Director of Sales

POSITION SUMMARY
The Director of Sales is responsible for leading Nicolet Plastics’ commercial strategy and execution to achieve accelerated revenue growth and long-term customer partnerships. This role drives the organization’s path to revenue growth by focusing on new customer development while expanding share of wallet within existing strategic accounts.

Serving as both a strategic leader and active contributor, the Director of Sales will lead and develop the commercial team, refine and standardize the sales process, and implement data-driven systems to improve opportunity management, quoting effectiveness, and overall conversion performance. This position plays a critical “hunter” role in identifying and securing new business opportunities, while also strengthening executive-level relationships with key customers to increase customer intimacy and retention.

The Director of Sales collaborates cross-functionally with engineering, operations, and leadership to ensure successful onboarding of new customers and projects, deliver high levels of customer satisfaction, and align commercial efforts with Nicolet Plastics’ capabilities and market opportunities. Success in this role requires a balance of strategic vision, operational discipline, and hands-on execution, with accountability for revenue growth, market expansion, and the overall performance of the commercial organization.

As a member of Nicolet’s Leadership Team, this person will be responsible for partnering with the Leadership Team to define and drive organizational performance, accountability, and effectiveness in a People First, We Are One, Team culture.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS
Reasonable Accommodations Statement
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Essential Functions Statement(s)

• Committed to the Mission, Vision, and Values of Nicolet Plastics, LLC.
• Develop, lead, and build strategy around Nicolet Plastics’ revenue growth.
• Individual contributor towards new business development as the assigned “hunter” within Nicolet Plastics.
• Formulate and implement sales and marketing plans that will meet or exceed revenue and profitability goals developed collaboratively with the Leadership and Advisory Team during Strategic Planning.
• Build relationships with personnel at Key Accounts to support the commercial team and provide an executive presence.
• Lead improvements in the selling process and implement strategies that create a more “sticky” customer intimacy with our customers.
• Lead the commercial team and focus on increasing the opportunities for new business with new and existing customers.
• Coordinate new customer and new project onboarding through collaboration with the Engineering and Operations Team that ensures customer satisfaction.
• Monitor market conditions, product innovations, and competitor's capabilities, along with market pricing trends to ensure Nicolet Plastics remains competitive.
• Identify, lead, and coordinate activity of 3rd party marketing partners including website and social media management.
• Lead the research of potential customers and conduct market research to determine potential customer/industry needs.
• Explore, evaluate, and implement the use of Customer Relations Management (CRM) software utilized to its maximum extent to support new prospect/opportunity management.
• Determine and document customer satisfaction with products and services through the development of surveys and in person discussions.
• Assist in the preparation of the Sales and Marketing budgets and lead the respective Team Members to the agreed upon budget.
• Drive annual fiscal year revenue forecasts for the commercial team along with monthly revenue review performance calls.
• Monitor and protect margin profile of all business by leading pricing review process monitoring material pricing and overall manufacturing cost increases.
• Develop and communicate, within the organization, the sales execution through metrics. (Sales funnel, win rate, won/loss analysis, markets, KPIs)
• Serve and support the organization and commercial team through situations of escalation showing executive presence, leadership and positive solutions through pricing, delivery, and quality situations with customers.
• Other duties as assigned

POSITION KEY COMPETENCIES

• Leadership - Ability to influence others to perform their jobs effectively.
• Coaching and Development - Ability to provide guidance and feedback to help others strengthen specific knowledge/skill areas.
• Creativity – Ability to generate innovative solutions to solving customer problems.
• Persuasive – Ability to sell a vision, to swing others over to your point of view.
• Customer Focused – Service mentality, committed to ensuring both internal and external customers are satisfied.
• Initiative – Exhibits energy and drive, must go beyond the call of duty, urgent bias for action toward goal achievement.
• Accountability – Accountable for the results of yourself and the work of others.
• Integrity – Naturally puts the customer (internal & external) above self-interest. Does not cut ethical corners.
• Tenacity – Does not give up in the face of adversity.
• Risk Taker – Will take calculated risks that generally result in favorable outcomes.
• Likeable – Genuine, friendly, puts people at ease.
• Assertiveness – Ability to act in a self-confidant manner to facilitate opportunities to close new business.
• Active Listening - Ability to actively attend to, convey, and understand the comments and questions of others.
• Communication, Oral – Communicates well in one on one, small groups, and public speaking. Fluent, quick on one’s feet, excellent command of the English language.
• Communication, Written - Ability to communicate in writing clearly and concisely.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, business, or similar field and/or equivalent experience in a similar role
• Five or more years of experience in Technical Sales Management in a manufacturing environment
• Proven success in customer relations, business development, team member development, and leadership
• Understanding and commitment to driving performance in relation to KPI’s
• Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.
• Experience maximizing the use of CRM software tools
• Working knowledge of SEO capabilities and uses
• Working knowledge of ERP systems, IQMS preferred
• Identify ways that Nicolet Plastics can implement AI into our sales process to drive efficiency and execution for new customer leads, opportunity management, and quoting.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS
While performing the duties of this job, the team member is occasionally required to stand for extended periods of time; walk, handle tools, or controls; communicate and listen (hear). The team member is occasionally required to climb or balance. The team member must occasionally lift and/or move parts, reports, files, office supplies, etc. weighing up to 40 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.