Area Sales Manager

About the role

Total Safety is the world's premier provider of integrated safety and compliance services and the products necessary to support them, including gas detection, respiratory protection, safety training, fire protection, compliance and inspection, industrial hygiene, onsite emergency medical treatment/paramedics, communications systems, engineered systems design, and materials management. Our Core Values are People, Safety & Wellbeing, Accountability, Responsibility, Empowerment, Honesty, Transparency, and Integrity.

Responsibilities

• Manages the assignment of accounts/territories to ensure effective account management, customer satisfaction, and development of new business and markets.
• Sponsors and champions new growth opportunities through alliances, new products, and applications.
• Works with Operations Team to identify key customers, evaluate critical customer success factors, and build more efficient processes to deliver quality products and services, improve responsiveness and customer satisfaction levels at the lowest possible cost.
• Facilitates, schedules, and attends IPSC and Turnaround reviews with customers.
• Reviews and analyzes opportunities presented by sales, quotations, and customer service and operations staff. Determines whether the customer philosophy fits with Total Safety capabilities, if there are synergies with other products, services, and areas, and whether the account will be targeted.
• Manages quotations process for assigned Area, ensuring that gross margin targets are met and that the content of the proposal is accurate.
• Participates in negotiations of area, multi-site, and/or complex commercial agreements.
• Facilitates communications and coordinates the processes between cross-functional teams (internally and externally) to ensure that issues are addressed and incorporated into agreements, processes, and procedures.
• Ensures that contract templates are followed according to legal and operational procedures.
• Manages the human resources functions of the department including hiring and firing, training, performance appraisals, salary, and job change actions.
• Teaches staff to seek and identify business opportunities and to identify value-added options to develop customer accounts. Assists staff in building relationships with customers and cultivating accounts into long-term customer alliances.
• Prepares and makes sales presentations both on key customer accounts and with members of the sales team, focusing on value to the customer, and coordinates visits from Total Safety technical staff and upper-level management to customers where necessary.
• Arranges customer visits to Total Safety facilities and in-house training demonstrations.
• Utilizes CRM (Customer Relationship Management System - SalesForce.com) to maintain current customer profiles including contact information and customer requirements.
• Prepares monthly reports and internal memos in a timely manner to communicate and outline opportunities, take corrective actions to resolve issues before they become problems, and assist with forecasting.
• Keeps abreast of new products, specifications, and industry trends, competitor strengths and weaknesses, and communicates new information to colleagues.
• Attends industry-sponsored trade shows and seminars. Communicates potential opportunities to other Total Safety locations and business units.
• Assists with special projects as assigned.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited university/college in a related field preferred or equivalent technical and commercial experience.
• A minimum of three (3) years of sales management experience with a distinguished record of sustained achievement.
• Track record of successful regional contract negotiations, multi-site interfaces, and management of complex commercial contracts.
• Comprehensive knowledge of Total Safety products and services offered, capabilities, and inter-relationship with other business units/product lines, and ability to sell moderately complex technical equipment.

Skills

• Proficient in MS Office programs and knowledge of departmental software programs.
• Knowledge of potential customers within the geographical focus area.
• Knowledge of competitors in target markets, with an appreciation of their strategies, strengths, and weaknesses.
• Understanding of external economic factors, market prices, legislation, contract structures, and internal economic factors including cost, margins, and profit impact of decisions.
• Ability to develop, implement, and manage detailed long-term sales strategies and short-term action plans.
• Ability to work independently under limited supervision.
• Good organization and prioritization skills, consistently meeting deadlines.
• High level of interpersonal, communication (verbal, written, and listening), persuasion, presentation, and relationship-building skills to effectively communicate with all levels of internal and external contacts.
• Ability to modify communication and presentation style to relate to a variety of people and personalities.
• Commitment to compliance with applicable laws and regulations, unwavering commitment to safety and health, and adherence to company policies and procedures.
• High ethical standards demonstrated in business approach.
• Ability to work in a team environment and willingness to assume additional or new responsibilities readily.
• Uses partnering techniques to cultivate relationships with top customer decision-makers.
• Frequent customer presentations, attuned to the issues of both customers and Total Safety to communicate and clarify needs and expectations.

Physical Demands

• Regularly required to stand, walk, stoop, kneel, or crouch.
• Uses hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; and talk or hear.
• Occasionally required to sit.
• Must occasionally lift and/or move up to 50 pounds.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.

Work Environment

• Spends most time in an office environment.
• Spends 50% of time in customer office locations.
• Spends 30% of time coordinating sales activities in the market area.
• Travels up to 50% of the time.
• May be exposed to possible operations hazards including dust, fumes, toxic and caustic chemicals, high pressure, hot or cold work temperatures, slippery surfaces, water, and electrical hazards.