Key Account Sales Director
Remote
Full Time
Senior Manager/Supervisor
Sun Gro Horticulture is one of the most prominent North American horticultural companies, employing over 800 staff and serving customers worldwide. Since its humble beginnings in 1929, it has become the leading supplier of soilless growing mixes to North America’s top 100 greenhouse and nursery growers, shipping over 70,000 truckloads of product annually. Sun Gro products are made to exacting standards and conform to high product quality and performance criteria.
Sun Gro Horticulture recognizes that its success is due to the strength of its employees. The primary goal of Sun Gro® is to promote individual employees’ sense of accomplishment and contribution so that employees enjoy their association with Sun Gro Horticulture. The Company invests in its employees so that they are the most knowledgeable in the industry, and undertakes great efforts to nurture loyalty to, and teamwork at, Sun Gro.
GENERAL SUMMARY:
We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Key Account Director to manage our most important US clients. This role involves building and maintaining strong relationships with key clients, identifying client needs and presenting tailored solutions. The Key Account Director will be responsible for driving sales, developing strategy, and achieving customer satisfaction. The ideal candidate is highly strategic, with excellent communication skills and a proven track record in key account management.
The sales director will be an active member of the Leadership Team representing the sales team while keeping the VP & Leadership Team informed of the sales effort and critical sales-related projects.
The sales director will work closely with the marketing department with focus on sales programs, marketing campaigns, market share analysis, targeted market strategies, new product development via the stage gate process, and similar related projects.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
Sun Gro Horticulture recognizes that its success is due to the strength of its employees. The primary goal of Sun Gro® is to promote individual employees’ sense of accomplishment and contribution so that employees enjoy their association with Sun Gro Horticulture. The Company invests in its employees so that they are the most knowledgeable in the industry, and undertakes great efforts to nurture loyalty to, and teamwork at, Sun Gro.
GENERAL SUMMARY:
We are seeking a highly skilled and experienced Key Account Director to manage our most important US clients. This role involves building and maintaining strong relationships with key clients, identifying client needs and presenting tailored solutions. The Key Account Director will be responsible for driving sales, developing strategy, and achieving customer satisfaction. The ideal candidate is highly strategic, with excellent communication skills and a proven track record in key account management.
The sales director will be an active member of the Leadership Team representing the sales team while keeping the VP & Leadership Team informed of the sales effort and critical sales-related projects.
The sales director will work closely with the marketing department with focus on sales programs, marketing campaigns, market share analysis, targeted market strategies, new product development via the stage gate process, and similar related projects.
ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:
- Develop trusted relationships with a portfolio of major clients.
- Acquire a thorough understanding of key customer needs and requirements.
- Expand the relationships with existing customers by continuously proposing solutions that meet their objectives.
- Ensure the correct products and services are delivered to customers in a timely manner.
- Serve as the link of communication between key customers and internal teams.
- Resolve any issues and problems faced by customers and deal with complaints to maintain trust.
- Play an integral part in generating new sales that will turn into long-lasting relationships.
- Prepare regular reports of progress and forecasts to internal and external stakeholders using key account metrics.
- Manage direct reports (3-4) to high performance through appropriate leadership, coaching, motivation, timely feedback and performance assessment.
- Responsible for delivering profitable total product group sales from the product portfolio according to the approved sales budgets and marketing plans.
- Optimize and work through necessary sales processes with finance and credit, logistics and supply chain, production and operations, customer care, quality and technical, and other non-sales departments.
- Initiate, monitor, and recommend sales programs which are measurable for sales growth and program costs, as well as programs that optimize harvest, production & shipping timelines and efficiencies.
- Control personal expense budget and manage expense budgets of direct reports as assigned in accordance with company policy.
- As scheduled, be available and well-prepared to participate in board meetings, operating committee meetings, SOP meetings and other assigned meetings
- Focus to keep safety first and foremost in all activities
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES:
- Proven experience as a Key Account Director or other relevant experience.
- Demonstrable ability to internally communicate, present and influence credibly and effectively at all levels of the organization, including executive and C-level.
- Experience in delivering client-focused solutions based on customer needs.
- Proven ability to manage multiple projects at a time while paying strict attention to detail.
- Excellent listening and presentation skills.
- Outstanding Organizational Ability – Represent sale’s area efficiently to internal teams including the leadership team, credit, supply chain, finance, H.R., and IT departments.
- Outstanding communication skills (written and oral) that allow them to effectively converse with clients, understand their needs and present suitable solutions.
- Strong sales and negotiation skills to secure large deals and foster long-term client relationships.
- Excellent leadership abilities to guide and motivate their team towards achieving set targets and objectives.
- Strong analytical skills for assessing the performance of key accounts and implementing necessary improvements.
- Exceptional customer service skills to ensure client satisfaction, build customer loyalty, and retain key accounts.
- Strategic thinking abilities to create effective plans for managing and growing key accounts.
- Proficient in using CRM software for tracking client information and sales activity.
- A deep understanding of the industry and market trends to align the company’s product or service offerings with client needs.
- Problem-Solving and Decision-Making Ability - Capability to solve problems and make well-informed effective decisions on needed timelines.
- Support and enhance the team environment and development, even while working remotely and independently.
- Perform with high level of business ethics, values, and principles.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelors degree required.
- 10+ years of Key Account Management or equivalent progressive sales leadership experience including 5+ years in a sales leadership role.
- Experience in horticulture or equivalent experience gained through employment in a horticultural or similar related job is preferred.
- Experience selling and/or managing relationships with national retailers is preferred.
- Cost efficient travel as needed to fulfill budgets and goals.
- Ability to travel required (30%-50% of the time).
- Weekend tradeshow promoting products and booking orders possible.
- Adequate computer skills (Microsoft outlook, word, excel, powerpoint etc.)
- Safe driving record.
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