Commercial Sales Director

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 (Set expectations, provide resources, coach, motivate, train & develop control) 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, …)