Midwest Regional Sales Manager

3 months ago


Chicago, Illinois, Israel Griffin Greenhouse Supplies Inc. Full time
We seek the industry's best and brightest talent to join our team. Griffin offers a collaborative work environment, competitive salary, medical, and benefits package including 401k/profit sharing, retirement plan, paid vacation, paid holidays, and more.
Regional Live Goods Sales Manager Job Summary: Under the direct supervision of the Director of Sales this position manages and directs Sales Representatives to achieve sales and profit goals within a region by performing the following duties.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities: include the following. Other duties may be assigned as needed.
  • Ensures Sales Representatives meet and consistently perform all requirements outlined in the Outside Sales Training Manual.
  • Designs and recommends sales and marketing programs.
  • Assists in setting short and long-term sales strategies.
  • Reviews regional market analyses to determine customer needs, price schedules, competition strength, and discount rates.
  • Manages staffing, training, and performance evaluations to develop and control sales program. Provides disciplinary or corrective action when appropriate.
  • Assigns sales territory to Sales Representatives.
  • Ensures that Sales Representatives receive training by riding along or assigning a veteran Sales Representative to new hires.
  • Acts a liaison between inside and outside Sales Representatives.
  • Trains Sales Representatives in competitor's activities, product line, and overall business conditions.
  • Represents company at trade association meetings to promote product.
  • Delivers sales presentations to key clients in coordination with Sales Representatives.
  • Meets with key clients, assisting sales representative with maintaining relationships and negotiating and closing deals.
  • Analyzes and controls expenditures of region to conform to budgetary requirements and minimize expenses.
  • Provides support, ideas, and feedback to other departments to prepare quarterly and annual catalogs and other publications.
  • Conducts at least monthly meetings with sales team including Marketing, Construction, Plants, DOS and Purchasing (Nursery).
  • Manages assigned Live Goods Vendors through field visits.
  • Coordinates and lists, in conjunction with the National Business Manager for Live Goods, any additional assigned vendor available at-once inventory
  • Responsible for managing assigned Green Goods Product Specialists.
Supervisory Responsibilities: Directly supervises employees in the Outside Sales Department along with assigned Product Specialists. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
Qualifications: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Competency: to perform the job successfully, an individual should demonstrate the following competencies:
  • Customer Service – Provides role model behavior to Sales Representatives by responding promptly and courteously to Customer needs/concerns and by maintaining composure at all times.
  • Interpersonal Skills – Demonstrates ability to interact at all levels providing fair and consistent treatment of all Sales Representatives and Customers.
  • Verbal Communication – Effectively and consistently communicates goals, objectives, and notifies Sales Representatives when they are on/off track.
  • Written Communication – Able to write effectively, clearly defining expectations and overall job performance.
  • Product Knowledge – Basic knowledge of the market, key products, and growing techniques.
  • Teamwork - Promotes teamwork by demonstrating leadership qualities. Aids team when workload increases; goes the extra mile to secure a sale, a new customer, or new territory; instills job ownership and pride; balances team/individual effort.
  • Managing People – Continually strive to improve supervisory skills; takes the time to know Sales Representative's strengths and weaknesses to provide career development and growth; always communicates performance and documents it.
  • Professionalism - Treats others with respect and consideration regardless of their status or position; Accepts responsibility for own actions. Always dresses for success demonstrating a professional demeanor.
Education and/or Experience: Previous experience or exposure in the horticultural industry would be very helpful to fast and effective transitioning requiring limited supervision or direction. Proven sales and managerial experience a must. Must possess the ability to motivate, coach, and direct Sales Representatives from several territories. Must possess the skills required to work in a fast-paced environment where a high level of pressure and stress due to constant changes may be involved.
Reasoning Ability: Must possess the ability to encourage growth and development, affect change management, and convince sales representatives that they must work harder or smarter. Must be able to work with various personalities and maintain good relations; must be able to maintain composure during stressful and often changing environments; must be able to work effectively and calmly with short deadlines and situational conflicts.
Computer Skills: Solid experience working with integrated computer systems specifically inventory database systems, Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint skills needed; ability to operate a lap top computer required. Will be required to enter orders and generate customer reports to analyze sales potential or recognize a downturn.
Special Requirements: Must have pesticide license, valid driver's license % travel required.
Physical Demands: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The majority of the time, this individual will be required to drive a car and sit at a desk using a telephone and/or computer.
Equal Employment Opportunity: In order to provide equal employment and advancement opportunities to all individuals, employment decisions at Griffin will be based on merit, qualifications, and abilities. It is the policy of Griffin not to discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, national origin, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, or any other protected classification under law.
Griffin is EOE/ADA and E-Verify compliant.