Director of Sales- Packaging

North American Company Ltd - Glenview, IL

Full-time - Senior

Glenview, IL

Furniture, Home Furnishings, Electronics, and Appliance Retailers

About the position

We are in search of an experienced Director of Sales to support our packaging business within the Central region. In this key role, you will be responsible for developing the overall selling strategy and customer initiatives while working collaboratively with the operational team and functional areas to drive revenue and margin growth in the region. You will also be responsible for building and leading the sales team tasked with new business development as well as retention and growth of current accounts. In this position, you will manage and lead the Sales team and Packaging Specialists within the Central region to drive sales, maintain and increase profit, margin, and customer satisfaction. You will develop and advance the division's long-range plan (LRP) in partnership with the Senior VP and aligned functional teams. Additionally, you will lead the selling organization in setting Central Region goals for existing customers and new business, developing robust KPIs to measure success. You will partner with the Central Regional Vice President and the Regional Sales Managers to drive and penetrate packaging cross-selling into accounts supported by the commercial teams. Setting sales plans, budgets, objectives, strategies, and initiatives will be crucial to fulfilling the growth and revenue goals of the Central Region while ensuring maximum sales volume and direct margin contribution. Building strong relationships with customers is essential to ensure an understanding of their needs, communicating a sense of commitment to them and to the marketplace, and creating a strong sense of brand loyalty within the customer base. You will also develop effective collaboration with cross-functional teams to proactively identify and address operational issues that negatively affect business performance. As a leader, you will cultivate the Packaging marketing strategy in partnership with Marketing, provide strategic and operational leadership, drive results through goal setting, accountability, and proper allocation of resources. Recruiting, developing, coaching, and retaining a highly skilled sales team will be key for long-term talent management and succession planning. You will manage and develop talent through strong and inspirational leadership while collaborating and communicating effectively across all levels of the organization.

Responsibilities

• Manage and lead Sales team and Packaging Specialists within the Central region to drive sales, maintain and increase profit, margin, and customer satisfaction.
• Develop and advance the division's long-range plan (LRP) in partnership with the Senior VP and aligned functional teams.
• Lead the selling organization in setting Central Region goals for existing customers and new business; Develop robust KPIs.
• Partner with the Central Regional Vice President and the Regional Sales Managers to drive and penetrate packaging cross-selling into accounts supported by the commercial teams.
• Set sales plans, budgets, objectives, strategies, and initiatives to fulfill the growth and revenue goals of the Central Region and ensure maximum sales volume and direct margin contribution.
• Support and enable the sales team to align with BradyPLUS' national packaging expansion strategy.
• Build strong relationships with customers to ensure an understanding of their needs and create a strong sense of brand loyalty within the customer base.
• Develop effective collaboration with cross-functional teams to proactively identify and address operational issues that negatively affect business performance.
• Cultivate the Packaging marketing strategy in partnership with Marketing.
• Provide strategic and operational leadership; drive results through goal setting, accountability, and proper allocation of resources.
• Recruit, develop, coach, and retain a highly skilled sales team for long-term talent management and succession pipeline.
• Manage and develop talent through strong and inspirational leadership.
• Collaborate and communicate effectively across all levels of the organization.

Requirements

• At least 10 years of progressive sales management experience in the secondary packaging industry, preferably with a large packaging distributor or manufacturer.
• Bachelor's degree from an accredited university in a relevant field, such as Business or Marketing; MBA is a plus.
• Demonstrated track record of developing sales strategies and delivering on revenue growth, profit, and customer satisfaction goals.
• Experience leading in a high growth, matrixed organization with co-owned goal accountabilities.
• Proven ability to develop, maintain, and grow key customer relationships at various levels.
• Exceptional leadership skills with a successful track record of recruiting, coaching, and developing talented sales professionals.
• Direct experience managing P&L.
• Broad understanding of the secondary packaging industry tied to key suppliers, market segments, trends, and key suppliers.
• Creativity and resourcefulness, with a bias toward well-informed action; strong problem-solving ability.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proficiency in MS Office applications; Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
• Ability to travel approximately 40%.

Benefits

• Competitive starting salary
• Comprehensive benefits program