Title:  Sales Director

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At Graphic Packaging International, we produce the paper cup that held your coffee this morning, the basket that transported those bottles of craft beer you enjoyed last weekend, and the microwave tray that heated your gourmet meal last night. We’re one of the largest manufacturers of paperboard and paper-based packaging for some of the world’s most recognized brands of food, beverage, foodservice, household, personal care and pet products. Headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, we are collaborative, diverse, innovative individuals who create inspired packaging while giving back to our communities. 

With over 25,000 employees working in more than 130 locations worldwide, we strive to be environmentally responsible in our industry and in the communities where we operate. We are committed to workplace diversity and offer compensation and benefits programs that are among the industry’s best to reward the talented people who make our company successful.

If this sounds like something you would like to be a part of, we’d love to hear from you.

A World of Difference. Made Possible.

Title: Director of Sales for National Division America’s

Position Purpose: Responsible for leading a team of employees to deliver sales volumes and margin for the National Division.  The aim is to succeed in converting identified opportunities into long-term profitable business with nationally based companies through professional and proactive relationships and the identification of growth and development opportunities.

The position will be based in the Midwest or Atlanta.

Specific Responsibilities:
Lead a National Sales team to ensure that the following objectives are met:

• Build relationships and extend contacts with both national and regional customers.
• Develop new and grow organic business to include new product development goals. Acquire new business at higher margins.
• Improve margin and organic growth with existing customers through a proactive sales/service relationship and a developed awareness of the customer’s needs.
• Implement Supply Chain Management initiatives to enhance margins and control of accounts.
• Achieve agreed planned sales, added value, stockholding and payment targets to maximize results with each customer.
• Manage and control levels of aged debt.
• Ensure the customers’ needs are communicated to Sales administration, Operations, the Quality Team and the Management Team.
• Ensure customers operate in accordance with agreed contractual terms and negotiate terms where they do not exist or can be improved.
• Manage projects and developments within the business to support the relationship with the customer and ensure an appropriate level of customer focus is achieved.
• Develop and maintain a professional customer relationship to improve the flow of communication, understanding and increase loyalty to the business.
• Present and review our supply performance to customers.
• Engage directly with all interfacing elements of our customers, either face to face or via the phone at every opportunity.
• Maintaining frequent site attendance across North America.
• Provide regular pipeline trackers as and when required.
• Provide other sales reports when required.
• Develop additional business opportunities within the portfolio of accounts:
  1. Ensure regular meetings are established with customers.  These meetings should include all areas of their business – i.e., purchasing, packaging technologists, QA, manufacturing and accounts teams.
  2. Liaise with GPI internal customer services, quality, and manufacturing teams to manage the daily requirements of the business.  Provide supporting information when and where necessary.
  3. Manage our customer’s expectations to maintain a positive and progressive supply partnership.
  4. Ensure good-working relationships with superiors, peers, customers and any 3rd party visitors at all times.
• Any other tasks associated with this role, which are suited to the individual’s abilities and level of training as directed by the VP National Sales and as required by GPI.

Performance Indicators:

• Deliver existing business against targets defined to include organic sales growth, new business development, and optimized cash flow
• Meet defined business targets of EBITDA, gross margin, cash flow, overdue payments, overdue finished stock
• Ensure general sales team performance, skills development, cohesion, retention, and succession planning
• Ensure that sales team lends the necessary support to all other divisions

Technical Skills and Qualifications:

• Experience in leading sales teams remotely across a wide geographical area to achieve results
• Experience within a national manufacturing environment (ideally print and/or packaging)
• Degree level education, Bachelors required. Master’s degree preferred. 
• Fluency in English
• Computer skills including the use of Microsoft Excel, Outlook, Word, SAP, and general IT systems literacy.
• Proficiency with Salesforce software preferred.
• 8+ years in the packaging industry, in depth knowledge of the beverage packaging market preferred.
• Frequent travel within North America. 

Interpersonal Skills:
 

• Excellent communication skills essential, ability to give clear written and verbal instructions, clearly understand and explain technical and commercial issues to customers and have good understanding of procedures and processes
• Able to identify areas of weakness within processes and customer specific procedures and help find innovative solutions
• Highly responsible, reliable and flexible with a strong work ethic
• Able to effectively prioritize and adapt to a varied and changeable workload

Company Core Values:
 

• Integrity - Acts with honesty in actions and in communicating with others. Leads by example. Keeps promises, meets commitments and takes pride in work. Respects policies and lives up to the trust others place in them.
• Relationships - Has a positive attitude. Communicates in an open and direct manner. Considers the needs of others before taking action. Uses differences as an opportunity to explore new ideas, increase understanding and combine strengths.
• Accountability - Takes personal responsibility for doing the job to the best of their ability. Acts with initiative, learns from experiences, shares knowledge and strives to continually improve performance. Is dependable and can be counted on to deliver results. Looks out for the safety of others. Effectively utilizes resources.
• Teamwork - Shares goals and works with others to achieve them. Encourages others to be involved and supports their ideas. Helps others without being asked. Reaches across departments and Business Units to increase knowledge and gain experience.
• Respect - Values the unique skills and abilities of others. Actively listens to other employee's ideas and honors diverse opinions. Appreciates everyone's contributions and recognizes accomplishments. Shows common courtesy to others and customers. Actively works to maintain an environment that is open, honest, supportive and fulfilling.

Physical Requirements:
 

• Continuous and prolonged travel required with as much as 50% of time away from home overnight.
• Must live near major national airport. 
• Safe driving procedures.

Pay Range:   $142,700.00 - $190,200.00

Graphic Packaging is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All candidates will be evaluated on the basis of their qualifications for the job in question. We do not base our employment decision on an employee's or applicant's race, color, religion, age, gender or sex (including pregnancy), national origin, ancestry, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic identity, genetic information, disability, veteran/military status or any other basis prohibited by local, state, or federal law. Click here to view the Poster, EEO is the Law.

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