Sales Director

Our associates celebrate lives. We celebrate our associates.

Job Responsibilities

Business & Financial Management

• Work with Market and Sales Leadership to identify market penetration and business challenges in order to forecast sales goals and communicate long-term and short-term sales goals for Territory / area of responsibility (AOR).   Work with location management and sales force to provide advice and guidance on production and revenue goals. 
• Accountable for monitoring and achieving annual sales goals within Area of Responsibility (AOR).  Measures sales associate and sales management effectiveness against metric goals; provides updates on trends and goal attainment to Sales, Local, and Market Leadership.  Coach, train, and motivate Sales Associates to deliver exemplary customer satisfaction, enhance product knowledge, improve product margin, and exceed sales goals.  Provide guidance and direction to location sales management in order to effectively motivate the achievement of sales goals. 
• Provides marketing, advertising, community, and customer guidance to location leadership and sales force.  Leverages corporate and market resources to expand brand and product awareness in order to increase sales and market share.  Develop and implement plans to improve customer satisfaction index and on-line community reviews. 
• Resolves complex problems providing resolution guidance to location leadership and empowering accountability.  Assure the location’s operating practices comply with applicable federal & state regulations and Company policies.  Assure safety, quality control, and compliance standards are adhered.

Collaboration and Communication

• Collaborate with colleagues and market leadership to remove operational barriers, encourage ideas, and business or operational enhancements.  Work with Market Leadership and Corporate Departments on product, process, and technology needs and improvements. 
• Develop and implement communication plans for key initiatives and change management.  Oversee implementation of initiatives and manage change providing leadership and guidance as needed.
• Responsible for communicating long-term strategy and annual goals to sales force.  Assist staff with further cascading and messaging.

People Development

• Develop a strong, trusting, empowered, and reliable sales team.  Understand team members career aspirations and provide assignments to develop skills and/or close gaps.  Constructively address issues and provide tangible and appropriate feedback.  Develop frontline supervisors’ proactive and collaborative management style in order to increase employee engagement and minimize turnover.      

• Responsible for screening candidates (internal and external), interviewing, assessing, and hiring or promoting a skilled and effective staff. Establishes pay, recommends pay increases, special pays, and career advancements.
• Writes development plans to close behavior or skill gaps.  Annually documents staff’s performance.  Recommends and discusses terminations with Local and Sales Leadership. 

Other responsibilities as requested or assigned.

Education, Experience & Skills (required unless stated otherwise)

Education, Certifications, and Licensure

• Bachelor's Degree in Business; Marketing; or other related studies

Experience & Skills

• At least ten (10) years funeral industry experience with progressively increased customer facing direct sales responsibilities with knowledge of industry competitive pricing, demographic patterns, and market competition 
• At least five (5) years industry funeral/cemetery pre-need direct sales experience
• At least three (3) years’ experience managing and coaching a direct sales force with proven ability to achieve sales goals. 

• Professional interpersonal skills as well as cultural sensitivity and tactfulness to interact with a variety of cultures and language barriers

• Proficient in MS Office suite including mail, word, excel, & power point
• Skilled at managing both the big picture and fine details
• Strong influencing, verbal, and written communication skills
• Proficient working with databases as the company’s products, pricing, and contracting is automated
• Valid driver’s license and authorized driver per company policy
• Bi-lingual preferred

Working Conditions

• Environment:  Work may be performed both indoors and outdoors regardless of weather conditions 
• Attire:  Business attire is required at all times.  Personal safety equipment or appropriate attire may be required for cemetery or crematory environment 
• Physical Demands:  Sitting continuously for multiple hours or standing continuously for multiple hours.  Manual dexterity to operate standardized office equipment, telephone, calculator, copier, and computer.
• Extenuating Schedule:  Typically required to work several evenings or weekends each month 
• Travel:  Regular travel within AOR, up to 70%