Regional VP, College Sales (MIDWEST)

Position Title: Regional VP, College Sales (MIDWEST)

Region: Midwest Territory.

States: ND, SD, NE, KS, CO, NM, OK, LA, AR. MO, IL, KY, IN, IA, MN, WI

About Balfour & Co.

Balfour & Co. is one of the world’s leading Collegiate and High School commencement services companies, offering innovative, personalized products like class jewelry, yearbooks, regalia, school uniforms and photography. With brands such as Balfour®, GradImages®, ArtCarved®, and more, we’ve been helping students celebrate life’s most meaningful moments since 1913. Balfour has around 4,000 employees and operates in 3 countries.

Position Summary

The Regional VP, College Sales (MIDWEST) Sales provides leadership, direction, and resources to a geographic region served by a network of independent sales reps, overseeing scholastic, yearbook, and dual-line reps with a focus on team development and unity. The RVP works with each rep office to evaluate strengths and challenges, develop programs for success, align sales objectives with company strategy, and is held accountable for the profitable achievement of regional sales goals.

Leadership Responsibilities

• Aligns the region with company, sales, and area objectives through active participation in strategic planning, gap strategy, forecasting, sales resource planning, and budgeting.
• Meets assigned targets for profitable sales volume, market share, and other key financial performance objectives by managing sales action plans, expense budgets, and targeted sales campaigns within budgetary guidelines.
• Prepares and delivers sales presentations to close large opportunities, and acts as company representative to customers, looping in senior leadership as needed.
• Handles escalated sales issues and provides customer-facing support to resolve concerns on behalf of the company.

Representative Management

• Leads learning and development initiatives for the sales organization, partnering with Training and Deployment to deliver and monitor training programs and ensure engagement and implementation.
• Fosters a culture of accountability, trust, adaptability, professional development, high performance, and ethical behavior through coaching and on-the-job training.
• Leads change initiatives by assessing sales team needs, raising concerns to senior leadership, and removing obstacles that impede goal achievement.
• Partners with other RVPs and shared services (Finance, HR, IT) on key initiatives and budget planning cycles.
• Owns leadership responsibilities including interviewing, hiring, training, assigning work, performance appraisals, rewards/discipline, and resolving complaints.

Market Responsibilities

• Establishes and maintains productive peer-to-peer relationships with customers and prospects.
• Monitors and analyzes competitive trends across the region to help sales teams develop territory strategies, including presentations, RFP responses, and panel discussions.
• Studies and communicates market trends, fostering relationships with district administrators and key contacts to raise awareness of the company and its products and services.
• Maintains close relationships with key customers to monitor market conditions, identify new business opportunities, and ensure ongoing account servicing and satisfaction.

Education / Experience / Skills

• Undergraduate degree in business, marketing, or a related discipline required.
• At least 10 years of total professional experience, including prior experience as a sales leader of a high-growth organization.
• Specific experience in related industry models, functional organizations, and working with independent sales representatives.
• Proven track record of meeting timelines and deadlines; detail-oriented and driven to succeed.
• Experience with Microsoft Office required.

Travel & Supervisory Responsibilities

Must be willing to travel as needed. May supervise others as part of the role.