Sales Director, North America

Please note, this position can be based anywhere in North America.

Position Summary

The Sales Director, North America is responsible and accountable for the direct leadership, management, and performance of the Vanguard sales team throughout North America. While primarily responsible for the North American market, this role will also support sales initiatives and opportunities globally. This role owns the execution of the sales strategy and all aspects of the sales process, from lead generation and qualification through successful close and customer handoff.

The Sales Director develops and executes sales initiatives that align with Vanguard's strategic objectives, drives revenue growth, expands market share, and ensures the team delivers an exceptional customer experience. This position serves as a key leader within the organization by coaching and developing sales professionals, supporting dealer relationships, identifying market opportunities, and providing market intelligence to support future product development and business strategy. The successful candidate must possess strong leadership, communication, business development, and consultative sales skills, along with a deep understanding of capital equipment sales, dealer networks, and customer relationship management.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Sales Leadership & Team Management

• Directly manage, coach, mentor, and develop the North American sales team.
• Establish annual sales objectives, quotas, and performance expectations.
• Conduct regular one-on-one meetings, pipeline reviews, and performance discussions with team members.
• Recruit, onboard, train, and develop high-performing sales professionals.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and customer-focused selling.
• Ensure consistent execution of Vanguard's sales processes, tools, and methodologies.

Revenue Growth & Business Development

• Develop and execute strategic sales plans to achieve revenue and profitability objectives.
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities within target markets and territories.
• Support sales representatives in complex negotiations and strategic account development.
• Drive market penetration through direct sales efforts and dealer channel partnerships.
• Maintain visibility into all significant sales opportunities and resource requirements.

Sales Process Management

• Oversee all phases of the sales cycle, including prospecting, qualification, needs analysis, proposal development, quoting, negotiation, and closing.
• Ensure accurate sales forecasting and pipeline management.
• Monitor sales activity metrics and implement corrective actions when necessary.
• Drive consistent use of CRM systems and sales management tools.
• Improve sales effectiveness through process optimization and best-practice sharing.

Customer & Dealer Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with strategic customers, dealers, and industry partners.
• Consult with prospective and existing customers regarding Vanguard products, applications, and business solutions.
• Support dealer partners with sales strategy, customer engagement, and opportunity development.
• Participate in executive-level customer meetings and key account reviews.
• Ensure customers receive a world-class ownership experience consistent with Vanguard's values.

Marketing & Industry Engagement

• Support tactical marketing initiatives, trade shows, open houses, demonstrations, and customer events.
• Partner with marketing to ensure alignment between lead generation activities and sales execution.
• Represent Vanguard at industry events and maintain awareness of market trends and competitive activity.
• Assist in the development and execution of promotional strategies to increase brand awareness and sales performance.

Market Intelligence & Product Development Support

• Gather and communicate competitive intelligence regarding pricing, features, product performance, and market trends.
• Provide feedback from customers, dealers, and sales team members to support future product development initiatives.
• Collaborate with product management, service, and operations teams to align customer needs with company capabilities.
• Identify emerging market opportunities and recommend strategic initiatives to leadership.

Operational Excellence

• Maintain accurate and timely CRM records, forecasts, reports, and customer data.
• Monitor sales performance metrics and deliver regular business updates to executive leadership.
• Manage departmental budgets and expenses responsibly.
• Ensure compliance with company policies, pricing guidelines, and contractual requirements.
• Participate in strategic planning and organizational leadership initiatives.

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or a related field preferred.
• Minimum of 7-10 years of progressive sales leadership experience in the printing industry.
• Experience managing field sales teams across multiple territories.
• Capital equipment, industrial equipment, printing technology, manufacturing, or related industry experience strongly preferred.
• Proven track record of building high-performing sales organizations and achieving revenue growth objectives.