National Sales Director

Johnny's Selected Seeds•Fairfield, ME

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The National Sales Director provides strategic leadership for Johnny's Selected Seeds sales organization, driving sustainable revenue growth, new customer acquisition, and long-term customer retention for our professional farmer customer segment. In this role you will manage a team of Territory Sales Representatives to combine consultative selling that reflects Johnny's commitment to providing superior service, best-in-class products, with grower success as their focus. The ideal candidate will be proven sales leader with deep experience in the vegetable and flower seed industry, or agriculture-related field. This position is full-time, exempt, and located in Fairfield, Maine. The National Sales Director is a member of Johnny's Senior Management Team and reports directly to Johnny's CEO.

Requirements

BS/BA in science or horticulture preferred, with experience in advising, training, or counseling commercial vegetable growers in customer-focused environment preferred
Preference will be given to sales professionals with 5+ years of relevant sales experience in the seed/agriculture industry
Experience managing an outside Sales Team in the vegetable seed or general agriculture industry preferred
Knowledge in both field growing and greenhouse or hydroponic growing is a plus
Sales skill expertise: skilled negotiator, problem solver, and closer with the ability to anticipate needs, and develop long-term business relationships
Experience in using SalesForce CRM and Sales Management software to drive results desired
Experience in building lead/prospect to customer sales contact processes steps preferred
Knowledge of vegetable seed market required
Demonstrated ability to grow and manage sales professionals
Proficiency with PCs and Microsoft Office products.
Proven ability to learn and share complex technical information
Excellent organizational, supervisory and time management skills
Ability to travel to all areas of the assigned territory
Drivers License is required, with the ability to visit farms/customers.
Ability to work varied hours/days as business dictates.
Ability to sit for prolonged periods of time.
Ability to bend, pull, and lift (up to 35lbs occasionally)

Nice To Haves

BS/BA in science or horticulture preferred
Experience in advising, training, or counseling commercial vegetable growers in customer-focused environment preferred
Experience managing an outside Sales Team in the vegetable seed or general agriculture industry preferred
Knowledge in both field growing and greenhouse or hydroponic growing is a plus
Experience in using SalesForce CRM and Sales Management software to drive results desired
Experience in building lead/prospect to customer sales contact processes steps preferred

Responsibilities

Develop, execute, and continuously refine an annual national sales strategy that drives sustainable company growth, adapting tactics as needed.
Establish annual sales goals and performance benchmarks, driving improved KPI and metric results through disciplined execution, ongoing reporting, and analysis that directly tie sales activities to revenue growth, new customer acquisition, customer retention, and satisfaction.
Prepare and manage the annual sales budget, setting spending priorities that maximize return on investment, support strategic growth initiatives, and balance new customer acquisition with retention of existing customers; monitor monthly expenses, analyze variances, and implement corrective actions as needed.
Provide direct leadership and supervision to a team of approximately 10–12 sales professionals, using strong recruiting, onboarding, training, and coaching practices to continuously improve individual and team productivity, effectiveness, and consistency.
Set clear expectations and best practices for consultative selling, territory management, forecasting, CRM usage, and customer engagement, reinforcing accountability and service excellence across the sales organization.
Promote data-driven selling by leveraging customer insights, sales analytics, and market trends to guide territory planning, pricing discipline, and account prioritization.
Build structured training and development plans to strengthen job skills, seed knowledge, and professional growth for both the sales team and self, fostering a culture of continuous improvement and learning.
Provide ongoing coaching, performance feedback, and formal performance assessments, addressing development needs while recognizing and reinforcing high performance.
Develop monthly and annual sales forecasts by area, territory, variety, and key account, ensuring accurate planning, inventory alignment, and informed decision-making.
Manage the overall trade show strategy and schedule to increase regional and territory-level sales impact, brand visibility, and customer connections.
Develop and manage strong industry relationships to position Johnny's Selected Seed as the preferred and trusted primary seed source within the market.
Partner closely with the trialing team to evaluate products, provide informed customer feedback, and recommend research opportunities that support best-in-class variety selection and customer success.
Collaborate with marketing team by providing strategic input, aligning messaging with sales priorities, and fully leveraging marketing initiatives to support customer engagement and territory growth.
Make meaningful contributions to cross-functional company project teams, including annual pricing initiatives and other strategic efforts that influence company-wide results.
Identify, recommend, and implement operational and process improvements that strengthen sales effectiveness, customer experience, and scalability across the organization.
Resolve complex and sensitive customer situations professionally and promptly, ensuring fair outcomes, strong relationships, and follow-through on issues such as escalations and collections when required.
Monitor competitive activity by gathering current marketplace intelligence on pricing, products, delivery schedules, shipping fees, merchandising, and sales volume to sharpen sales strategies and value positioning.
Maintain professional and industry knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, building peer networks, and participating in relevant professional organizations.
Lead by example in demonstrating Johnny's values, professionalism, and a customer-first mindset, reinforcing a culture of integrity, accountability, collaboration, and superior service.