Position Summary:
The Vice President of Sales is responsible for developing, planning and executing the sales strategy across our family of brands. This individual will mentor sales reps, analyze sales data, and meet profitability goals while striving to optimize efficiencies and capture innovative sales opportunities. The VP anticipates and analyzes sales trends to implement strategic action plans for new and existing businesses all while maintaining strong relationships with both external partners and internal teams.
Principal Duties and Responsibilities:
-Lead and mentor sales leaders ensuring they are focused on motivating their teams to achieve account-level sales goals and taking the steps necessary to meet those goals.
-Establish deep, meaningful relationships with key retailers and stakeholders at various corporations to deliver annual sales and profit targets.
-Collaborate with sales leaders and the marketing department on the development of promotions for showrooms and determine qualifications/benefits, provide updates to the sales team, spiff payout information, and grant final approval to implement.
-Budgeting, forecasting and analyzing sales, gross profit and all other business expenses.
-Analyzing sales to identify opportunities by using good judgment and generating and evaluating alternatives, developing and implementing effective solutions.
-Aggressively grow existing and prospective accounts across product line(s).
-Maintains and refines database or list of prospective customers for use as sales leads, based on information from business directories, show leads, advertising leads, and other sources.
-Maintain detailed knowledge of products or services within each brand, innovation pipeline and corporate strategy.
-Develop and implement short- and long-term strategic sales plans and channel penetration strategies and forecasts for each of our consumer brands/companies to drive growth in new and existing markets.
-Periodically participate in trade shows and visit important customers.
-Work with internal teams to share forecast inventory projections, ensure adequate stock of that merchandise, analyze buying trends, communicate large orders and new account demands.
-Develop and implement "best in class" sales techniques, processes, tools, performance metrics and appropriate compensation/incentive structures for sales resources.
-Drive successful sales execution across the customer base through increased sales effectiveness and account penetration efforts.
-Develop and implement pricing strategies with internal teams.
-Develop and track sales forecasts, communicate/coordinate actively with Executive team with updates.
-Create internal feedback loop on customer needs to ensure continuous improvement in our product innovation and marketing efforts.
-Work closely with customers, sales representatives, and resources to develop and produce product.
-Communicate and conduct primary market research to identify emerging trends, changes in consumer purchasing, and competitive threats. Make recommendations in order to grow market share, improve customer experience and drive growth.
-Maintain awareness of general economic conditions, industry and competitive dynamics and determine the potential impact on revenue and profitability for the company.
-Serve as a representative at industry conferences, seminars and trade shows, as needed.
-Participate in the catalog proofing process.
-All other duties as assigned.
Convivial Brands Expectations of all Employees:
-Adheres to all Convivial Brands Policies and Procedures.
-Conducts self in a manner consistent with Convivial Brands' Core Values at all times.
-Maintains a positive and respectful attitude with all contacts.
-Consistently reports to work on time and prepared to perform the duties of the position.
-Meets productivity standards and performs duties as workload necessitates.
-Maintains the privacy of all company proprietary information.
-Treat visitors, vendors, customers, and team members with respect and dignity.
-Able to safely perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
Directly lead, supervise, and develop Sales the internal and independent sales representatives.
Required/Desired Qualifications:
Education, Training, and Experience:
-BA/BBA in Business, Sales, Marketing or related field of study.
-5+ years relevant experience in a sales/marketing leadership role; preferably with an national nexus.
-Knowledge and enthusiasm for social expressions and other goods that make life better for consumers with a strong affinity for our industry highly desired.
-Experience negotiating terms with national clients.
-Previous success in new business development and account management.
-Deep understanding of channels available to identify and target new customers, including emerging web-based platforms.
-Strong analytical skills - extensive experience working with Excel and ERP systems to analyze sales statistics and identify risks and opportunities.
-Prior experience as an Outside Sales Representative.
-Proven track record to sell, manage, and drive growth.
Specific skills, knowledge, and abilities:
-Wholesale experience/exposure is preferred.
-Excellent negotiation and follow through skills.
-Excellent communicator with the ability to influence and build collaborative internal and external partnerships.
-Strategic thinker who finds creative ways to solve problems and to meet financial goals.
-Proven ability to instill discipline around the selling process and in elevating sales team performance.
-Strong business acumen with proven ability to convert corporate strategy into actionable sales initiatives.
-Ability to leverage data to project consumer insights and trends.
-Ability to travel daily in the Michigan market, as well as 40% nationally or as needed.
|