Head of Sales North America (VP level)

Position Description

The Head of Sales North America has the primary regional responsibility to develop a sales program, strategies, and staff to achieve objectives for the Company, tracking performance against results and reporting to corporate management.  He/she will identify and develop customers for the Company portfolio of products, identify needs, drive the creation of a deliverable solution and negotiate the optimum commercial deal to deliver maximum cash flow and build a lasting relationship.  He/she will develop and maintain key internal relationships with product development, operational delivery teams and the global sales force in order to ensure the sold solution can and is delivered.

He/she is responsible for leading the sales organization and is also expected to personally sell, or to support the sell of, major accounts as well as develop and drive process improvement and standardized reporting to ensure profitable revenue growth. The position is part of the senior leadership team of the North America business and reports to the Global Head of Sales, located in Europe. 

Role requirements

Be a key member of the regional management team, partner with the Global Head of Sales and be a proactive leader in the Company, providing both strategic and tactical sales leadership in North America.

Generate an immediate impact on the US Sales, leveraging your well-connected network.

Dynamic leadership that creates a positive, highly motivated, energized Sales organization. Includes the ability and desire to actively call on key accounts to assist the sales teams with account issues.

Posse and further develop personal relationships with top North America telecom and datacom customers, ensuring optimal market share and account penetration.

Expand and maintain Sales coverage and teams for key accounts and regional territories, assuring optimum service to his/her customers and market penetration.

Expand existing market opportunities and help enter new markets. Substantially expand NA customer base and manage existing NA accounts for growth.

Establish effective Sales programs and processes designed to provide a predictable flow of orders and revenue.

Organize the sales team to identify the drivers and segments of the marketplace and position the company and its offerings in North America. Create an action plan and timetables aligned with the company’s strategy, customer requirements and expectations.

Recommend and maintain appropriate resources, strategies and techniques for the Sales organization.

Establish and maintain effective communications and teamwork with Engineering, Marketing, Finance and Operations to ensure a smooth development and flow of products into all external partner and customer organizations.

Define and implement approved Sales plans, budgets, quotas and objectives for the Sales organization.

Monitor competitive activity and provide current information to the Executive staff.  Establish and maintain effective metrics of the Sales performance.

Oversee the delivery process, ensuring customer satisfaction.

Forecast and anticipate sales requirements, trends, and variances. 

Work with the Global Head of Sales and NA Management to set quotas, territories and responsibilities for each member of the sales force in a manner that optimizes the opportunity for individual, team, and company success. 

Lead the sales force by example and through training, coaching, mentoring and counseling.

Establish expectations and manage Sales call activity, proposal generation, close ratios and other key performance indicators.  Analyze sales results and, if needed, initiate corrective action to achieve attainment of sales goals.

Model excellence in customer service, including soliciting and resolving client inquiries and challenges throughout the Sales cycle, communicating applicable needs or issues to peers on the leadership team.

Personally set the expectations of and standards for internal communications and interactions.  

Communicate and enforce the company’s values, policies, values and procedures with all members of the Sales force.

Develop and maintain a deep understanding of products, services, capabilities, and target market characteristics.

Candidate profile

Qualified candidates will have at least 8 years experience managing Sales teams in the telecommunications market, experience in an IP as well as a network environment and in the CTO operations of a carrier.

An action oriented leader with a personal objective of taking the Sales team to the next level.

The successful candidate will have utilized creative and innovative methods to expand business in the telecom and data communications markets in NA.

The Head of Sales North America will have a BS in a technical discipline, and an MBA.  Additional education or training in the area of management, Sales techniques and team development is also required.

Intuitive and pragmatic understanding of value selling.

Generate demand leveraging resources, internal and external, to provide consistent quarter over quarter growth of revenue and margin.

Able to understand the customer’s pain points, knowing how to become the solution.

Large/Key account Sales and account development.

Extensive understanding of the customer’s business.

Self starting/ creative deal maker with sufficient presence, gravitas and tenacity to gain access to senior decision makers in order to develop revenue generating relationships.

Proven ability to close sales to corporate and telecoms customers.  

Mastery of SalesForce.com tools.

Mastery of complex solution Sales methodologies.

Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.

Strong deal closing skills.

Demonstrated ability to think creatively and apply innovative solutions to entrenched problems.

Willingness to travel extensively – travel can exceed 50% and will involve some weekends.

Establish customer relationships that are long-term with a focus on repeat business - consistently build relationships with top decision-makers to enhance profitability and reputation of company and satisfaction of customers.

Demonstrated success in achieving sales targets.

Excellent written, verbal, analytical and presentation skills.

Ability to perform under high pressure and changing work environment.

Qualify opportunities based on a strategic selling methodology that will enable you to better determine how to prioritize time and resources.

Leverage the Company’s value proposition to influence buying decisions within strategic accounts and markets.