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About the Company
Our client is at the forefront of changing how people think about and use energy. A Fortune 250 and S&P 500 Index company, our client is a pioneer in developing cleaner and smarter energy choices for its customers: whether as one of the largest solar power developers in North America, or by building one of the first privately funded electric vehicle charging infrastructure, or by giving customers the latest smart energy solutions to better manage their energy use.
Scope of Position
Reporting to the Chief Operating Officer, the Vice-President of Sales will be responsible for a 100+ person inside sales team (with offices in Toronto, San Francisco and Austin TX) that is tasked with qualifying and then acquiring customers across North America. The Vice-President of Sales is responsible to both scale and refine the current team, processes and capabilities to ensure that the best practices and human resources and sales culture is in place to reach its North American growth goals.
Functional Tasks
- Develop, direct and execute effective sales plans and strategies consistent with the company’s overall strategic objectives. Ensure that the sales efforts are aligned with the company’s overall corporate strategy and marketing plan.
- Grow the current sales team to meet company revenue and sales targets.
- Evaluate the current sales organization, processes and KPIs and optimize for increased productivity and capacity.
- Oversee and implement any required changes, re-assignment of resources and the hiring of new personnel, with the objective of developing a high-performance sales organization appropriate for the company’s maturity/size ensuring that scalable processes, policies, procedures are in place.
- Infuse energy and ‘can do’ attitude throughout the sales organization
- Ensure performance metrics are in place that will drive high performance and performance management
- Refine processes by which staff are hired, on-boarded, trained and evaluated.
- Work with marketing to ensure that lead generation and sales conversion tools are optimized for success.
- Own the sales funnel from top to bottom – from lead to close. Own all lead qualification and sales conversion metrics and monthly goals.
- Participate as an open, engaged and committed member of the Leadership Team in the execution of the corporate vision, strategy and business objectives.
- Create and sustain a viable organizational structure to make optimum use of human resources, technology and systems.
- Build and facilitate the development of strong relationships and synergies with all other areas of the company in order to achieve the corporate goals, objectives and revenue targets.
Key Performance Deliverables
In light of the identified responsibilities, the following are specific deliverables that the position is designed to achieve.
- Specific deliverables will be discussed and agreed upon with the successful candidate.
Competency Profile
The following competencies listed below define the role of Vice-President of Sales at our client
Planning & Objective Setting
Systematic in approach to work. Produces action plans in which objectives are defined and steps for achieving them are clearly specified. Plans by breaking down large task into subtasks. Develops plans that anticipate obstacles. Is realistic about time-scales and builds in appropriate checkpoints, milestones and controls in order to ensure that desired results are realized.
Results Orientation
Focuses strongly on achieving agreed upon outcomes and ensures that key objectives are met. Conveys a sense of urgency and drives issues to closure. Aims to improve upon past performance. Establishes aggressive personal targets and strives to achieve them.
Customer/Client Orientation
Strives to provide customers/clients with personalized and efficient service. Anticipates customers’/clients’ needs. Quickly follows up on customer/client contacts and complaints. Monitors and acts on measures of customer/client satisfaction.
Industry & Market Awareness
Seeks to anticipate and respond to industry and market changes/challenges by understanding key characteristics, issues and the factors driving them. Aware of competitor’s products, services and position.
Role Expertise
Demonstrated ability to grow and scale sales teams. Must be proficient in setting and driving sales numbers, KPIs that meet company objectives. Expertise in Salesforce (or similar CRM), analytics and reporting are critical components of the role. Has thorough knowledge of relevant products, services and methods. Expands technical knowledge/skills and keeps up-to-date in own area of expertise.
People Management
Establishes and communicates clear priorities and sense of direction. Clarifies roles and responsibilities. Adapts management style to drive culture and achieve optimum results.
Developing & Coaching Others
Accurately assesses strengths and development needs of employees. Challenges others to improve their abilities and actively supports their development. Continually provides timely and constructive feedback, coaching and challenging learning opportunities. Adjusts coaching style based on each employee’s ability and motivation level.
Drive
Adopts an energetic and motivational approach. Works towards goals and willingly tackles demanding tasks. Demonstrates capacity for sustained effort and hard work over long periods of time, even in the face of adversity.
Preferred Experience / Education
The following indicates specific industry, academic and functional experience/qualifications that are important to the successful achievement of the identified responsibilities and performance deliverables.
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
- 10-15 years sales experience with a majority spent in the management of inside sales functions including ‘qualifying’ and ‘closing’ functions.
- Significant experience in managing large sales organizations in excess of 100
- A track record of driving dynamic growth
- Experience in complex, solutions sales in discretionary spending environments
- Experience in implementing best practices in sales organizations
- Willingness to travel frequently (50% +)
- Experience in people management roles with recruitment, selection, hiring, coaching, feedback, employee engagement and performance management.
- Entrepreneurial experience in scaling fast growing entrepreneurial that are transitioning to ‘professional’ management
- Experience leading change.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to plan, prioritize and organize effectively and to make sound, logical decisions.
- Analytics and reporting: ability to pull and interpret reports and institutionalize metrics that motivate and drive the sales organization
- B to C experience a plus
Remuneration & Benefits
- Highly competitive base, variable and stock plan for the successful candidate.