The Company

Founded nearly 30 years ago, our client is a well-known, highly regarded supplier of automotive parts to the global automotive OEM/OES and aftermarket industries. The majority of their several hundred million dollars in sales is concentrated in the North American aftermarket where they enjoy solid relationships with the industry’s most prominent retailers and distributors.

In addition to their North American headquarters and distribution network, the Company maintains an international footprint with offices around the globe. It operates state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, along with international engineering and technical resources.

The Company has been growing organically by double digits almost every year since their inception. An aggressive new product development effort (brand new and existing categories), growing “wallet share” with existing customers, as well as adding new customers, have all resulted in the dynamic growth the Company continues to experience. This growth is driving the Company to create several new positions, including the position below.

Position Summary

This role represents an exciting opportunity at a pivotal time for the Company. Reporting directly to the Global CEO, the Vice President of Sales – Retailers is a newly added role that will oversee all retailer sales management – both existing and new customers. He/she will be responsible for developing and implementing sales strategies and leading the sales team to achieve the company’s revenue goals for retail customers. This role requires a deep understanding of the distribution and manufacturing sectors, strong leadership skills, and the ability to drive growth in a competitive market.

Responsibilities

• Lead the development and execution of all sales activities with national retail customers, effectively directing strategies to grow sales with existing and new accounts.
• Communicates a compelling vision for the sales organization.
• Responsible for meeting both short- and long-term financial goals, including total revenue, channel profitability, market share and other key objectives.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with all appropriate customer stakeholders. Increase product line adoption within existing accounts.
• Lead organizational change initiatives by continually assessing customer needs and channel performance. Drive internal change by removing obstacles to growth.
• Seek out and identify opportunities for new key retail accounts.
• Negotiate contracts, agreements and promotional programs to achieve mutual business objectives.
• Make recommendations to senior leadership that drive revenue growth and market share.
• Conduct market research to identify new opportunities and stay ahead of industry trends.
• Champion new product development, and drive adoption of new product lines across the customer portfolio.
• Lead, mentor, manage and motivate the sales team to ensure high performance and professional growth. Ensure change is met with understanding and enthusiasm.
• Oversee daily sales operations, including setting sales targets, monitoring performance, and ensuring efficient processes.
• Develop and manage the sales budget for retailer customers, ensuring optimal allocation of resources. Drive ROI through effective management of marketing, product and strategy.
• Work closely with all other departments to align sales strategies with overall business goals.
• Prepare and present detailed sales reports to the executive team, providing insights and recommendations for improvement.
• Respectfully and diligently take on additional job duties as needed.

Qualifications

• 10+ years of comprehensive, progressive sales leadership experience within an aftermarket parts manufacturer/supplier environment.
• In-depth knowledge of sales strategies and market analysis.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Mature, effective leader with both intellectual and emotional intelligence.
• Possesses creativity and thrives on challenge and innovation. An outside-the-box thinker.
• Superior time management skills that allow for simultaneous work on multiple projects and deliverables.
• Financial acumen to manage budgets, analyze ROI, and make financially sound decisions.
• Excellent overall communication skills – written, verbal and interpersonal.
• Skillful negotiator, able to achieve positive outcomes and promote common causes.
• Proficiency in CRM software and sales analytics tools.
• Ability to think strategically and develop long-term sales strategies and plans.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret sales data and market trends. Makes decisions based on insightful interpretation of the numbers.
• Embraces a collaborative leadership style that involves others at all levels of the organization.
• Commitment to providing excellent customer service and building lasting client relationships.
• Ability to adapt to changing market conditions and business needs.
• Multinational and multicultural mindset. Effectively communicates with international stakeholders.
• Comfortable with heavy travel ~50%, including occasional international trips.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field is required; a Master’s degree is preferred.