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About the Company 

Our client is a highly successful, publicly traded Canadian software company that provides powerful business solutions to several large vertical markets, primarily across North America. The company’s client base consists of hundreds of mid-size and Fortune 1000 corporations across a range of vertical markets. The firm boasts an excellent reputation for long-term profitable growth and is an employer of choice.

Historically, the company has offered on-premise software licenses, but has successfully moved towards Cloud and Saas services in recent years. The firm’s solutions can be deployed both as an integrated suite or as individual, best-of-breed components. While the firm’s tremendous growth has been largely organic, it has also completed several key acquisitions, which have added to their porfolio of capabilities.

As the company continues to align its executive leadership capabilities with its successful strategy of aggressive organic growth and acquisitions, it is now seeking to hire a Vice President of Sales.

This is an outstanding opportunity that features:

• Strong industry and company growth
• Well established, committed Canadian leadership
• An opportunity to make a real difference
• Diverse, inclusive work-life balance and a healthy work environment

Scope of Position

Reporting to the CEO, and assuming a pivotal position on the management team, the Vice President Sales will be responsible for developing, directing and executing the company’s sales strategy for both current and future product offerings. Driving top line results, the Vice President Sales will act as a key sales interface and will be responsible for revenue growth across all customer, geographic and product segments.

The Vice President Sales will also be tasked with refining the sales process and channel model, and leading the sales team with a demonstrated, hands-on approach while rapidly scaling the company’s sales engine.

Functional Tasks 

• Lead the development/refinement of sales strategies and execute the tactical implementation of the plans across the company’s entire portfolio of products including specific regional strategies.
• Establish sales metrics and KPIs and to develop and implement enhanced sales processes to monitor accurate sales funnels and forecasts. Establish a repeatable sales model incorporating a strong value proposition for the different client markets and geographies.
• Create a culture of success and ongoing business and goal achievement and directs implementation and execution of sales policies and practices.
• Establish compensation, training, and sales incentive programs.
• Oversee the integration and optimization of sales operations of acquired companies into the operational structure.
• Take a major role in major account relationships, closing complex deals and building ongoing partnerships.
• Refine pricing policies, including volume discounts and terms and conditions, for high-profile customers and channel partners.
• Participate in the company’s strategy planning sessions bringing forward innovative ideas and plans in an attempt to bring the company to the next level.
• Assist with corporate positioning and competitive analysis, customer segment selection and penetration plans, and related product positioning.
• Where appropriate, act as a spokesperson for the company with press and analysts and at industry events.
• Evaluate and improve current strategic alliance agreements, as well as identify and develop new strategic alliances, and enable the channels to close/grow new major customer accounts.
• Identify new product opportunities and contribute to the overall development of product roadmaps for the organization as well as the pricing and positioning of new products in the marketplace.

Key Performance Deliverables

In light of the identified responsibilities, the following are specific deliverables that the position is designed to achieve.

• Specific performance measures will be discussed and agreed upon with the successful candidate.

Competency Profile

The following competencies listed below define the role of Vice-President Sales:

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.

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.

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.

People Management
Establishes and communicates clear priorities and sense of direction. Clarifies roles and responsibilities. Adapts management style to achieve optimum results.

Team Skills
Helps to create a sense of team spirit and harmonious relations through cooperation and support. Balances personal goals with those of the team. Fosters collaboration among team members.

Strategic Approach
Develops a strategic plan to realize the vision. Revises strategy in light of changing circumstances. Takes a long-term view of organizational success. Works to clarify long term organizational goals. Able to stand back from immediate problems in order to focus on more far reaching ideas.

Initiative
Proactive. Seizes opportunities and acts upon them immediately. Takes responsibility for own actions and addresses problems before asked.

Integrity & Sincerity
Inspires trust and supports others through own authenticity and following up on commitments. Maintains high ethical standards both personally and professionally. Shows consistency among principles.

Role Expertise
Demonstrates critical technical or professional knowledge/skills related to 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.

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:

• A University Degree in Business or Technology. M.B.A preferred.
• 10-15 years progressive sales leadership experience with at least 5 years in a senior executive management position with an enterprise software solutions vendor, with revenues in excess of $50mm and large team.
• A sophisticated knowledge of how to build and manage large high performing teams.
• A sophisticated understanding or the processes and metrics required for sales success.
• A bias for action combined with a hands-on approach and an entrepreneurial spirit.
• Experience in mid-sized growth-oriented software company would be highly valued.

Remuneration & Benefits

• Highly competitive compensation package for the successful candidate.