Our client is an established flat rolled service center located on the west side of Chicago, IL. In business for over 45 years, the company processes flat rolled carbon steel products such as hot rolled, hot rolled pickled and oiled, cold rolled, galvanized, Galvannealed and aluminized steel through slitting, sheeting, blanking or tube roll forming. Excellent equipment is combined with reliable quality and service solutions for customers provided by dedicated employees who value teamwork, accountability and passion. Markets serviced include automotive stamping, lawn and garden, recreation, agriculture, office furniture, communications and others. The company is ISO certified and a member of the North American Steel Alliance.

The Director of Sales & Marketing will be located in the company’s corporate headquarters in Chicago, IL and will be an integral part of the executive management team.

The Position

The Director of Sales & Marketing will provide creative, day-to-day commercial leadership, motivation and oversight while attaining company revenue and profitability objectives. Reporting to the Executive Vice President, this individual will direct and supervise the sales activities of both the outside and inside sales personnel. She/he will develop plans and establish goals which will then be the incumbent’s responsibility to develop and implement going forward. The Director of Sales & Marketing will be expected to participate in every buy/sell activity of the company and will therefore need to embrace a hands-on style. She/he will provide support for the sales personnel and will not only manage the sales team but sell as well. Additionally, he/she will be expected to be knowledgeable regarding customer applications and equipment capabilities as well.

Responsibilities

Specific responsibilities are inclusive of the following:

• Evaluate, upgrade and expand the number of sales representatives
  Align sales representatives in identifiable territories
• Establish annual and quarterly sales goals, e.g., number of sales calls, number of high potential sales prospects with account strategies, new accounts and new business and account plans as appropriate
• Lead regularly scheduled sales meetings with a purpose
• Establish the sales process: call reports or recap of sales representatives’ weekly activities, pre-call planning as appropriate, define the sales message, regularly communicate current “spot pricing” based upon market conditions.
• Define customer service roles and responsibilities
• Evaluate and upgrade customer service representatives
• Align customer service representatives with outside sales representatives
• Identify and support the implementation of enhancement to the company’s social media tools to support and grow the overall sales effort

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have metals industry sales experience, including solid management experience with flat rolled products such as those carried by our client. He/she must possess solid sales and marketing leadership experience in a customer-oriented distribution environment where cooperation is needed to attain company goals. Previous experience in contract sales, new customer and product development, and management of flat rolled product lines to a wide array of end users and market expansion successes will be important. The successful candidate will know how to manage risk when achieving profit and growth goals.

This individual must provide evidence of a successful track record in managing a diverse sales organization and fostering a cooperative atmosphere among Sales and other functional areas of a company. He/she must possess strong credentials in the creation and execution of strategic market plans and sales programs that have led to the development of new customers, market expansion and profitability enhancement in competitive markets characterized by both regional and national competitors of various size and ability. Additionally, he/she will have built relationships in the business and should have a reputation of professionalism and approachability. He/she should at least know many of the customers by name if not reputation. A comprehensive business perspective, incorporating margin improvement and profit contribution in planning and decision making in a buy/sell environment must be evident, rather than a narrow focus on sales volume only. The ability to create and lead a strategic vision will be imperative.

The Director of Sales & Marketing should possess obvious leadership skills and be a creative, “out of the box” thinker who works well in an aggressive, fast paced team-based atmosphere. He/She must be a self-starter who can work with a minimum amount of direction yet deliver results. A bias for action is clearly required and product knowledge is essential. While the ability to delegate is important, the Director must be a “doer,” not just a delegator.

The Director of Sales & Marketing will have highly developed interpersonal skills and possess the energy, confidence and self-motivation necessary to succeed in competitive environments. The ability to motivate and lead a sales force that focuses on both contract and spot flat rolled steel markets will be critical.

The successful candidate must possess integrity, be trustworthy and be highly ethical. He/she must possess and display exemplary writing, presentation and interpersonal skills, with a strong executive-level presence. Other traits include a positive attitude, dependability, a proactive style and clear and sound decision-making ability. Creativity, innovation, negotiation, facilitation and problem-solving skills must all be highly developed. Motivation and team building skills are necessary.

A college degree is preferred, but the successful candidate will also have a high degree of “street smarts” as well. He/She should be computer literate and a proven user of new technology as it has continued to emerge. Travel and significant customer contact is expected.