Channel Director NAM

Founded in 1925, Festo Corporation is the leading worldwide supplier of automation technology and the performance leader in industrial training and education programs.  For many years Festo has been providing impetus for factory automation and offers a wide product and service portfolio – from individual components to complex customized solutions and system. As a family-owned company, we act from a holistic perspective. We take responsibility for our actions globally and locally, we want to contribute to the quality of life and conservation of resources where we operate with new technologies, knowledge and education.

At Festo, we hire people who continuously live our five core Values:

• We are Ambitious

• We are Determined

• We are Visionary

• We Value Each Other

• We are Dependable

Summary of job contents:

The Channel Director NAM is responsible for the Festo’s sales through all its indirect channels including technical national, specialty, MRO and catalog distributors as well as online channels (e.g., Festo online shop, Amazon) and other indirect channels that Festo may develop in the future.

Reporting directly to the Vice President of Sales, the Channel Director is expected to work closely with the Geographic and Industry Segment sales teams across North America within each territory to establish appropriate go-to-market strategies leveraging indirect sales channels dependent on market and customer preferences. In this P&L role, the Channel Director will lead the channel sales team to identify, pursue, engage and manage our partners to aggressively maximize and secure profitable sales of Festo products and services.

The Channel Director is responsible for developing and managing the relationship between Festo and its distributor partners by developing and enforcing a comprehensive distribution strategy and policy that promotes high performance while minimizing channel conflict to ultimately best serve our end customers. Additionally, the candidate is expected to interface with Regional and HQ executive teams to refine and execute on the vision and channel strategy endorsed by the CEO of Festo USA. The Channel Director is the primary leader for all channel strategies for technical distribution, MRO, and national distributor plans. 

Key accountabilities:

• Manage, develop and grow the channel team to support the indirect channel partners and execute the channel strategy established for the profitable growth and development of the indirect sales channels.

• In collaboration with the Regional and Industry segment directors and leveraging Sales Managers and engineers (when necessary) the Channel Director is responsible for supporting and implementing the processes developed by the company, which lead to the target achievement of the indirect sales channels.

• Accountable for the development of channel strategy including but not limited to five-year plans, annual budgets for revenue and cost targets for the channel team.

• Provide detailed and accurate sales forecasting.

• Responsible for policies to manage the performance of channel partners, minimize channel conflict and deliver profitable revenue to the company.

• Recommend KPI’s for performance of all channel partners and monitor/report progress and/or shortfalls along with corrective actions if necessary.

• Develop pricing policies, including volume discounts and terms and conditions for channel partners.

• Maintain a forward-looking view of developing the indirect channel strategy and optimizing the channel portfolio to benefit Festo’s overall revenue goals.

• Put in place infrastructure and systems to support the success of the channel sales.

• Support the VP of sales to develop compensation and incentive programs that motivate the channel sales team and distributor partners to achieve their sales targets.

• In charge of the National distributor meetings and Distributor council meetings to support active engagement of our channel partners.

• Ensure the educational development of Distributors and channel partners by requesting necessary training programs from the training department.

• Work closely with the marketing function to establish successful support, channel and partner programs.

• Support the development and coordination of sales processes and operational procedures to increase efficiencies at both Festo and our channel partners.

• Monitor customer, market and competitor activity and provide feedback to company leadership team and other company functions.

• Travel for in-person meetings with customers and partners and to develop key relationships.

Core dimensions:

• As a member of the executive leadership, the candidate needs to be a leader that role models the company culture.

• Ability to develop and execute strategic plans along with managing the tactical day to day operations of a large team.

• Must be able to successfully collaborate within sales and all other departments and effectively deliver results in a matrix organization.

Knowledge/skills/experience:

• Technical university degree in engineering or business (MBA preferred).

• 10 to 15 years of sales related experience in industrial automation or adjacent industries with deep experience in managing indirect sales channels as a sales manager or director.

• Application level knowledge in automation, industrial B2B sales; Deep expertise in Pneumatic, Process or electrical automation a bonus.

• Special experience in Project management, Sales management.

• Minimum 5 years in a significant management capacity.

• Computer skills in MS-Office, MS Project, SFA and CRM tools, familiarity with analytical tools.

• English fluent.

Benefits:

Festo Corporation offers a robust benefits package, which is designed to help you and your dependents stay healthy, feel secure and maintain a work/life balance. This is just one way we strive to provide employees with a rewarding workplace. As an effort to keep pace with healthcare trends, Festo Corporation is committed to providing a comprehensive benefits package to its employees which includes...Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending Programs, Short-term and Long-term disability, 401k, Pet Insurance, Paid Holidays, Paid time off, Educational assistance and many more.

You can expect the following with us:

• The good feeling working for a family-owned company with a safe and solid financial basis
• Freedom to explore, innovate and realise your own ideas
• Competitive compensation with attractive perks and other benefits
• Respect and appreciation for each other - regardless of gender, nationality, disability, age and identity
• Lifelong learning with great conditions for individual further development
• Flexible working models depending on the respective workplace for a good balance of work and private life
• Highly modern working environment, infrastructure and communication technologies
• Great family and health services for your well-being

You can find more information about our benefits and Festo as an employer here.

Reference code: 10274