National Sales Manager

The purpose of the role is to extend business and increase sales by researching, compiling and presenting service/sales proposals to prospective new and existing clients. As a National Sales Manager, you should use your creativity and thorough knowledge of sales processes to provide innovative ideas for business growth. Key Responsibilities: 1. Sales • Set and achieve gross sales, Net Sales, and Gross Margin targets for all lines of business.• Determine & manage all sales budgets, across categories and accounts.• Develop strategic alliances with key accounts to drive brand share of their businesses.• Ensure rolling business plans are built for each key account.• Work with Account Managers to ensure sales plans are built for all wholesale customers.• Work with Key Account Managers to ensure all Key Accounts receive professional product presentations for all categories of business.• Ensure that the African Distributor accounts are managed to Net Sales and Gross Margin targets as outlined and ensure a sustainable business partnership is built.• Ensure relationship development is a focus for all customers.• Tightly oversee and be involved in the management of our key accounts TFG & SWH, TCT & S88.• Ensure disciplined account & distribution strategy is in place.• Conduct monthly review meetings with all major accounts and agents and ensure KA One Pagers are kept up to date.• Conduct quarterly business review meetings with each NB sales agent and Key accounts.• Ensure all NB sales staff are fully trained and accountable to New Balance values and sales team expectations.• Ensure pre-line meetings take place with key accounts.• Organise & facilitate two major sales conferences per year.• Manage national sales expenditure to budget.• Contribute as a member of the senior management team.• Contribute as a senior member of the management team in planning and executing sales conference. 2. Reporting • Complete monthly sales & bookings reports. With a focus on Forward bookings.• Complete Monthly Trading Terms report• Complete monthly Pacing report• Complete Monthly R+O wholesale report• Ensure Account quarterly reports are presented to Country Manager.• Ensure key account quarterly sales reports are completed.• Complete weekly work in progress report for Country Manager.• Manage the Appraisal & Objectives process for all sales team members.  3. Forecasting & Inventory Management • Work with the Demand Planner to obtain account SKU forecasts from account managers AND product managers.• Work with the Demand Planner to prepare a company SKU forecast for the budget and quarterly forecasts within the timeframes set by finance.• Work with the Demand Planner to plan and forecast by SKU for the African Distributor accounts.• Reconcile the SKU forecast to the customer forecast.• Analyse the month end analysis of actual to forecast sales to identify sales opportunities.• Work with the Demand Planner to manage inventory to budgeted stock turns.• Utilise rolling monthly forecasts to approve recommended monthly inventory purchases.• Work with the Demand Planner to ensure that the twelve-month inventory forecast is maintained.• Ensure all close outs not purchased by NB retail are priced appropriately and sold to the trade.• Work closely with the retail team to ensure the inventory flow and inventory levels are optimised across the business. 4. Staff Management  • Management of Sales Team. Direct reports:• Strategic Category Account Managers o Key Account Managerso Account Managerso Junior Account Managers • Ensure Weekly & Monthly reports are delivered by direct reports• Set programs & Budgets for staff to achieve sales and profit targets.• Ensure compliance with NB core values and policies.• Proactively coach direct reports to create sustainable performance enhancement.• Deliver departmental role clarity & clear objectives. Reporting Monthly.• Identify developmental requirements and ensure staff attend relevant courses.• Manage the KPI reporting & appraisal process. 5. Trading Terms  • Negotiate annual trading terms and sign documentation three months prior to customer’s financial year commencing.• Work with Marketing to ensure a trading terms spreadsheet is set up and monitored each quarter.• Manage co-op funds for key/major accounts to budget and ensure they are commercially beneficial for New Balance.• Once established, ensure wholesale sales discount funds are managed to budget.• Ensure the Trading Terms spreadsheet is kept up to date and aligns with budget goals.• Ensure wholesale discounts/off price register funds are managed to budget. Individual Attributes:  • Significant experience and tertiary education preferred.• Strong leadership and coaching skills.• Strong numeric, analytical, excel and PowerPoint skills.• Proven entrepreneurial and commercial skills in wholesale.• Persuasive sales and presentation skills with a strong customer service focus.• Sporting goods industry understanding and experience preferred. • Excellent interpersonal skills and a sound track record for leading teams.• Proven negotiation skills and determined self-starter.• Outgoing and sociable with a willingness to spend time with customers after hours.• Ability to travel domestically and internationally on a regular basis.