SUMMARY:The Sales Director - North America role is responsible for developing an effective sales and business development strategy focused on prospective clients and business opportunities to generate revenue, improve profitability, and drive business growth. Reports directly to the Group President - Electrification
The goal is to drive sustainable financial growth through boosting sales and forging strong relationships with clients.
DIRECT REPORTS:KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & DUTIES: - Research and identify new business opportunities - including new markets, growth areas, trends, customers, partnerships, and new ways of reaching existing markets in North America
- Generate leads and prospective customers in North American markets; develop channels and contacts to find potential clients in various countries
- Manage client relationships to expand services to additional North American markets and services
- Promote the company's products/services, addressing or predicting clients' objectives
- Conduct research to identify new markets and customer needs in specified territory
- As a result of the above, the successful candidate should develop a deep understanding of key target markets, becoming a subject market specialist in target markets such as data centers, industrial battery-powered applications, ground support equipment, etc.
- Successful candidates should be able to provide market intel and brief senior management on new product opportunities.
- Arrange virtual and "in-person" business meetings with prospective clients and travel to customer areas to represent the company
- Have a good understanding of Lithion's products and services and be able to sell these advantages to customers successfully
- Develop and present business plans with detailed customer revenue projections, timelines, and specify any product developments to capture specific markets
- Develop a growth strategy focused both on financial gain and customer satisfaction
- Build long-term relationships with new and existing customers
- Work with the Marketing Department to develop marketing strategies for marketing to North American-specific markets
- Maintain a professional company image at all times
- Participate in trade shows, training, or associated product meetings when necessary
- Meet financial revenue, bookings, and other annual targets
- Build, lead, and mentor a high-performing North American sales and business development team, including hiring, coaching, and performance management
- Own the North American sales budget and forecast, providing regular pipeline, revenue, and P&L reporting to the Group President - Electrification and executive leadership
- Set annual and quarterly sales targets, territory plans, and go-to-market strategy in alignment with overall company growth objectives
- Partner cross-functionally with Product, Engineering, Operations, and Finance to align customer and market feedback with the product roadmap and delivery capacity
- Establish and manage channel partner and distributor relationships to extend market reach and coverage across North America
- Lead contract negotiations and pricing strategy for major accounts, ensuring alignment with margin and profitability targets
- Represent the company at the executive level in strategic customer, partner, and industry engagements
- Develop and implement sales processes, CRM standards, and forecasting/reporting cadences across the team
- Other duties as required or assigned
QUALIFICATIONS & COMPENTENCIES:- Third-level qualifications in marketing, business administration, communications, engineering or related field are preferred
- Minimum 3 years' business development or sales experience
- Experience in energy storage, data centers, battery-powered industrial applications, lithium batteries or associated industries is highly desirable
- Proven and demonstrable history of successful "hunter" sales
- Knowledge of custom battery packs and BESS is highly desirable.
- Ability to comprehensively understand current market situations in all markets in North America to effectively market our services
- Results-focused and deadline-driven, ensuring that tasks are prioritized, diarized, actioned, reviewed and followed up in a timely manner
- Exceptional attention to detail and organizational skills
- Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills, with the ability to communicate effectively both verbally and in writing
- Self-motivated, with the ability to work independently and prioritize tasks in a fast-paced environment
- Target selection - both opportunity and team revenue focused
- Proactively seeks areas of improvement, allocating time and resources accordingly
- Demonstrated negotiation and influencing skills ethically and with integrity
- Flexible and adaptable; willing to assist the team with tasks outside normal scope of responsibility with the common goal of revenue growth for maximum benefit
- Ability to work under pressure and achieve set deadlines
- Strong proficiency in MS Office suite and CRM experience
- Fluency in English; other languages are a plus.
- Familiarity with industry-specific software and technology
- Minimum 7-10 years of progressive sales or business development experience, including at least 3-5 years in a people-management or team-leadership capacity
- Demonstrated experience building and scaling a sales team, including hiring, onboarding, and performance management
- Proven track record of owning and delivering against a sales budget and/or P&L
- Experience developing and executing go-to-market and territory strategies at a regional or national level
- Executive presence with experience presenting to and influencing senior leadership and C-suite stakeholders
- Strong cross-functional leadership skills, with experience partnering with Product, Engineering, and Operations teams
- Adaptability and resilience to quick changes in priorities, technology, tools, and workflow
WORK ENVIRONMENT & PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:This position involves work in the field, remotely, and/or in an office environment, requiring some or all of the following:
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk or workstation.
- Repetitive hand and arm movements.
- Occasional lifting of up to 20 lbs.
- Frequent travel to client sites and events, including the ability to drive or travel long distances.
- Walking and standing for extended periods during client meetings, presentations, and events.
- Must possess a valid driver's license.
