Sales Manager/Commercial Leader

FDF Commercial Leader

The Commercial Leader will be responsible for leading key customer and vendor relationships, team success and development, sales excellence, and application expertise, all leading to profitable growth. This pivotal role involves hiring, supporting and developing our technical sales team, vendor alignment, and developing and executing strategic initiatives. This position will also lead development of our value-add offering. Travel for this position will be required to support the sales teams, customers, vendors and divisional leadership activities. This position will also assist in commercial integration of new acquisitions.

Responsibilities

• Sales Leadership & Management: Leads sales strategy, training, market analysis, developing and managing the sales team. Own the sales annual budget and target setting process. Sets sales policies and manage exceptions. Ensure effective department management aligning with company policies. Promote team selling and expansion of existing relationships across divisions and/or geographic areas. Ensure teams are using and maintaining CRM activities.
• Sales Excellence: Lead sales excellence initiative with team and ensure use of IGNITE proactive sales actions by all team members. Hold weekly huddles with team to review results, discuss success of the week and socialize weekly assignments. Monitor IGNITE activity throughout the week and participate in weekly leadership huddles.
• Key Customer Engagement: With sales team, build relationships with key customers. Own effort to define how we continue to improve our value to these key customers. Focus our efforts on serving where we can grow.
• Vendor Alignment: Works closely with key vendor partners to achieve growth goals and win at customers. Own vendor relationship on execution of sales programs. Be the key contact on expediting.
• Leadership Team Collaboration: Partner with OTC leadership and corporate resources to provide expertise and achieve objectives. Collaborate with VP Operations for profitable growth.
• Develop Teams: Leads effort to assure training and skill development. Sets sales territories and develops sales compensation programs with leadership team. Build bench strength.
• Sales Forecasting & Attainment: Establish forecasts, monitor sales activities for optimum ROI, and provide market intelligence for strategic decision-making.
• Sales Process Management: Develop strategic plans to enhance sales processes and align goals with company values. Oversee the implementation and refinement of sales KPIs and performance metrics. Lead deployment of CRM solution. Lead reporting for this business.
• Value Add Offerings: This position spearheads our strategic growth in both geographic and product capability offerings.
• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Business Administration, or related field; MBA preferred.
• Minimum 15 years of industrial automation experience. You must be technically savvy to communicate the value of our products and solutions with customers, partners, and your teams.
• History developing specifications with customers in finishing, dispense, and/or filtration. Familiarity with leading vendor partners a plus.
• Minimum 10 years in sales or product leadership role; management experience leading teams across multiple geographies preferred. Your management history must include growing and evolving teams into top performers with an account-expansion mindset through talent assessment, talent acquisition, performance management and succession planning.
• Strong business acumen with the ability to understand financial metrics and apply insights to strategic decisions.
• Proven track record of sales and market expertise, strong analytical and leadership skills, and a thorough understanding of the industrial products and services market.
• Familiarity with sales operations and financial reporting.
• Familiarity with utilization of ERP and CRM.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite or similar software.
• Powerful sense of urgency and accountability.
• Excellent customer relationship building skills.
• Exceptional verbal, written, and presentation skills.
• Proven experience in creating technical equipment quotations.
• Must be proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, Outlook, Teams).
• Ability to understand written and oral English and be proficient with computer, email, spreadsheets and look up documents online.
• A Strong "team attitude" with the ability to work productively in group settings with other associates, customers, and vendors.
• A commitment to the concept of "doing it right the first time".
• Valid Driver's License.
• Aptitude to read parts manuals, vendor catalogs, understand blueprints, and communicate technical information effectively.
• Possesses a strong business acumen to make sound decisions pertaining to the needs of the business including aspects of gross margin.
• Ability to work in environments that may include:
• Moving mechanical parts.
• Fumes or airborne particles.
• Painting chemicals and solvents.
• Electrical equipment.

Physical Demands

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Requires ability to walk, climb, stand, carry materials, stoop, kneel, bend at waist.
• Maximum unassisted lift = 50 lbs. Average lift less than 50 lbs.

Competencies

• Adaptability – Ability to be flexible and adjust to changes in your work environment. You can respond quickly to changing ideas, responsibilities, expectations, trends, strategies and other processes. Being adaptable also means possessing soft skills like interpersonal, communication, creative thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Accuracy - Ability to detect errors in normal course of work by standard check or routine crosscheck. Errors resulting from inaccuracy would create minor confusion, delay or expense to correct the situation.
• Dependability - Follows instructions, responds to management direction; Keeps commitments.
• Initiative - Takes independent actions and calculated risks; Looks for and takes advantage of opportunities; Asks for and offers help when needed.
• Customer Service - Responds promptly to customer needs; Solicits customer feedback to improve service; Responds to requests for service and assistance.
• Problem Solving - Displays original thinking and creativity; Meets challenges with resourcefulness; Generates suggestions for improving work; Develops innovative approaches and ideas; Presents ideas and information in a manner that gets others' attention.
• Planning/Organization - Prioritizes and plans work activities; Uses time efficiently; Plans for additional resources; Sets goals and objectives; Develops realistic action plans.
• Communication and Interpersonal Skills - Speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; Listens and gets clarification; Demonstrates group presentation skills.
• Collaboration – Ability to work with others to achieve a common goal; Building and maintaining relationships through shared responsibility, respect, and empathy.