US UF03 Director of Sales

Mitsubishi Chemical Group•Sacramento, CA

13d•$206,955 - $236,520

About The Position

The Mitsubishi Chemical Group, Carbon Fiber Division is seeking a Director of Sales to lead all sales activities within the Americas Region that drive topline revenues, margin expansion, and market share growth. • In line with the business strategy for the Carbon Fiber Division, the position shall define and execute sales plans to increase share-of-wallet at existing customers, grow the existing base of customers, and actively seek cross-sell the entire MCG carbon fiber-related portfolio (composite materials, composite parts). • The position shall define, implement, and enforce best-in-class sales excellence practices and programs including strategic selling, key account management, pipeline rigor, and disciplined use of CRM systems. • The position shall lead, mentor, and coach the Americas sales team to deliver on sales, business, and financial objectives.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; science/engineering/business degree preferred. Advanced degree in similar disciplines is valued.
Up to 75% (regional & international)
Industry Experience serving, or working, in two or more of MCGs target markets required – aerospace, defense, sports and leisure, and industrials.
Strong working knowledge of composite product applications and qualification/certification processes in MCG’s target markets, along with associated experience in contract negotiations, supply chain and project management in those markets is required.
Minimum 15 years of progressive commercial and sales experience in composites materials/structures, composite parts, and/or carbon fiber applications required.
Prior leadership experience managing and leading sales teams in the Americas Region required.
Proven track record of strong collaboration while developing a long-term strategy.
Ability to work in a matrixed environment to build organizational alignment.
Able to integrate a diversity of perspectives across the organization.
Ability to work in matrixed, global environments across multiple time zones, successfully engaging across the organization to drive business results.
Proven ability to influence at executive levels internally and externally, articulate complex technical value propositions, and lead negotiations with sophisticated customers and partners.

Nice To Haves

Technical and applications knowledge of composites and high-performance materials used in manufacturing (e.g., high-strength fibers, specialty resins, prepregs, thermoplastics, and associated manufacturing techniques) is highly valued.
Familiarity with industry trends such as lightweighting, sustainability, advanced manufacturing technologies, etc. is highly valued.
Experience with change management and leading teams through change preferred.

Responsibilities

Develops and implements strategic sales plans in the Americas Region through a proper analysis and understanding of the market size, market potential, market needs, customer segmentation, and SWOT analysis of the competition.
Develops an annual sales plan to support the Carbon Fiber Division’s business plan and strategy.
Translates strategic growth initiatives into clear, measurable sales objectives, quotas, and execution plans.
Owns regional sales forecasting, pipeline development, and opportunity management processes.
Establishes clear performance metrics (revenue, margin, funnel health, win rates) and drives accountability across the sales organization.
Directs implementation and execution of sales policies and practices.
Builds, hires, and manages the Americas Carbon Fiber Division sales teams to conduct needed sales, service, and support activities.
Leads, coaches, and mentors sales team members and ensures their on-going education and development.
Creates a performance-driven culture characterized by ownership, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
Works closely with the Product Management and Finance Teams to develop a good understanding of the profitability drivers for the Carbon Fiber Division product portfolio.
Works closely with the Product Management Teams to set regional sales and profitability targets for the Americas sales team.
Ensures that appropriate commercial contracts and/or T&Cs are in place to achieve sales, margin, and working capital targets.
Drives disciplined deal governance, pricing compliance, and margin optimization.
Leads the sales team to develop weekly, monthly, or quarterly sales forecasts as appropriate.
Participates in the S&OP process to enable development of the optimal production plan for the relevant period(s), balancing customer order fulfillment, on-time delivery, and business profitability.
Monitors the Americas regional market trends and supports global/regional market intelligence initiatives for the Carbon Fiber Division.
Understands market macroeconomics, market trends/behavior and uses this information to create “own” view on relevant market development and trends.
Participates in annual business planning/budget processes by providing forecasts and insights based on regional market knowledge.
Ensures compliance with all aspects of applicable export compliance programs and requirements.
Ensures compliance with the applicable credit exposure monitoring programs in place to manage credit risk of relevant counterparties.
Ensures that appropriate commercial contracts are executed with all customers, and processes are in place to maintain on-going compliance with all customer contracts and agreements.