Director of Retail Sales- Horticulture Broker

Director of Retail Sales

The Director of Sales is responsible for leading the sales strategy, customer development, revenue growth, and profitability for the Retail division within a National Horticulture Company.

This position leads the development and execution of sales strategies to grow existing accounts, develop new business, strengthen strategic customer relationships, and expand product and category penetration across the retail horticulture market. The Director of Sales works closely with sales leadership and cross-functional teams to align customer needs, products, pricing, inventory, merchandising, and service with business objectives. The successful candidate is a strategic, hands-on sales leader with strong knowledge of retail horticulture, customer development, seasonal sales, and the needs of garden centers, nurseries, landscapers, and other horticultural retailers

Scroll down the page to see all associated job requirements, and any responsibilities successful candidates can expect.

Responsibilities:

Sales Strategy

• Own the overall retail sales strategy and deliver sustainable, profitable growth.
• Deliver profitable, sustainable sales growth while strengthening competitive position in retail horticulture.
• Develop and execute the Retail Horticulture sales strategy across independent garden centers, regional retailers, national accounts, nurseries, landscapers, and other key channels.
• Own revenue, gross margin, market share, and growth objectives, establishing clear sales targets and accountability across the organization.
• Drive customer and market expansion through new account acquisition, geographic growth, increased product penetration, new categories, and expanded services.
• Lead pricing and commercial strategy to balance competitive positioning, customer value, revenue growth, and profitability.
• Use sales performance, market conditions, and customer insights to continuously adjust strategy and capitalize on opportunities or address gaps.
• Identify and prioritize the highest-value growth opportunities across customers, products, categories, and markets.

Customer & Market Leadership

• Strengthen key customer relationships and identify where the company can gain additional share of the market and customer wallet.
• Build deeper, more strategic customer partnerships while expanding the market presence and share of wallet.
• Own strategic relationships with key retail customers and buying organizations, serving as a senior-level partner and trusted business advisor.
• Develop strategic account plans focused on growth, retention, profitability, category expansion, and long-term partnerships.
• Increase share of wallet by identifying opportunities for additional products, categories, services, seasonal programs, and customer solutions.
• Partner directly with customers to understand business objectives, consumer trends, merchandising strategies, seasonal needs, and future opportunities.
• Lead or support major customer negotiations, line reviews, business reviews, and strategic presentations.
• Monitor market, competitor, and consumer trends to identify emerging categories, changing customer needs, and new growth opportunities.
• Translate market intelligence into actionable recommendations for leadership, sales, purchasing, marketing, and product teams.

Sales Leadership

• Build a high-performing sales organization and ensure the entire company is aligned behind customer and sales objectives.
• Create a high-performing sales team and coordinated organization capable of consistently delivering on customer commitments and growth objectives.
• Lead, coach, and develop the Retail Sales organization, including Regional Sales Managers and sales representatives.
• Establish clear KPIs, quotas, performance expectations, accountability, and sales best practices.
• Develop sales talent and future leaders while creating a culture centered on performance, teamwork, customer service, and profitable growth.
• Lead seasonal and promotional strategies, ensuring sales plans align with customer demand, inventory availability, and market opportunities.
• Partner closely with Purchasing, Marketing, Operations, Finance, Product Management, and Customer Service to ensure the company can effectively execute customer commitments.
• Align product assortment, inventory, pricing, promotions, merchandising, and customer programs with market demand.
• Resolve significant customer or operational issues and improve internal processes that directly impact customer experience and sales performance.

Executive Leadership

• Serve on the Executive Team and provide the leadership team with the insight, visibility, and strategic direction needed to make better business decisions.
• Give Executive Leadership the visibility, insight, and strategic direction needed to make informed decisions and position the company for long-term growth.
• Own sales forecasting and demand visibility, ensuring leadership and operating teams have an accurate view of future business.
• Establish and monitor critical KPIs including revenue, gross margin, customer retention, new business, category performance, pipeline, forecast accuracy, and sales productivity.
• Analyze performance by customer, territory, product category, season, and sales representative to identify opportunities, risks, and corrective actions.
• Translate data and market intelligence into clear strategic recommendations, rather than simply reporting results.
• Provide Executive Leadership with perspective on customers, competitors, pricing, product categories, market trends, and long-term growth opportunities.
• Participate in strategic planning, budgeting, forecasting, and long-term business development.
• Evaluate potential new customers, markets, products, suppliers, and strategic initiatives that can strengthen the company's long-term position.
• Serve as a senior voice for the retail horticulture market within the organization.
• Support Regional Sales Managers and Sales Representatives with significant customer opportunities and complex negotiations.

Qualifications:

Education

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Sales, Marketing, Horticulture, Agriculture, Agribusiness, Retail Management, or a related field preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education, training, and relevant industry experience may be considered.
• Continued education, professional development, and industry training in sales leadership, retail management, horticulture, merchandising, or related areas preferred.

Experience:

• Minimum of 10 years of progressive sales experience, including significant sales management and leadership responsibility.
• Proven experience leading a multi-territory, multi-channel, or regional sales organization.
• Previous experience in retail horticulture, greenhouse supplies, garden centers, nurseries, landscaping, agriculture, or a closely related industry strongly preferred.
• Experience managing a sales force
• Leadership/Executive Team experience is a plus

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Strong knowledge of the retail horticulture industry, including garden centers, nurseries, greenhouse products, landscaping, home gardening, and related retail channels.
• Understanding of seasonal retail sales cycles and the ability to plan effectively around peak selling periods.
• Knowledge of horticultural products, product categories, merchandising, pricing, promotions, and retail customer needs.
• Strong understanding of retail sales strategy, account development, territory management, customer acquisition, and market expansion.
• Ability to develop and execute strategic sales plans that support revenue growth, profitability, customer retention, and market share.
• Strong financial and business acumen, including the ability to understand and analyze sales, margins, pricing, discounts, budgets, forecasts, and customer profitability including EBITDA
• Ability to analyze sales data, market trends, customer information, and competitive activity and translate findings into actionable business strategies.
• Strong negotiation skills with the ability to effectively manage pricing, customer programs, contracts, and strategic relationships.
• Exceptional relationship-building and customer service skills with the ability to establish credibility with owners, buyers, executives, sales teams, and other key stakeholders.
• Strong leadership, coaching, mentoring, and team-development skills.
• Ability to establish clear expectations, hold teams accountable, and develop a high-performance sales culture.
• Excellent verbal, written, presentation, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Ability to effectively communicate with employees at all levels of the organization as well as customers, vendors, suppliers, and industry partners.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, seasonal business environment.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills with the ability to make sound business decisions under pressure.
• Ability to work collaboratively across departments and influence others without relying solely on direct authority.
• Ability to identify new markets, customer opportunities, product opportunities, and strategies for business growth.
• Ability to adapt sales strategies to changing market conditions, customer needs, competitive activity, and economic conditions.
• Strong computer skills, including proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, PowerPoint, email, inventory systems, and sales reporting tools.
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly to customers, branches, trade shows, buying events, industry conferences, and other business locations.
• Demonstrates professionalism, sound judgment, integrity, accountability, initiative, and a strong customer-focused approach.

Travel Requirements: Approximately 50% out-of-town, overnight travel is required for this role. This travel may involve both air travel and car travel, depending on the specific business needs.

Compensation and Benefits: Base salary and a combination of Executive Bonus and Profit Sharing. xhyhwjd Excellent benefits, including health, dental, vision, and a 401(k) with employer matching.

For immediate consideration, please send your resume to

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