National Sales Manager

ROLE MISSION & BUSINESS CONTEXT:

The National Sales Manager is responsible for rebuilding, optimizing, and scaling our national dealer sales organization. This role exists to drive measurable sales performance improvement across a national dealer network supported by Regional Sales Managers.

We are a well-established pontoon manufacturer with strong product and brand recognition. However, our current sales model has not produced the growth and dealer productivity we expect. This role is a mandate for change, accountability, and execution—not maintenance of the status quo.

The ideal candidate has led dealer-network turnarounds, understands when to invest in dealers and when to exit relationships, and has successfully driven results through regional sales teams in competitive, discretionary consumer markets.

DESCRIPTION OF DUTIES/EXPECTATIONS:

Dealer Network Strategy & Performance

• Evaluate and segment the national dealer network (productivity, profitability, brand alignment).
• Develop and execute a dealer optimization strategy, including recruitment, development, and, when necessary, dealer exits.
• Establish clear performance standards, expectations, and consequences for dealer partners.
• Lead negotiations and approvals of dealer agreements aligned with long-term growth strategy.

National Sales Leadership

• Lead, coach, and hold Regional Sales Managers accountable to defined performance metrics.
• Direct and develop all in-house sales personnel, including Sales Assistants and Regional Sales Representatives, ensuring alignment, productivity, and executional discipline.
• Assess sales territory design and adjust coverage as needed to maximize market opportunity.
• Set national sales priorities and ensure consistent execution across regions.
• Identify capability gaps within the sales organization and drive hiring, development, or restructuring as required.

Customer Service, Parts & Warranty Leadership

• Lead Parts and Warranty functions as critical components of the overall dealer and customer experience, ensuring alignment with sales strategy while maintaining operational discipline and cost controls

Sales Strategy & Execution

• Develop and implement a national sales strategy aligned with production capacity, margin targets, and market demand.
• Drive accurate forecasting and pipeline visibility using dealer and regional-level data.
• Partner with operations and production leadership to align demand planning and inventory flow.
• Establish pricing, incentive, and promotional discipline across the dealer network.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Collaborate closely with Marketing to improve lead generation, dealer sell-through, and brand positioning at retail.
• Provide structured dealer and market feedback to product development and leadership.
• Participate in regular production and leadership meetings to align sales opportunities with operational realities.

Travel & Field Engagement

• Maintain strong field presence through regular dealer and regional travel.
• Personally engage with key accounts, strategic dealers, and underperforming regions.
• Serve as a visible leader to both dealers and internal teams.

KEY ACCOUNTABILITIES

• Improvement in dealer productivity and sales per dealer
• Achievement of annual revenue and margin targets
• Strength and health of the dealer network (active dealers, sell-through, compliance)
• Performance, development, and retention of Regional Sales Managers
• Forecast accuracy and sales execution discipline
• Builds and maintains a team of outside and inside sales representatives to carry out sales strategy.
• Participates in designing regional sales compensation/commission & contracts
• Manage, review and approve employees work schedules, timecards, and time-off requests.
• Develop and recommend a sales strategy and implement once approved
• Perform market research and generate new dealer leads
• Continually analyzes market data to develop sales forecasts and evaluate sales strategy
• Oversee retail customer service, parts sales and warranty personnel
• Build and maintain strong dealer relationships
• Liaise with marketing and product development to provide customer/market feedback
• Participates in regular production meetings to communicate sales opportunities
• Coordinates and negotiate dealer agreements for approval
• Travel to current and prospective dealers and mentoring regional sales managers
• Monitor individual dealers for health and stability
• Coordinate loads with dealers.

REQUIRED SKILLS & COMPETENCIES:

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & QUALIFICATIONS

• Proven leadership experience managing a national or multi-region dealer-based sales organization
• Background in marine, RV, powersports, automotive, or similar discretionary retail industries
• Demonstrated success in turnaround, restructuring, or scaling a sales organization
• Strong understanding of dealer economics, territory management, and incentive structures
• Ability to lead through influence, accountability, and data-driven decision-making
• Willingness to travel nationally on a regular basis

Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Business or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.

CORE COMPETENCIES

• Strategic Sales Leadership
• Dealer Network Development & Accountability
• Data Analysis & Forecasting
• Executive Communication
• Change Leadership
• Ethical Decision-Making