Head of Comic Acquisitions at Hip eCommerce

United States

<strong>About Hip eCommerce</strong>We are avid collectors building the most efficient, specialized collectible communities on earth; where our vision is to know where every collectible is in the world, who has it, who wants it, and use technology to bring them together.<br/><br/>Today, we operate three marketplaces, including HipComic, HipStamp, and HipPostcard. At HipComic we’re blazing a trail in the comic book industry with our advanced image recognition features for selling, as well as our My Collection app that lets you organize and track your collection with just one snap.<br/><br/>We are a dynamic, fast-growing, VC-backed company that caters to collectors from all over the world. Our company is known for its vibrant culture and community, and we are committed to providing the best customer experience to our users. We’re also a worldwide, fully remote team, with a strong employee presence in the United States and the Philippines, and our employees are our strongest assets.<br/><strong>About the Position</strong><p>The <strong>Head of Comic Acquisitions</strong> serves as the strategic leader responsible for all purchasing decisions, consignment acquisition strategies, and collection procurement across our Fulfilled by Hip division. Reporting to the SVP of Direct eCommerce, this role drives revenue growth through expert valuation, strategic acquisition decisions, and optimal consignment vs. purchase determinations. This position requires a deep expertise in comic book markets, auction dynamics, and collection assessment, combined with strong business acumen to maximize profitability while building our premier comic book marketplace. The role demands someone who can balance the art of comic collecting with the science of data-driven acquisition strategies.</p><p><br/></p><p><strong>How You'll Spend Your Time</strong></p><ul><li><p>💰<strong>Strategic Acquisition Leadership:</strong> Lead all consignment and purchasing decisions for comic book collections, determining optimal acquisition methods (consignment vs. outright purchase) based on market analysis, collection value, and profit - managing multi-million dollar annual acquisition budgets while maximizing ROI.</p></li><li><p>📈<strong>Collection Valuation &amp; Assessment</strong>: Conduct expert evaluations of comic book collections using deep market knowledge, recent auction results, and condition assessment - accurately pricing collections from single key issues to multi-thousand-piece collections while identifying hidden gems and market opportunities.</p></li><li><p>🎯<strong>Business Development Team Management</strong>: Lead and mentor a team of Business Development Managers responsible for collection sourcing, relationship building, and acquisition pipeline development - setting targets, coaching performance, and ensuring consistent deal flow across multiple acquisition channels.</p></li><li><p>🤝<strong>CRM Team Coordination</strong>: Maintain dotted-line oversight of the CRM (Consignors) Manager and their team to ensure seamless coordination between acquisition strategies and consignor relationship management - collaborating on consignment terms, collection prioritization, and consignor communication while respecting their primary reporting line to the SVP of Direct eCommerce.</p></li><li><p>🚀<strong>Operations Collaboration:</strong> Partner closely with the Operations &amp; Fulfillment Manager to prioritize inventory processing, optimize storage allocation, and coordinate high-value item handling - ensuring acquisitions align with operational capacity and fulfillment capabilities.</p></li><li><p>📊<strong>Revenue &amp; Profitability Analysis</strong>: Develop and execute data-driven acquisition strategies that optimize GMV (Gross Merchandise Value) growth while maintaining target profit margins - analyzing market trends, pricing strategies, and competitive positioning to guide purchasing decisions and maximize collection turnover.</p></li><li><p>⚖️<strong>Strategic Decision Making:</strong> Make critical consignment vs. purchase decisions based on collection quality, market demand, storage capacity, and cash flow considerations - balancing immediate acquisition costs against long-term profit potential and inventory management requirements.</p></li></ul><strong>Qualifications</strong><ul><li><p>🎓<strong>Industry Expertise:</strong> 7-10 years of progressive experience in comic book collecting, dealing, or auction management, with deep knowledge of Golden Age through Modern Age comics, key issues, market trends, and collecting terminology - proven track record in high-value collection assessment and acquisition.</p></li><li><p>💼<strong>Auction &amp; Market Experience</strong>: 5+ years of hands-on experience with comic book auctions, consignment management, or collectibles trading - demonstrated ability to evaluate market conditions, timing decisions, and competitive positioning for optimal collection monetization.</p></li><li><p>📊<strong>Business Acumen &amp; Analytics</strong>: Strong financial analysis skills with experience managing acquisition budgets, calculating ROI, analyzing profit margins, and making data-driven purchasing decisions - proficiency with market analysis tools, pricing databases, and financial modeling for collection valuation.</p></li><li><p>🔍<strong>Valuation Expertise:</strong> Expert-level knowledge of comic book grading standards (CGC, CBCS, PSA), condition assessment, and market valuation - ability to quickly and accurately assess collection value, identify key issues, and spot restoration, reprints, or other factors affecting authenticity and worth.</p></li><li><p>🤝<strong>Relationship Building:</strong> Exceptional interpersonal skills with proven ability to build trust with collectors, negotiate complex deals, and maintain long-term business relationships - experience managing high-value transactions and sensitive estate situations with professionalism and discretion.</p></li><li><p>📈<strong>Strategic Thinking:</strong> Strong strategic planning abilities with experience developing acquisition strategies, market entry plans, and competitive positioning - ability to balance short-term cash flow needs with long-term inventory and profitability goals.</p></li></ul><strong>Preferred Location (Raleigh–Durham, North Carolina (On-site):</strong><ul><li>This role is remote for candidates outside the Raleigh–Durham area.</li></ul><em>Don’t let impostor syndrome or a confidence gap stop you from applying. We encourage you to apply for this position even if you feel you do not meet all the requirements. Hip eCommerce is an equal-opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees.</em>