Director of Sales

Duties & Responsibilities:

• Leads, coaches, manages and mentors 5 – 10 employees to execute on sales strategy to attain or surpass annual sales targets. Directly supervises any combination of Strategic Account Directors, Account Managers and Account Executives and is responsible for all hiring, performance management and disciplinary decisions for these roles.
• Attends and conducts customer centric meetings, sales presentations and product demonstrations both virtually and in person with key decision-makers and influencers.
• Orchestrates and oversees key business functions including, creating overall territory plan, managing/supports all sales activities across the sales cycle, and ensures proper documentation of all sales activities.
• Establishes, implements and monitors key sales performance activities to meet sales targets. Provide ongoing coaching and mentorship to direct reports leveraging internal sales tools.
• Facilitates regular sales reporting on goal / objectives attainment, sales tasks, and activities, and clearly describes sales challenges and objections to leadership for support and resolution.
• Accurately forecast sales performance on a timely basis.
• Actively collaborates with internal stakeholders including finance, operations, marketing and product teams to ensure alignment across process and projects.
• Assumes a lead role in proactively collaborating with key clients and key internal stakeholders to deliver an outstanding client experience.
• Performs all administrative activities in a timely manner and in accordance with sales protocol to meet expectations of forecast and expense reporting.
• Performs other duties as required.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s Degree (or equivalent) in Sales, Media Relations, Communications, PR/Marketing Investor Relations or a related field is required. Expertise within a global media distribution organization is a strong asset.
• Minimum 10 – 15 years of experience in Sales, Communications, or Media space is required, with at least 5 years’ expertise leading successful sales team within a managerial role.
• In-depth knowledge and proven track record of success with sale management, leadership and understanding of all aspects of the sales life-cycles. Proven ability to deliver client-focused solutions based on customer needs.
• In-depth expertise with sales strategic planning and mentoring teams on sales methodologies and techniques to achieve and surpass quotas and objectives. In-depth knowledge and success with generating organic growth, attaining results with sales, client communications and building the sales pipeline. Exposure to Miller Heiman or comparable sales methodologies is an asset.
• Advanced knowledge and stays current on changing technology, competitors and industry activity to capitalize on market trends. Working knowledge of Canadian Anti-Spam Legislation (CASL) and Freedom of Information and Privacy Act and Regulatory Filing (Canada).
• Advanced ability to communicate (verbal and written), present and influence credibly and effectively selling software as a service to clients including executive and C-Suite level.
• Advanced ability to measure and report on sales performance and forecast sales
• Advanced knowledge of contract negotiations
• Advanced knowledge of Salesforce or similar CRM platform and execution of detailed reporting.
• Advanced problem solving, and innovative skills with keen abilities to think outside the box.
• Advanced project management skills and methodologies with a strong ability to lead and execute strategic account management processes, projects and tasks simultaneously.
• Advanced attention to detail and organizational skills. Adaptable and flexible with an ability to respond to changing work priorities, pressure and demands.
• Ability to work independently and as a member of a team.
• Working knowledge of MS Office including, Word, Excel and PowerPoint coupled with working knowledge of conferencing tools like Zoom. 

Working Environment Demands:

• The job is primarily performed in an office setting, with the occasional need to attend / work in client office locations.
• Regular requirement for multi-tasking, simultaneous multiple urgent demands and / or work requiring attention to detail, subject to frequent, regular interruptions, or peak periods requiring an accelerated work pace or deadlines.
• Occasional exposure to uncomfortable, challenging or hazardous conditions in the workplace.  (Examples could include any or all of the following:  physical elements such as dust, noise, odours, hazardous substances or equipment, a higher likelihood of exposure to conflict, aggression or aggression etc.)
• Salaried job based on 37.5 hours / week. Occasional availability to work a flexible schedule to meet the needs of the organization is required.
• Regular travel is required to commute to client meetings, presentations and networking events across Canada.
• Sustained requirement for manual dexterity / coordination for computer use.
• Sustained requirement for light physical exertion typical of an office job, such as sitting, standing, walking and operating office equipment.
• Minimal requirement for heavy physical exertion, including sitting for prolonged periods with limited freedom to switch positions, and the ability to lift up to 20 lbs. (e.g. paper, files, office equipment machines).
• Regular requirement for low-intensity mental, visual or aural concentration for such activities as reading, inputting data, taking notes.
• Sustained requirement for high-intensity mental, visual or aural concentration such as account analytics, mentoring sales team, presentations or face-to-face interactions of a more complex nature.


Internal Contacts
• VP, Sales: To provide status updates and escalate challenges / issues (daily).
• Director Sales, Strategic Account Director and Account Executives: To provide guidance, direction and mentoring and to discuss sales pipeline activities and analytics (daily).


External Contacts
• Clients: To strategize on clients’ unique needs, negotiate contracts and resolve escalated issues or challenges. 
• Industry Leaders: To represent Cision Canada and participate in regional networking events.


Decision Making
• The job has the accountability and authority to:
• Approve / authorize discount requests for pricing proposals and employee expense reports.
• Approve commission payouts with the VP, and SVP.
• Establish and disseminate regional sales policies, procedures and processes.