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About the Company
Our client is a global manufacturer and marketer of specialized food ingredients. Their products enable customers to thrive and grow in ever changing highly competitive markets. The firm’s reputation for uncompromising quality, innovation and integrity defines its culture and has enabled it to become one of the largest in the world in its industry.
Scope of Position
Our client is currently seeking a Head of Sales who will be responsible for sales, sales management and business development across all customer, geographic and product segments in Canada. Reporting to the North American President, the Head of Sales will define and execute sales and business development strategies to expand the company’s markets, market share and improve the overall profitability of the organization. The head of sales will drive all top line results, acting as the company’s senior sales executive, and have significant input on the direction of future growth for the business. Directly managing a small sales team, the Head of Sales will also be responsible for the continual development, as well as the performance management of the sales, customer acquisition, and account management functions.
This position will be based at the company’s Canadian offices in Greater Toronto Area.
This is an outstanding opportunity that features:
- Market Leading positioning
- Large opportunity for growth
- World-class organization
- Highly entrepreneurial corporate culture
- An opportunity to make a real difference
Functional Tasks
- Lead the sales, sales management and overall business development activities of the Canadian division, driving results to meet and exceed business plans to achieve profitable growth by delivering on customer commitments, meeting budgeted sales commitments and overcoming obstacles.
- Create strategies and define critical opportunity points for team to grow revenue through exploiting our differentiation.
- Lead from the front – assume responsibility for major account acquisition and management.
- Lead and develop field sales focusing on: – sustaining growth in existing customer segments; – substantially growing sales in new customers and channels; – expanding into new markets.
- Provide input into effective pricing strategies.
- Establish metrics for the measurement of business development effectiveness.
- Monitor customer, market and competitor activity and their impact on sales strategies.
- Manage customer relationships and expectations to ensure a high level of satisfaction and effective supplier partner relationships are established and maintained.
- Provide detailed and accurate forecasting to drive and guide sales activities.
- Coach and engage the sales team to achieve defined business objectives.
- Member of the leadership team that develops, plans, and directs strategies for North American business activities.
- Promote organization in industry, manufacturing or trade associations.
- Provide the most reliable projections on future performance that can be developed, as well as reliable reports of current performance.
Key Performance Deliverables
In light of the identified responsibilities, the following are specific deliverables that the position is designed to achieve.
- Specific measures of performance relating to growth, profitability, quality, customer satisfaction, etc. will be discussed and agreed upon with the successful candidate.
Competency Profile
The following competencies listed below define the role of Head of Sales at our client:
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.
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.
People Management
Establishes and communicates clear priorities and sense of direction. Clarifies roles and responsibilities. Adapts management style to achieve optimum results.
Impact
Makes an immediate positive impression upon others. Has presence and commands respect. Comes across with force and quickly establishes credibility. Accurately predicts the effects of own words and actions. Makes an immediate positive impression upon others.
Leading Change
Recognizes when change is necessary. Challenges the status quo and champions new initiatives. Acts as a catalyst to change and stimulates others to change. Develops an effective action plan to implement change and monitors results.
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.
Commercial Acumen
Applies appropriate commercial and financial principles. Understands situations in terms of costs, profits, added-value and return on investment. Appreciates the commercial impact of own work on the organization’s total expenses and revenues.
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.
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:
- Minimum of 7 years of experience in sales, sales leadership capacity and at least five years in a senior role with specific revenue growth achievements.
- Bachelor’s degree in food sciences, management, or Business Administration. Additional sales Training.
- Experience in the food sector, preferably though not necessarily ingredients.
- A ‘bias for action’: Hunter mentality with strong closing skills.
- High energy.
- Extensive knowledge of the market landscape and experience within the customers in the market.
- Proven ability to establish a strong external network to achieve deliverables, both through direct accountability and cross-organizational influence.
- Demonstrated understanding of the key drivers that affect sales through direct and indirect channels and how to use those levers to achieve desired outcomes.
- Proven track record of achieving sales, retaining customers and generating profitable growth.
- Strong communication skills (verbal, written, persuasion and presentation).
Remuneration & Benefits
- Highly competitive compensation package tailored to the successful candidate.
If interested, please contact:
| Robert Hebert StoneWood Group Bus: 416-365-9494 Ext. 777 [email protected] |
Natália Scodino StoneWood Group Bus: 416-365-9494 Ext. 221 [email protected] |