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Director -Client Services - Sales

Chicago, Illinois, United States

Most companies claim to have the best people. We say to them, "Keep dreaming." Our people are second to none. They set us apart with their entrepreneurial spirit and ambition. They come to us from the likes of Amazon, Microsoft, Nordstrom, Starbucks and the sports world, bringing energy, bold ideas and a willingness to dive into the unfamiliar. It's our people that make BDA the top global Merchandise Agency to work for.

The ideal candidate will be located in Atlanta, GA, Chicago, IL or Charlotte, NC but other locations within the eastern standard time zone may be considered. 

Those that reside within 50 miles of a BDA office will be required to follow a hybrid work schedule, with 3 days in the office and 3 days working from home. Those located more than 50 miles away will work remotely.

 

 

The Director of Client Services - Sales at BDA serves as an active member of the Sales Leadership Team and plays a crucial role in managing and growing BDA’s revenue by overseeing key account teams and ensuring exceptional client satisfaction.  This role involves a combination of leadership, strategic planning, budgeting and client relationship management.   

The role of the Director of Client Services - Sales at BDA is a strategic and dynamic role which is team and customer-focused. Success in this position requires a combination of sales acumen including sales strategy and planning, sales team leadership, sales process optimization, revenue generation, budget management and client relationship management. By guiding the strategic growth of the account team and through fostering strong client partnerships, the Director of Client Services significantly contributes to the growth and success of BDA and the client’s marketing and branding goals.

Qualifications:

  • 7+ years business development/retail product sales management
  • 5+ years proven experience leading and motivating outside sales people
  • Proven experience managing a team’s book of business valued at $20 million or more
  • Financial and Hospitality vertical experience highly preferred
  • Proven track record of creating and ideating licensed product business opportunities with 3rd party licensed properties to bring viable products to the retail market.
  • Proficient in MS Office suite (Excel, Outlook, Word, PowerPoint)
  • Proficiency in using CRM software and other relevant tools for sales and order management. (Salesforce preferred)
  • Promotional merchandise experience preferred but not required

Job Skills and Traits:

  • Creativity and experience in merchandise. Ability to come up with out of the box, fresh new ideas
  • Excellent organizational skills to manage multiple clients and orders simultaneously
  • Fast paced, deadline driven multi-tasker
  • Team player who leads by example and develops team to learn and grow new skills
  • Energetic self starter who exudes accountability, urgency and passion
  • Strong interpersonal, communication, customer service and presentation skills to build and maintain client relationships effectively
  • Possess strong financial acumen with an understanding of calculating financial data such as margins & discounts to ensure profitable sales results.
  • Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data and make strategic decisions.
  • Exceptional negotiation and problem-solving abilities
  • Willingness to travel up to 30-50% for contact with staff as well as with clients
  • Previous experience with high growth company preferred

Duties and responsibilities:

  • Serve as active member of BDA’s Sales Leadership Team regarding overall business strategic planning
  • Work with VP of Sales and Account Team leaders to set and implement sales strategies for growth of assigned accounts.
  • Help Account Teams establish strategic marketing plans to achieve corporate objectives for new business development within assigned accounts.  More specifically, lead team to develop and execute comprehensive marketing plans, both short and long range, to support sales and revenue objectives of BDA.
  • Responsible for setting financial and other performance goals and targets for team(s) in support of strategic objectives.  
  • Understand, interpret and analyze financial aspects of accounts to make sound financial business decisions for BDA.  Review and analyze client reports, sales revenue, gross margins, sales reports, operating expenses etc.  
  • Collaborate on new business proposals and presentations. Work with teams to develop creative ideas for client’s external marketing projects, sales promotions, tradeshows & internal corporate promotions (employee incentive, reward and recognition, uniform programs etc) to ensure meeting or exceeding of teams’ sales goals.
  • Work with other BDA sales and operational leaders to ensure continued growth in both sales and profitability, while focusing on leading the assigned sales teams. Accountable to increase sales, profit and success rate for staff and accounts.
  • Drive revenue growth by coaching team to strategically explore and capitalize on client needs.  
  • Serves as escalation point for direct reports and client needs addressing their inquiries and concerns promptly and professionally.
  • Engage in leadership forums, client industry meet-ups etc. to continue to build network for BDA and engage in new business opportunities.
  • Stay updated on industry trends, competitor activities, product knowledge, emerging strategies and best practices to provide informed recommendations to team and clients and to enhance BDA offerings and maintain a competitive edge.
  • Lead with positive intent and work together with both internal and external customers.
  • Meet and exceed assigned sales targets and contribute to BDA’s revenue growth while working within assigned budgets and forecasts.  Deliver results by achieving short and long-term sales and profitability goals.
  • Support the growth of collective client portfolio of team ($15M plus benchmark)
  • Provide support for other Executive and Leadership initiatives and special projects to support BDA growth goals.
  • Coach and mentor members of the key account team.  Challenge and empower staff while maintaining fair and consistent expectations for the account team. Offer autonomy through high responsibility and result driven planning while building consensus and generating excitement and enthusiasm for new initiatives.
  • Manage performance management documentation of direct reports to include CDPs, PIPs and written warning process. Conduct annual performance reviews of direct reports.  
  • Build, recruit, train, retain and motivate teams. Assist in development of internal pipeline for future sales management opportunities.  Make appropriate staffing recommendations to executive management.  Assist with interviewing efforts as required.
  • Manage contact and opportunity database.
  • Exude high levels of professionalism when interacting with clients, internal partners and external vendors and agencies.

We are pleased to share the base salary range for this position is $150k to $180k. If you are hired at BDA, your compensation will be determined based on factors that may include geographic location, skills, education, and experience. In addition to these factors, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity of our current team members as a part of any offer. In the spirit of pay transparency, the range listed is the full base salary range for the role and hiring at the top of the range would not be typical, in order to allow for future salary growth. The range listed is just one component of BDA’s total compensation and rewards programs, which includes: robust PTO; vacation, a paid volunteer day, holidays and summer Fridays, Benefits; medical, dental, vision, life, and AD&D insurance, 401k; tuition reimbursement, mental health and financial wellness programs and professional development opportunities including tuition reimbursement. Certain revenue-generating positions may be eligible for incentive compensation.

BDA is more than a workplace - it’s a family. For more than four decades we’ve promoted a vibrant and welcoming culture that not only accepts but demands you to be different. The quirky, the bold, the creative and the unique make up the foundation of a company that the most iconic brands in the world look to help tell their story through the power of merchandise.

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Why we ask: We have locations globally, and some roles require hybrid or in-office work. We want to ensure you're comfortable with the work arrangement, which is why we ask about your preferences upfront. Rest assured, some of our roles are remote, and selecting that option won't negatively impact your candidacy. We value transparency so we can find the best fit for both you and the role without any surprises later in the process.

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