Director of Sales - College
Athlete's Thread
Sales & Business Development
United States
USD 140k-200k / year + Equity
About the Company
Athletes Thread is the leading NIL merchandise platform in college sports, powering personalized merchandise for 55,000+ athletes across 400+ universities with over 5 million product listings. We operate at the intersection of sports, technology, and athlete commerce — building the infrastructure that enables every college athlete, not just the stars, to earn from their name, image, and likeness.
Our platform leverages AI-driven product design, automated storefronts, and real-time analytics to deliver a merchandise experience that no one else in the industry can match. We are at the forefront and cutting edge of NIL, design, merchandising, and technology — and we’re defining where this industry goes next.
We’re growing fast, we’re a category leader, and we’re just getting started.
About the Role
We’re looking for a Director of College Sales to build and lead our sales organization during the most important phase of our growth.
This is not a maintenance role. You will own the strategy, systems, and team that scale Athletes Thread from category leader to category dominant. You’ll inherit a team of Account Managers, a multi-million dollar territory, and the mandate to professionalize every aspect of how we sell — from pipeline management to territory design to performance systems.
You’ll do this with the latest and most advanced AI-powered sales tools and technology at your fingertips. We invest in our team’s tools because we believe technology should be a multiplier, not a bottleneck.
What You’ll Do
• Lead and develop a team of 5–6 Account Managers managing relationships across 400+ university partnerships
• Own a multi-million dollar commissionable territory spanning DTC, wholesale, and retail channels
• Build the sales infrastructure from the ground up: pipeline management, CRM workflows, forecasting, territory design, and performance systems
• Drive revenue growth through strategic account planning, seasonal optimization, and data-driven Account Manager coaching
• Leverage cutting-edge AI tools, data analytics, and automation to increase conversion, activate accounts, and scale team performance
• Implement performance management including quotas, PIP frameworks, and career development paths for Account Managers
• Partner cross-functionally with product, design, and marketing to stay at the forefront of NIL merchandise innovation
What We’re Looking For
• 5+ years in a sales leadership role, with experience managing teams of 4–8+ reps in e-commerce, DTC, licensed merchandise, or sports
• Tech-forward and AI-fluent: you’ve used AI tools, CRM automation, and data analytics as daily workflow — not buzzwords on a resume
• Built or significantly improved sales processes at a growth-stage company ($30M+ in pipeline)
• Data-literate: comfortable reading a P&L, building territory plans, and coaching to metrics
• Hungry. You’re motivated by building, not maintaining. You want ownership in the outcome.
• Experience with Shopify, Salesforce, or similar platforms preferred. Passion for college sports and NIL.
Compensation & Benefits
• OTE: $140,000 – $200,000+ (tiered, uncapped commission)
• Monthly DTC commission payouts — no annual clawbacks
• Health insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Access to the latest AI-powered sales tools and technology stack to maximize your team’s impact (not just chatgpt)
• Remote-first with periodic travel to NYC HQ and key university accounts
Why Athletes Thread
• Market leader: 55,000+ athletes, 400+ schools, 5M+ product listings — the leading platform in NIL merchandise
• At the forefront and cutting edge of NIL, design, merchandising, and technology — we’re not keeping up with the industry, we’re defining it
• AI-native: generative AI for product design, automated storefronts, and athlete activation at a scale no one else is doing
• We equip our team with the latest and greatest AI sales tools to maximize efforts — this isn’t a company where you’ll be stuck with outdated tech or talks about ai using chatgpt.
• Massive TAM: $2B+ NIL market still in its infancy
• Impact: every dollar of revenue puts money directly in college athletes’ pockets
• Build mode: you’re not inheriting a finished machine — you’re building one
Athletes Thread is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all team members.