Field Activation Lead

Field Activation LeadOur Territory Representatives interact face to face with our customers, understand their needs and consult to offer the right solutions. We work collaboratively in Field Sales Teams and play a critical role in supporting our customer centric business model. The Field Activation Lead (FAL) serves as a professional sales leader in building and maintaining a profitable and initiative-taking relationship with animal health distribution companies that support our company's Animal Health products and services in their offerings to veterinarians and customers. The FAL focuses on building strong relationships with distributor stakeholders at the field sales organization to understand their business model, unique value offerings and partnership opportunities. Reporting to the National Account Director for the respective specie business unit, the Field Activation Lead is responsible for driving initiatives, communicating, and articulating the medical importance of our Company's Animal Health products and activating the distribution salesforce to drive growth of strategic products. The individual will work collaboratively with distributor field sales teams and play a critical role in supporting our customer centric business model. This position is responsible for their assigned distributors by selling our company's Animal Health division products, supporting pull-through activities relative to the customer strategy, and ensuring that our company's Animal Health division is viewed as bringing value and technical innovations aligned to our strategic focus - The Science of Healthier Animals. This position works collaboratively with channel management, marketing, and sales organizations to drive outcomes and actions, and has accountability for assigned accounts. The FAL discovers field level opportunities and trains field selling distributor Territory Managers. The FAL is also held accountable for delivering strong financial results for our company's Animal Health. This position leverages analytics to drive accountability and uncover opportunities to maximize growth. Additionally, this position is responsible for understanding and utilizing market insights to drive opportunities and position our company's Animal Health as an industry leader. The Field Activation Lead position contributes to a best-in-class Salesforce Effectiveness and Enablement team by actively contributing to a culture that promotes innovation, continuous improvement, a customer-focused mindset, and values feedback and inclusion.Essential Accountabilities: Strategic, Operational, and Leadership ResponsibilitiesStrategic responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:Execute sales strategies within assigned accounts and communicates delivered strategies to our Company's Animal Health Sales leadersIdentify marketing opportunities across teams for partnership and shepherd the opportunities to completionResponsible for developing and clearly articulating the value of our full partnership as a margin contributor and our comprehensive partnershipCandidate possesses professional and advanced presentation skills, focused on providing solutions for the customerThe Strategic Account Activation Lead will utilize "other centered selling" in their approach to the customer, with an advanced skillset in developing business planning capabilities with the outcome of maximizing sales performance within the assigned geographyOperational Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:Actively participate in distributor events, develop trainings, and activate the salesforce to grow our Company's Animal Health productsDeliver on Key Performance Measures of distribution through collaborative efforts with internal departments and across business unitsRegularly communicate and document all key account activities, including but not limited to sales trends, performance metrics, risks, and opportunities, to appropriate individuals and teamsCommunicates about product in a way that is meaningful and relevant to the distributor; customizes discussions and interactions based on understanding of distributors' needsInput and utilize call notes in MAXXDevelop agendas for meetings and communicate meeting objectives to appropriate team(s)Develop a timeline of field leadership meetings, tradeshows, and promotional activities with distributor and share with key stakeholdersAttend National, Area, and Regional business meetingsConduct quarterly business reviews ensuring that accounts understand the value of our Company's Animal Health relationship and their performance relative to quarterly, semiannual, and annual growth expectationsUses analytics and insights to enhance decision-making and tactical executionTroubleshoot and take the lead on resolving any account issues, shepherd, and champion resolutionResolve first line issues and misunderstandingsDeliver consistent messaging in communications to support our Company's Animal Health strategic prioritiesLeadership Responsibilities may include, but are not limited to:Take leadership role to identify and adhere to key account management timelines for key leadership discussions, quarterly reviews, and presentationsBe an advocate for the distributor and our Company's Animal Health on shared goalsPartner, communicate, and facilitate collaborative interactions with peer organizations to ensure objectives, tactics, and long-term strategies are aligned and executed appropriately to achieve business goalsEnsure plans/actions/decisions do not negatively impact other of our company's species / business unitsShare best practices and organizational learnings with the Marketing organization and company-wide, where appropriateApplicable candidate must be able to lead without authority, driving key strategic imperatives in conjunctions with the Area Business Leaders, RM teams and TMsOrganizational Network and Collaboration Internal Key Contacts:Species Leads, Channel Management Team, Area Business Leaders, Regional Managers Territory Managers, Strategic Account Team, Finance, Marketing, CABU Leadership, Sales LeaderExternal Key Contacts:External C-suite and Distributor's sales leadership, middle management, outside sales reps, inside sales reps, marketing leadership, External company networks, industry associationsRequired Education:Bachelor's degree required (animal science focus preferred)MBA preferredRequired Skills/Abilities:Minimum of five (5) years account management or equivalent experienceDemonstrated ability to work within US animal health industry landscapeMust be results oriented and able to work independently with little direct supervisionTake action and don't wait for someone to bring it to your attentionSuperior organizational, analytical, and time management skillsAbility to work collaboratively across all species, coordinating activities, leveraging resources, and knowledge of accounts to identify opportunities/solutions to resolve customer issues and drive resultsDemonstrated understanding of positions' contribution to the business goals and willingness to adopt changes to current processes, identifying emerging needs, and participating in defining innovative solutions to meet customer needsExhibits expert skills in identifying unmet and evolving needs of customers and is sought out to provide customer-centric solutions that drive long-term sustainable resultsDemonstrates expertise in building partnerships and sustainable relationships with customers leveraging business insights to drive solutions and strategies throughout the customers' organizationsDemonstrated ability to develop and implement an accurate business planExcellent oral, written, and presentation communication skillsStrong understanding of financial and business metricsStrong selling and negotiation skillsHistory of sound decision making and innovative thinkingUp to 70% Travel; this role is national in scope the selected candidate should reside near a major US airport to fulfill travel requirements as needed for the roleRequired Skills:Account Management, Animal Health Sales, Animal Science, Business Management, Business Planning, Client-Centric, Contract Management, Customer Centric Solutions, Customer Relationship Building, Customer Satisfaction, Data Analysis, Industry Knowledge, Marketing Leadership, Operational Excellence, Sales Forecasting, Sales Reporting, Sales Strategy Development, Strategic Selling, Veterinary MedicinePreferred Skills:Our company is committed to inclusion, ensuring that candidates can engage in a hiring process that exhibits their true capabilities. As a federal contractor, we comply with all affirmative action requirements for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. For more information about personal rights under the U.S. Equal Opportunity Employment laws, visit: EEOC Know Your RightsU.S. Hybrid Work ModelThe salary range for this role is $129,000.00 - $203,100.00 This is the lowest to highest salary we in good faith believe we would pay for this role at the time of this posting. An employee's position within the salary range will be based on several factors including, but not limited to relevant education, qualifications, certifications, experience, skills, geographic location, government requirements, and business or organizational needs. The successful candidate will be eligible for annual bonus and long-term incentive, if applicable. We offer a comprehensive package of benefits. Available benefits include medical, dental, vision healthcare and other insurance benefits (for employee and family), retirement benefits, including 401(k), paid holidays, vacation, and compassionate and sick days. More information about benefits is available at https://jobs.merck.com/