Commercial Sales Director

Commercial Sales Director

Do you have the right skills and experience for this role Read on to find out, and make your application.

POSITION SUMMARY : The Commercial Sales Director is leading a team of sales managers in his / her assigned regional business and / or area and is responsible for his / her team successfully driving both customer satisfaction and company revenue growth, using the Miller Heiman process.

He / She will maintain favorable and effective long-term relationships with current customers and identify and prospect for new business opportunities in partnership with our New Business Development (NBD) teams.

Develop and maintain sales planning, pricing strategy, market strategy, team management, and support systems. Develop and manage the annual sales budget and business plan.

Address and resolve customer complaints with a sense of urgency in accordance with company policy and industry best practices.

Aid team with price and contract negotiations. Analyze market trends and develop action plans to capitalize on shifts in the market and develop specific business strategies.

Oversee and manage the sales process from pricing to enforcing credit terms and preparing contracts. Foster an inclusive culture of teamwork and coordination with operations and corporate functions.

RESPONSIBILITIES & EXPECTATIONS :

• Develop & Implement strategies to further grow the business as well as customer satisfaction
• Develop a thorough understanding of your customer’s businesses, and manufacturing processes to be able to identify customer’s challenges and potential opportunities for minerals and clay usage.
• Understand current and potential future industrial minerals and / or clay usage as well as value in use.
• Elaborate strategies and action plans, using the Miller Heiman sales process, to further increase Lhoist revenues and value creation while at the same time maximizing customer satisfaction.
• Interact with NBD teams to stimulate the development of new and innovative products and services and develop the strategies to bring them to market.
• Understand the market landscape for supply and demand.
• Address and resolve customer's complaints with a sense of urgency.

Lead a team of sales managers to achieve targeted sales objectives

• Set clear expectations about customer satisfaction level and sales objectives (growth, revenues).
• Drive your sales team to efficiently and sustainably use the Miller Heiman sales process to drive sales growth and maintain an opportunities funnel.
• Provide and / or obtain the necessary resources to accomplish these objectives.
• Provide coaching & motivation, as well as encourage collaboration to achieve desired business goals.
• Coordinate both formal and on-the-job training for his / her field sales managers. Further, raise the level of technical skills & competence of your team.

Develop future sales talents (succession planning).

Provide a strong, visible, on-the-field, and positive style of leadership ensuring high team morale and performance.

Customers Relationship & Networking

• Establish strong relationships with our customers at multiple levels (operations, senior management, procurement, ).
• Network with influential leaders and decision-makers within the industries the company serves.
• Support sales and your sales team through field customer visits, promotional activities, trade shows, .
• Represent the company / face of the company in all customer dealings.
• Provide bids, quotes, and prices that put LNA and the customer in the best possible position to achieve long-term goals.

Market Intelligence

• Keep fully abreast of your geographical market (volumes, pricing, product quality, market trends, technological evolutions affecting our customer's businesses, ).
• Knowledge and understanding of competing products, competitors, market pricing, and competitor customers.
• Maintain an up-to-date list of potential customers targets in your area.

Deliver sales objectives

• Participate in the development of the sales budget.
• Provide monthly sales forecasts update.
• Provide and / or oversee customer pricing, quotes, as well as provide accurate and meaningful information to the Pricing Council.
• Negotiate best possible pricing and supply agreements for customers and for LNA.
• Develop weekly / monthly reports for your accounts.
• All of the above LNA policy, procedures and management guidelines.

Perform other duties as assigned.

ATTRIBUTES :

• Demonstrated team leadership experience and excellent people management skills.
• Thorough understanding of customers processes (Clay, environmental, glass, chemical, pulp & paper, ).
• Complete understanding of LNA products & services offerings as well as lime manufacturing, dispatch, and transportation process and all associated costs as well as strong industry knowledge.
• Ability to master the Lhoist supply chain, from the deposit (quality) to our customer's use (specifications, volumes), to identify business opportunities & challenges (material balance).
• Strong relationship-building skills both within LNA and with current and future customers at all levels (customers' senior management).
• Ability to set priorities, plan & manage time, and deliver short-term and long-term results.
• Strong problem-solving skills : has proven capacity to exercise independent judgment and willingness to make critical decisions.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills and the ability to effectively communicate at all levels, combined with excellent presentation and public speaking skills.
• Self-starter, self-motivated, and with strong initiative. High level of initiative and is pragmatic- has a strong sense of urgency and call to action.

Fast-moving and rigorous in process and metrics management.

• Excellent value selling and negotiation skills.
• Strong sense of urgency in meeting customer needs.
• Forward-looking action-oriented team player that works well with cross-functional groups.
• Must be capable of working long & flexible hours with the ability to travel.
• Must have a strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel, Word, Outlook, and PowerPoint software. Previous SAP knowledge is a plus.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS INCLUDE, BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO :

• Must be physically able to perform work assigned.
• Must be physically capable of accessing all plant locations.
• While visiting customers, tolerate working outside in severe weather conditions as well as safe exposure to industrial high temperature, noise and dust.
• Access all areas within a site which could include heights of 120 feet, confined spaces, climbing ladders or stairs, and accessing tunnels.
• Will be working in an office, mining, and lime processing environment.
• The employee may be exposed to the following working conditions : Extreme Heat and Cold, Noise, Vibration, Oils, and Atmospheric Conditions such as Dust, Fumes, and Metallic Particles.
• The employee will be required to perform the following actions (from time to time) : Standing, walking, balancing, stooping, kneeling, reaching, talking, seeing, hearing and sitting.
• Able to lift up to 50 pounds.
• Must be able to travel up to 60% as needed or directed by leadership.

REQUIRED EDUCATION :

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, finance, economics, marketing, metallurgical, mechanical, chemical, and / or electrical engineering or equivalent work experience in the field is highly desired.

PREFERRED EDUCATION :

Master’s degree in business administration, finance, and marketing.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE :

Must have a minimum of 8-10 years of proven sales leadership and development experience in base or specialty chemicals (incl.

lime), industrial minerals or other raw materials such as clay. Proven experience managing other sales or technical sales professionals.

PREFERRED EXPERIENCE :

Must have minimum of 10 plus years of experience in sales leadership and development in industrial minerals, lime, clay, glass, and fiberglass mining or manufacturing environments.

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