Sales Director - Automotive

TITLE Sales Director - Automotive


Location Plymouth, Michigan


Company JTEKT North America


Summary/Purpose
As a senior member of the Sales Team for North America, the Director of Sales is responsible for overall business performance and strategy development within their respective customer group. Also, partners with other senior leaders to ensure effective coordination and relationships with all disciplines of the organization. The Sales Director will manage and be accountable for closure of all commercial issues in a timely manner that is relevant with the customer, develop sales growth plans including, future technology needs of the OEM and align a strategy for future growth, and guide communication globally to establish common strategies, goals, and best practices.
Essential Duties and Accountabilities:
1. Develop Global Customer Strategy– Work with members of Senior Management and the cross functional teams, to drive the creation and implementation of sales growth to increase market share and profitability in each product group.
2. Managing Activities of the Sales and Marketing Organization– Provide leadership to ensure the achievement of customer sales and profitability targets while communicating to all key stakeholders. Accountable for business results and quick resolution of obstacles that could hinder the long term sales growth and customer relationships.
3. Lead the Department– Attract, develop and retain motivated talent to ensure individual advancement and the long terms goals of the organization.
4. Grow the Business– Identifies and coordinates efforts toward identifying new customers, technologies and products. Provide insight and business leadership in reference to customer knowledge, automotive sales strategies and long-term positioning to improve market share on a global basis.
5. Improve Profitability – Creates and supports execution of profit improvement actions.
6. Team Building, Maintenance and Participation– Partners with sales and marketing teams, senior leaders and cross functional teams to ensure effective coordination and relationships are developed and maintained.
7. Develop a Sales & Marketing Vision– Develops long term strategy, integrating information for all sources, for the customer while aligning the Company’s goals and vision to optimize organizational performance.
8. Quality– Supports and adheres to policies, procedures, and operational guidelines related to established quality management system (TS 16949). Assists in resolving critical customer quality and/or warranty concerns while properly managing all elements of individual customer score cards. Maintains working knowledge of safety policies and regulations to ensure duties of self and others are performed in a safe manner.
9. Additional duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:
• This position manages a team of Account Managers.
Job Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:
1. Innovation – Stimulates creative thinking and initiative; Nurtures ideas which have the potential to be successfully implemented; Assists others in developing ideas; Finds new applications for existing technology / systems / processes.
2. Continuous Improvement / Problem solving –Demonstrates effective analytical thinking; Probes multiple sources for answers; Uses sound logic and methods to enable sustainable solutions; Demonstrates ability to find creative solutions.
3. Communication –Establishes effective communication plans within the organization on a global basis; Demonstrates clear and respectful communication skills in all situations; Demonstrates openness and responsiveness to feedback; Demonstrates credible communication skills in both small and large groups.
4. Managing the Work Environment –Sets goals and objectives, delegates appropriately and measures the results; Identifies and adjusts priorities, is proficient in coordinating workload, ensures that work flow is conducted efficiently; Makes clear and concise decisions using available data and others’ expertise; Innovative and strategic long term thinker who displays strong entrepreneurial behaviors.
5. Market – Demonstrates an understanding of the automotive industry as well as the present global market trends and conditions; Demonstrates an understanding of the company global “Product Portfolio Roadmap”; Demonstrates an understanding of competitors’ strengths and weaknesses in the global marketplace; Demonstrates the ability to apply the market information to their area of responsibility.

Education and Experience:
Must Haves
• Bachelor’s Degree required.
• Minimum 5-7 years Automotive OEM component sales experience.
• Minimum 3-5 years senior management experience in sales, program management or operations.
• Proven track record in developing c