District Sales Manager

Role: District Sales Manager – Horticulture

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.

 

Job Summary:

To plan, organize, and control the total selling effort within the assigned territory. Achieve area sales budget objectives and plans as assigned. Ensure distribution objectives are attained as assigned on a consistent basis for Sun Gro product line to gain market share. Establish territory, distributor, and account objectives and develop plans for their accomplishments. Control and monitor sales expense budgets conforming to the expense plan guidelines and policies

Compensation: Base Salary Range $70,000 - $80,000 along with sales bonus structure and company vehicle. 

Benefits:

• Health Insurance (includes telemedicine, virtual health, FSA, HCSA & other benefits)

• Dental Insurance

• Vision Insurance

• Life Insurance

• Health Spending Account

• Employee Support and Mental Wellness

• Short-term disability

• 401k Match

• Paid vacation

• Floating days

• Employee Assistance Program

• Employee Engagement Events

• Awards and Recognition

• Tuition Reimbursement

• Service Awards

• Employee Perks & Discounts

Job Responsibilities:

• Responsible for delivering sales according to approved sales and marketing plans.
• Responsible for implementing/controlling approved sales/marketing programs and procedures. Achieve new account and distribution objectives as assigned.
• Canvas the market to gain insight and adjust to ever changing conditions to ensure Sun Gro is positioned properly.
• Maintain CRM data by capturing all sales activities and account notes accurately and timely.
• Maintain a profile of your territory to understand competitors, potential customers, distributors, and other business conditions.
• Communication with your supervisor(s) about all factors or activities which affect your territory directly or indirectly and various company departments.
• Participate in regional meetings to plan and analyze business activities.
• Properly handles all customer requests, problems, or special situations relating to our product's performance.
• Maintain Company equipment to ensure safety and professional appearance at all times.
• Control territory expense budgets as assigned.
• Timely submission of sales reports & expense reports as required to meet monthly deadline.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Organizational Ability - Capability to:

- Plan, organize, and monitor activities according to priorities.
- Establish schedules, deadlines, or quotas.
- Develop results-oriented conclusions.

• · Communications/Interpersonal Skills - Capability to:

- Listen effectively.
- Describe or explain information, concepts, ideas, or instructions to others.
- Interface effectively with customers, the public, and co-workers.

• Decision-making Ability - Capability to:

- Perceive and evaluate alternatives.
- Analyze impact of decisions before executing them.
- Make and implement decisions compatible with organizational goals.
- Support decisions with appropriate evidence and rationale.

• The ability to make accurate assessments on market conditions and trends and convey these in a professional manner.
• Perform with absolute honesty and diplomacy managing multiple distributors in the territory.

Education and Experience:

• Education in horticulture or equivalent experience preferred

• Passion for horticulture with experience in lawn/garden retail or plant nurseries

• Horticulture/Ag Certification is a plus (State/County courses or continuing education)

• Greenhouse/Nursery production experience is a plus

• Experience with Independent Garden Centers or horticulture departments in hardware stores

Additional Requirements:

• Ability and willingness to travel to cover territory needs and team activities

Work Environment:

• Remote position with ~70% travel - can sit anywhere in the territory below - 

• Territory covers Maryland, Virginia, and Delaware