Sales Director

Job Description

Job Description

Job Description

The Commercial Director – Automotive provides strategic leadership and direction for the Automotive OEM and Tier‐1 account management team at Creative Liquid Coatings, Inc. This role is responsible for developing and executing short‐term and long‐term commercial strategies to support one‐year and five‐year sales, profitability, and growth objectives within the automotive sector.

The position oversees the full commercial lifecycle—ranging from pre‐award strategy, pricing, and negotiations through post‐launch commercial issue resolution—and plays a critical role in shaping company strategy, market positioning, and customer engagement across automotive platforms.

Roles and Responsibilities
Automotive Account Leadership & Team Development

· Provide leadership, direction, and oversight for Automotive Account Managers and commercial staff.

· Train, coach, and develop account management personnel to ensure consistent, high‐performance commercial execution.

· Establish SMART objectives and performance metrics to measure account and team effectiveness.

· Provide regular feedback on performance and conduct annual associate performance reviews.

· Promote a collaborative, customer‐focused, and results‐driven commercial culture.

Sales Strategy & Business Growth

· Develop and execute annual and five‐year automotive sales strategies aligned with company objectives.

· Develop annual sales projections, long‐range forecasts, and revenue growth plans.

· Identify new automotive platforms, programs, and market opportunities for sales penetration.

· Lead efforts to expand CLC’s footprint with existing OEMs and Tier‐1 customers.

· Actively participate in identifying, qualifying, and developing new automotive customers.

· Demonstrate the ability to overcome commercial, organizational, and technical barriers to advance the sales process.

Customer Relationship & Commercial Management

· Build and maintain strong, long‐term relationships with automotive OEM and Tier‐1 customer leadership.

· Serve as a senior commercial liaison between customer management teams and internal CLC leadership.

· Lead pricing strategies, commercial negotiations, and long‐term supply agreements through signature.

· Manage post‐launch commercial issues, pricing changes, and customer escalations.

· Maintain awareness of customer strategies, competitor activity, and market trends; keep competitive intelligence current.

Cross‐Functional Collaboration

· Partner with Program Management and Engineering to ensure launches, changes, and customer support expectations are met.

· Collaborate with Advanced Engineering to educate customers on new technologies, materials, finishes, and capabilities.

· Work closely with Estimating teams to ensure competitive, timely quotations and effective margin management.

· Engage proactively with Operations, Quality, Finance, and executive leadership to support corporate objectives.

Financial & Profitability Management

· Develop and manage the annual commercial department budget.

· Maintain accountability for revenue performance, pricing discipline, and margin stability.

· Participate in managing gross margin throughout development phases and subsequent engineering changes.

· Apply strong financial and accounting principles to commercial decision‐making, forecasts, and customer negotiations.

General Responsibilities

· Ensure compliance with company policies, procedures, and ethical standards.

· Support continuous improvement initiatives related to commercial processes and customer satisfaction.

· Perform other responsibilities as assigned to support organizational goals.

Skill and Education Requirements

· Minimum of 10–15 years of experience in automotive product sales, with at least 5 years of sales leadership or commercial management experience .

· Proven experience managing automotive OEM and/or Tier‐1 customer portfolios.

· Experience in injection molding , decorative finishes , or automotive component manufacturing preferred.

· Demonstrated accountability for revenue growth, pricing strategy, and profit and loss (P&L).

Knowledge & Skills

· Strong knowledge of automotive commercial models, customer requirements, and launch processes.

· Solid background in accounting principles, financial statements, and budgeting.

· Proven ability to develop and execute long‐term commercial strategies.

· Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‐solving capabilities.

· Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.

· Strong leadership, team‐building, and coaching skills.

· Collaborative, strategic, and solution‐focused mindset.

· Experience working within manufacturing‐based technologies, processes, and quality systems.

· Ability to operate effectively within CLC culture and values.

Work Environment

· Work is performed in office and manufacturing environments.

· Frequent interaction with automotive OEMs, Tier‐1 suppliers, engineering teams, and executive leadership.

· Travel required to customer locations, industry meetings, and supplier visits.

· Full‐time schedule with flexibility to support customer and program timelines.

· Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Authority

· Authority to lead and direct automotive commercial activities and account strategies.

· Authority to negotiate pricing, agreements, and contracts within approved limits.

· Authority to establish sales targets, forecasts, and customer strategies.

· Authority to influence cross‐functional priorities impacting customer support and commercial execution.

· Authority to escalate commercial, financial, or customer risks t o executive leadership.

With over 30 years of industry experience and a footprint spanning 10 United States locations, Creative Liquid Coatings is a powerhouse in integrated manufacturing. We bridge the gap between complex plastic injection molding and world-class automated finishing, utilizing a fleet of over 150 machines ranging from 85 to 5,000 tons. Our versatile paint lines accommodate a wide range of component sizes, providing a seamless, end-to-end production solution that combines massive scale with precision engineering for the most demanding industrial applications.

Company Description

With over 30 years of industry experience and a footprint spanning 10 United States locations, Creative Liquid Coatings is a powerhouse in integrated manufacturing. We bridge the gap between complex plastic injection molding and world-class automated finishing, utilizing a fleet of over 150 machines ranging from 85 to 5,000 tons. Our versatile paint lines accommodate a wide range of component sizes, providing a seamless, end-to-end production solution that combines massive scale with precision engineering for the most demanding industrial applications.