Sales Manager

Methode Electronics, Inc. (NYSE: MEI) is actively recruiting a Sales Operations Manager to oversee our North American Automotive sales division. In this role, you will lead a dynamic sales team, handling recruitment, management, and development. Your responsibilities span all systems and process from pre-request for quotation activities through the product life cycle until the program end- of-life. Your mission? Boost profitability and drive year-over-year revenue growth within our relevant market segments. Additionally, you'll cultivate customer intimacy while safeguarding Methode's reputation and client relationships.

Methode Electronics Automotive Group is a leading global developer of User-Interfaces, LED Lighting, Sensors, and Chassis and Powertrain signal/power distribution solutions. Our team of knowledgeable sales, design engineers, and operations personnel across the globe offer expert advice and develop innovative and highly integrated solutions tailored to address our customers' challenges and meet your objectives.

Responsibilities:

• Primary focus on protecting and growing profit margins for current and new products, getting new business, and building strong customer relationships

• Take ownership to maintain and improve Methode' s primary sale operational tools like Salesforce.com and Product Life Management (PLM) for accurate budgeting, sales forecasting, quotations, contracts, purchase orders and price changes

• Maximize customer commercial financial recovery and negotiations including inflationary price increases, program change or end of life product obsolescence (material and capital) along with accurate and timely payment of customer funded tooling and capital

• Ensure accuracy of all customer purchase order including pricing matching current engineering revision levels

• Maintain portal access and training for all customers and the sales team

• Develop strategies and set priorities to secure new business RFQ's and new business awards for each targeted customer capitalizing on Methode' s technologies

• Evaluate customer and industry requirements to capitalize on Methode's broad technology "toolbox" and product portfolio to win new business and solve customer problems

• Develop and build deep relationships to drive customer satisfaction with multiple customer management levels and functions including Engineering, Design, HMI, Program Teams, Quality and Purchasing

• Lead and leverage internal cross function teams including Engineering, Applications Engineering, Operations, Quote/Costing, Purchasing, Launch Teams and Quality to gather market intelligence and drive the internal quote process in order to meet /exceed customer expectations for new business opportunities/RFQ's

• Strong networking to collect competitive and market intelligence to help define future industry needs, wants and requirements, along with recommended actions to grow sales and return on sales

• Define target customer vehicle cycle plans in order to develop pro-active (prior to the customer RFQ) plans and strategies in order to win new business

• Resolve customer payment issues in a timely manner and ensure customers maintain contracted payment terms

• Monitor customer scorecards and escalate poor performance issues to ensure customer satisfaction

• Hire, manage and develop a sales team that aligns with business needs by building sales capability through coaching and training

• Other duties as assigned

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's Degree required, MBA preferred

• Minimum of 4 years of experience leading a sales team

• Minimum of 7 years sales experience in manufacturing industry

• Deep understanding of OEM customers and business processes

• Strong understanding of customer advanced development activities and approval milestones/process

• Excellent communication and presentation skills: written and oral

• Strong analytical, business acumen and strategic planning skills

• Deep knowhow of commercial systems (Salesforce, PLM, etc.) and tools

• Excellent presentation skills and customer interface skills

• Demonstrated knowledge of understanding market trends and competitive landscape

• Experience managing manufacturing representatives is preferred

• Up to 30% travel

• Ability to occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds

Methode Electronics is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, genetic information and other legally protected characteristics per the EEO Poster available here . If you need a reasonable accommodation because of a disability for any part of the employment process, please send an e-mail to recruiting@methode.com or call (708) 867-6777 and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.