replenishment with operations to help prevent stockouts and overstock
Retailer operations, including vendor compliance, EDI, chargebacks, and deductions
In-store merchandising, displays, promotions, and trade marketing in partnership with marketing
Pricing consistency across retail, Amazon, and Pocket’s own store
Distributors, brokers, or sales reps where they make sense, while remaining accountable for results
What we’re looking for
6+ years of experience in retail sales, channel management, or key account management for consumer products
A track record of personally launching a product with at least one major national US retailer and growing the business after launch
Existing relationships with buyers at major US retailers
Strong understanding of retail economics, including margin structures, MDF, co-op, returns, chargebacks, and deductions
Experience with sell-through analysis, forecasting, and inventory planning
Strong negotiation skills and commercial judgment: you know which deals are worth pursuing and which aren’t
Comfort working independently and getting hands-on while the team is still small
Consumer electronics experience is a strong plus
Experience taking a DTC brand into retail for the first time is a strong plus
What we offer
Full ownership of a new channel at a rapidly scaling consumer hardware and software company
The opportunity to build Pocket’s US retail presence from the ground up
High autonomy and direct impact on company growth
Direct access to the founders and close collaboration with marketing, operations, and finance
Base salary of $180K
About Pocket
Pocket is a Y Combinator W26 company building a premium hardware and software product in the AI voice recorder space. We’re obsessed with quality and speed, scaling quickly across the US and Europe, and building a device experience that can become the category leader