VP of Sales

Dakotaland Manufacturing is a leading provider of precision sheet metal fabrication, CNC machining, welding, assembly, and finishing services. Operating from two facilities in Sioux Falls and Watertown, South Dakota, totaling 130,000 square feet, the company adeptly manages projects of varying sizes and complexities. Committed to innovation and quality, Dakotaland Manufacturing emphasizes understanding customer needs and delivering solutions with integrity, fostering trusted partnerships through service, passion, and respect.

SUMMARY

The Vice President of Sales will lead and drive the companys sales strategy and execution. Key responsibilities include:

• Strategic Leadership: Develop and implement a comprehensive sales strategy aligned with the companys overall business objectives.
• Team Building and Development: Recruit, hire, train, and motivate a high-performing sales team to achieve maximum productivity and customer satisfaction.
• Sales Execution: Oversee all sales activities, including planning, forecasting, and budgeting to ensure revenue targets are met.
• Customer Focus: Build and maintain strong customer relationships, addressing customer needs and concerns to drive customer loyalty and retention.
• Market Expansion: Identify and pursue new market opportunities to expand the companys customer base and market share.
• Operational Excellence: Implement efficient sales processes and systems to optimize sales performance and reduce costs.
• Performance Management: Set clear performance expectations, track key metrics, and provide regular feedback to drive accountability and continuous improvement.

By effectively executing these responsibilities, the Vice President of Sales will play a critical role in driving revenue growth of 10% YoY, enhancing brand reputation, and solidifying the companys position in the market.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Including the following. Other duties may be assigned.

Sales Leadership:

• Developing a business plan / sales strategy covering revenue and expense controls, meeting agreed sales goals and targets, and promoting the organizations presence
• Responsible for obtaining profitable results through the sales team by developing the team through motivation, counselling, skills development, and product knowledge development
• Responsible for managing the sales team:
  • Set aggressive sales targets for all members of the sales team
  • Meet pre-determined revenue goals by holding the direct reports accountable for leading and lagging indicators
  • Lead and conduct weekly sales team meetings and weekly sales and operations meetings
• Drive strategic pricing initiatives by developing and implementing a robust quoting and estimating process to achieve budgeted gross margins and optimize pricing strategies for annual and long-term agreements, achieving target margins, and resulting in EBITDA growth.
• Embody company culture and maintain high sales employee engagement
• Ensure correct usage of CRM and other sales applications
• Train and ensure adherence to the sales process

Personnel:

• Maintain a specific appraisal system that describes the responsibilities and performance standards for each member of the sales team, set individual territory sales and commission targets and administer the commission plan
• Personally observe the performance of sales representatives in the field on a regular basis
• Responsible for the planning, recruitment, direction, organization and control of sales managers and sales representatives to accomplish specific objectives
• Provide high standards of ongoing training for the sales representatives so that they possess sufficient technical knowledge to present information on the companys products in an accurate and balanced manner
• Train new salespeople to ensure success
• Coach and develop direct reports

Administration:

• Manage the sales administration function, operational performance reporting, streamlining processes and systems wherever possible, and advising senior management on maximizing business relationships and creating an environment where customer service can flourish
• Responsible for monitoring the performance of the sales team by establishing a system of reports and communications involving sales reports, cyclical sales meetings, sales newsletters, and electronic bulletins
• Assign sales territories, set sales goals, and establish training programs for the organizations sales representatives
• Track sales team metrics and report data to leadership on a regular basis
• Implement performance plans according to company procedure

Planning:

• Cultivate existing markets and develop and maintain robust, strategic customer relationships to increase business volume and market penetration.
• Identify and penetrate new lucrative markets, or product offerings, that offer rapid growth potential, in accordance with the company's strategic growth plan.
• Cultivate a profound understanding of the market and customer needs, and maintain a comprehensive competitor intelligence report to identify areas of significant value creation and unique differentiation for current and potential customers.
• Assist in the development of the annual sales plan, specifically advising on realistic forecasts for each product and territory (based on historical data, market trends, competitive activity, promotional strategy, and sales effort), realistic costs of operating the sales force and sales promotion program plans
• Develop and maintain precise sales forecasts that are consistent with the company's annual budget. Identify the root causes of any revenue shortfalls and implement corrective action plans to address the gap.
• Analyze sales statistics to determine sales potential and inventory requirements and to monitor customers' preferences

QUALIFICATIONS AND REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelors degree, MBA preferred

• 10 years of successful sales leadership as VP of Sales or Sales Director, and a minimum of 5 years experience in contract manufacturing, with a preference for experience in machining, tooling, and metal product production.
• A proven track record and demonstrated success leading teams in organizations with a minimum annual revenue of $50M.
• Experience hiring, coaching, and developing a geographic management team
• Demonstrated success in achieving quota in enterprise-class sales, gaining market share with existing customers and entering new markets.
• Strong track record in driving business performance through effective sales and operations planning.
• Ability to work effectively in a matrix-management environment with extended team members
• Ability to establish and manage executive-level customer relationships
• Ability to resolve complex problems
• An effective sales team leader who can work well with Sales Team, Customer Support Group, Development, Operations, Marketing and Sales Management
• Proven ability to negotiate favorable deals and close sales
• Strong communication skills, both written and verbal, including effective presentations
• Ability to develop strategies and execute effectively.