Sales Director - North AmericaNorth America (United States & Canada Regional Responsibility)
Position OverviewThe Sales Director - North America is responsible for leading the overall commercial strategy, sales execution, and business development activities across the United States and Canada. This is a senior, customer-facing leadership role accountable for revenue growth, market expansion, channel development, and strategic account management across the region.
The role owns both strategic direction and operational execution for North America, ensuring alignment with global business objectives while adapting to regional market dynamics. The Sales Director drives new customer acquisition, strengthens existing relationships, and expands market share through direct sales, distribution partnerships, OEM relationships, and solution-based selling.
Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Leadership- Develop and execute the North America commercial strategy aligned with regional and global business objectives.
- Own revenue targets, profitability goals, and market share growth across the United States and Canada.
- Lead short- and mid-term strategic planning (1-3 years) including market penetration, customer acquisition, and expansion initiatives.
- Identify and prioritize key end-user segments, vertical markets, and growth opportunities.
- Partner with executive leadership to align commercial priorities with operational capabilities and product strategies.
Sales & Business Development- Drive new business acquisition through direct engagement, strategic partnerships, and distribution channels.
- Serve as executive sponsor and primary relationship owner for highly visible, strategic, and national accounts.
- Identify large and complex bid opportunities; lead negotiation strategy and commercial positioning.
- Oversee proposal development, pricing strategy, value positioning, and contract negotiations.
- Build and maintain a strong regional pipeline and ensure accurate forecasting of sales opportunities.
- Develop growth strategies for key markets including industrial, commercial, marine, OEM, and special hazard fire protection applications.
Channel & Distribution Management- Develop and expand distribution networks and channel partnerships throughout North America.
- Lead territory planning, channel strategy, and partner performance management.
- Strengthen relationships with distributors, system integrators, consultants, EPC firms, and key industry influencers.
- Ensure channel alignment with company strategy, brand standards, and compliance requirements.
- Evaluate channel effectiveness and implement initiatives to improve market coverage and commercial performance.
Customer & Market Engagement- Build long-term strategic relationships with key customers, consultants, and industry stakeholders.
- Represent the company at industry events, trade associations, customer meetings, and trade shows.
- Provide regular market intelligence including competitor activity, pricing trends, customer feedback, and emerging technologies.
- Deliver commercial insights to leadership to influence product development, innovation, and go-to-market strategies.
- Promote customer-centric selling strategies focused on value creation and long-term partnerships.
Team Leadership- Lead, coach, and develop the North America sales team to achieve performance targets and growth objectives.
- Establish clear KPIs, accountability structures, and performance management processes.
- Foster a high-performance, customer-focused sales culture centered on collaboration, accountability, and continuous improvement.
- Influence and collaborate cross-functionally with operations, engineering, finance, marketing, product management, and customer service teams.
- Support talent development, succession planning, and organizational capability building within the commercial organization.
Operational Excellence- Ensure disciplined CRM utilization, reporting accuracy, and forecasting consistency.
- Monitor sales performance metrics and implement corrective actions where required.
- Maintain compliance with contractual, legal, regulatory, and corporate governance requirements.
- Drive continuous improvement in sales processes, commercial effectiveness, and customer engagement practices.
- Support pricing governance, margin management, and commercial risk mitigation initiatives.
Qualifications & Experience- 10+ years of progressive sales experience, with at least 5 years in a commercial leadership role.
- Experience within the Fire Protection, Industrial Safety, Building Systems, OEM, or related technical industries strongly preferred.
- Proven success leading regional or national sales organizations across North America.
- Strong experience in distribution/channel development and strategic account management.
- Demonstrated success managing complex negotiations, commercial agreements, and large-scale customer relationships.
- Experience presenting technical and commercial solutions to distributors, end users, consultants, EPC firms, and executive stakeholders.
- Strong understanding of contractual frameworks, compliance requirements, and commercial risk management.
- Excellent written, verbal, presentation, and negotiation skills.
- Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence at executive and customer levels.
- High level of initiative, strategic thinking, business acumen, and decision-making capability.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications and CRM platforms.
- Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Business, Engineering, or related field preferred.
- Willingness to travel up to 40-50% across North America.
Key Competencies- Strategic Thinking
- Commercial Acumen
- Executive Presence
- Negotiation & Influence
- Market Expansion & Growth Leadership
- Channel Development & Partner Management
- Customer-Centric Leadership
- Forecasting & Pipeline Management
- Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Team Leadership & Talent Development
- Business Development Strategy
- Results Orientation
