Channel Director

franke

About The Position

The Channel Director is responsible for defining and driving the commercial strategy and performance of assigned sales channels for the respective Franke division across the United States. This role develops and maintains strong relationships with strategic accounts, establishes clear priorities to accelerate market share growth, and strengthens Franke’s competitive position. The Channel Director continuously assesses channel effectiveness, identifies growth opportunities, and partners cross-functionally with Marketing, Technical Service, Supply Chain, and Finance to ensure disciplined execution and sustainable, profitable growth. This role requires frequent travel (50–60%) and may be based in any of the 49 contiguous U.S. states.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, or a related field preferred.
7+ years of experience in sales, channel management, business development, and/or industry related experience.
Experience in equipment, foodservice, appliances, or specialty B2B environments preferred.
Demonstrated ability to work across diverse partner networks in the U.S. and Canada.
Ability to travel as required (50-60%).
Strong customer focus with the ability to understand customer needs, assess service quality, and address issues in a timely, professional way.
Solid understanding of sales and marketing principles, including channel dynamics, product positioning, sales techniques, and the use of data to guide decisions.
Ability to interpret technical information and understand how equipment, tools, or system features influence customer and partner requirements.
Working knowledge of training methods and the ability to guide others through product knowledge and process learning when needed.
Clear understanding of safety expectations and the steps needed to maintain a safe work environment.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to interpret business information, develop clear reports, and speak confidently with internal teams, partners, and customers.
Comfortable with business math, including rate, ratio, percentage, and basic analysis required for sales reporting or commercial planning.
Strong reasoning skills with the ability to assess practical problems, sort through limited information, and choose a clear path forward.

Nice To Haves

MBA or equivalent advanced degree is a plus but not required.
Equivalent experience in channel leadership or commercial roles will also be considered.

Responsibilities

Define the go-to-market approach for assigned channels and align it with the overall organizational strategy.
Build annual business plans, revenue goals, and margin expectations for each channel.
Lead day-to-day engagement with strategic accounts.
Negotiate agreements, pricing structures, and growth programs that support profitable business.
Track performance against targets and identify gaps early, making recommendations as needed.
Coordinate forecasting and demand planning with Supply Chain and Finance.
Review pipeline activity and support the sales team on major opportunities or escalations.
Work with Marketing on channel-specific campaigns, product launches, and industry events.
Partner with Technical Service and Customer Support to resolve issues impacting channel performance.
Collaborate with Finance on pricing, rebates, and program funding.
Monitor market shifts, customer expectations, and competitor behavior and provide insights to leadership.
Offer coaching and structured feedback to team members supporting the channel and identify development needs in partnership with HR.