Director of Sales
We are currently representing an exceptional opportunity to join a rapidly expanding industry
leader in food safety testing and animal health and safety products as the Director of Sales for
key markets in Food Safety and Animal Health and Safety.
Past experience with customers in protein processing (beef, pork, poultry, and seafood) or in
animal husbandry, animal health and safety environments is desired. We are seeking an
experienced sales professional with well-developed leadership capabilities and with a record of
demonstrated successes and sales growth results.
You will be located in a major Michigan college town that is an affordable, mid-sized area of
500,000+. This area offers an outstanding quality of life including affordable cost of living, well
diversified business environment, availability of competitive sports, culture, entertainment, and
proximity to world class outdoor recreation such as golf, skiing, boating, hiking, bicycling, etc.
Relocation assistance will be provided.
You will be joining a rapidly growing industry leader with a global reach, that is consistently
named by Forbes as "one of America's best small companies". They have now grown to 1000
employees worldwide, and the groups continued growth is founded on what they do best;
helping to identify safety concerns in the ever changing, highly regulated food and animal
safety environments that exist today for food processors and live operations.
In this role, you will provide leadership to a team of territory managers and inside sales
representatives, now numbering five with growth as business warrants. You will also establish
and maintain sales relationships with key customers.
Key elements in this role;
SALES LEADERSHIP AND SALES STRATEGY
Previous experience inter acting with executive leaders to develop effective sales strategies
based on new products launched, target growth markets etc. Proven ability to successfully
execute strategic sales plans that have been designed by executive leaders.
A well-developed knowledge of methods to target potential new accounts, build existing
accounts. Past sales leadership experience for a food manufacturing company. food
manufacturing supplier organization including food or animal feed ingredients, food
manufacturing equipment, food safety products testing, animal health company. or related
areas desired.
Demonstrated past experience in collaborating with senior leadership and marketing
professionals to identify sales growth opportunities and to develop well formulated strategies
that will increase market share.
Demonstrated experience in improving individual sales representative performance and results
through sales planning, identification of potential new accounts and key sales targets.
Demonstrated ability to coach individuals to build individual sales skills and continuously
improve sales performance
Demonstrated experience with individual and team sales performance management, including
goal setting, and performance reporting; on sales activities and results including identification
of key performance indices, metrics to report sales activities and to measure sales results, and
development of summary executive reporting on sales performance and results.
Demonstrated experience in developing and delivering team based sales training and delivering
effective coaching for individual performance development. Development of systems for,
providing continuous feedback and guidance to sales managers to increase effectiveness and
productivity.
Demonstrated knowledge of various sales approaches including consultative selling, solutions
based selling, and well developed track record of relationship building and networking.
Experience in development of sales forecasts, annual sales budgets, business expense
management and reporting and related departmental accountabilities.
MEAT INDUSTRY OR ANIMAL HEALTH INDUSTRY RELATIONSHIPS
You will have existing relationships with executive leadership and plant level management in
relevant markets including beef processors, pork processors, poultry processors, and seafood
processors. This may include live operations, fresh operations, and fully cooked operations or
alternately in the animal health arena.
TECHNICAL KNOWLEDGE
With a general understanding of food safety and animal health, you will work with Technical
Support Specialists to ensure the customers: meat and poultry processing operations, as well as
animal health and safety customers received fully effective technical support and information
on products and equipment.
Primary emphasis in this role is on development and execution of a strategic approach to sales,
executing an effective sales strategy to obtain maximum sales growth and profitability, based
on a well-rounded understanding of meat, poultry, seafood industry dynamics and food and
animal safety concerns.
You will work directly with marketing managers, territory sales managers, and demand
planning to best position sales with customers.
Daily direct interaction with external customers and internal business development contacts is
a key role. You will work directly with key customers, initiating sales opportunities, identifying,
responding to, and/or managing all sales opportunities, and also responding to pricing, orders,
and service related matters, etc.
This position is with a successful and diversified 'Most Admired Small Company "that markets
their products worldwide and is a growing leader in food safety testing and animal health .
Additionally, this company is recognized for development of cutting edge testing equipment
and methodology, including many well recognized brands of animal health products. This
company is ranked as one of the "Most Admired Companies" in the US based on effective
leadership and effective employee relations.
This position will be located in Michigan and full relocation assistance is provided.
A BS/MS/PHD in business, agribusiness, animal science, or other related agricultural field is
desired.
Basic knowledge of meat products and meat processing operations, and animal health and
safety are desired.
A proven track record in sales, business development, customer relations and service, sales
strategy, and knowledge of marketing is required.
Effective communication skills, both written and verbal, as well as knowledge of computer
software and applications are required.
The qualified candidate will have well developed communication
skills; effectively communicating with customers to build relationships, collaborating with
others internally to achieve high quality results, and providing effective leadership to product
management staff, administrative staff, and others. Experience in supervising projects and staff
is required.
The benefits of this opportunity:
-You will be joining a very successful, and growing global industry leader that has experienced
continued financial success, even through very difficult economic periods, and with a future
mission for continuous improvement in the organization's operations and cost performance.
-You will be joining an organization that is focused on innovation; developing technologies and
solutions to continuously maintain superior product standards.
-You will be joining an organization with solid resources to support research, develop
people, finance projects, and find effective solutions.
In addition, a competitive package of compensation and benefits is provided.
PLEASE DO NOT HESITATE TO RESPOND TO THIS PERSONALLY OR TO SEND THIS INFORMATION
TO OTHER PROFESSIONALS THAT MAY HAVE AN INTEREST, OR THAT MAY KNOW OF OTHERS
LOOKING.
Linda Morrison Brown
Executive Search Consultant
The Lee Group
703 Thimble Shoals Boulevard, Suite B2 Newport News, VA 23606
Direct (757) 240-4543 Tel (757) 873-0792 Cell (804) 854-1763
Linda.Brown@TheLeeGroup.com