VP of Sales and Operations

VICE PRESIDENT – SALES AND RETAIL OPERATIONS

The Company:

Our client is a leading designer, manufacturer, marketer and distributor of commercial restaurant equipment, furnishings, fixtures, and products. It is recognized for innovation, superior quality, and unmatched service. This founder-owned and operated company, which is more than 30 years old, is headquartered in an Atlanta suburb. The company operates through two subsidiaries: one manufactures and delivers high-quality commercial furniture and supplies for the restaurant and hospitality industry, the other sells restaurant and hospitality-sector equipment through a retail store. The company’s strategy includes superior product quality, customer service, on-target delivery, value pricing and craftsmanship, resulting in it being the preferred manufacturer and supplier for top hospitality brands, OEMs, distributors, and dealers.

The lack of a dominant foodservice equipment distributor in the Southeast creates a unique opportunity for both organic and inorganic growth. The company is positioned for years of growth in an expanding industry with its established customer base, experienced management team, plans to expand their retail and e-commerce activities, and strong financials.

Their retail store, located in a high-traffic area, offers the entire breadth of products a restaurateur needs to open a restaurant. Products are in-stock and ready to pick up immediately or same day. They also offer local delivery and set-in-place service to customers. Strong sourcing relationships in Asia enable the company to develop premium private label products across its product categories. Plans are to expand this concept.

The company’s two distribution channels, retail and wholesale, serve a broad range of customers. Their wide array of vendors provides flexibility and supply assurance.

Core values of Stewardship, Entrepreneurial Spirit, Customer Service, Integrity and Charitable is the foundation of their culture, and defines the environment that will be attractive to the “right person.”

The Position: Vice President – Sales and Retail Operations

Reporting to the CEO, the VP–Sales and Retail Operations will eventually be responsible for leading all customer-facing activities, although initially he/she will focus on the retail store. This individual will provide strategic input regarding the products, pricing, and growth opportunities, and the tactical leadership as he/she manages the company’s customer service and sales team. The overall purpose of this role is to execute the sales go-to-market and retail operational strategies to achieve business objectives, promote sales growth and ensure high customer service. Expected results are increased revenues, maintained profit margins, and outstanding customer satisfaction.

Professional Responsibilities

The Vice President – Sales and Retail Operations will initially have responsibility for retail operations, and will eventually expand this responsibility to include all employees and associated customer-facing activities generating and supporting sales.

Specific responsibilities:

• Ensure the retail store budgeted sales are attained through analysis, review, evaluation, and actions; help create and implement future sales plans.
• Build retail store team through recruiting, hiring, and training. Motivate team and promote positive company culture. Coach and guide team in areas of performance and career development.
• Manage retail store operations, people, and processes, focusing on efficiency, cost, and service.
• Merchandising and inventory control, using data analytics to evaluate and improve performance.
• Develop an understanding of the market – customers, products, and competitors; identify future opportunities that will have a positive impact on the organization.
• Provide insight that supports creating new products and pricing that fits market needs.
• Develop and implement an E-Commerce program, working within the established priorities of the organization.
• Ensure exceptional customer service is provided to internal and external customers.

The Person:

The Vice President – Sales and Retail Operations must have a good balance between the technical knowledge, skills, and experience to lead and expand a retail operation and the interpersonal skills to lead and develop the capabilities of those that report to him/her. They must be able to collaborate effectively with a diverse group of customers and have the determination to lead their organization to maximize its success and prepare it for the future.

Competency (Experience/Knowledge/Skills)

Leadership:

Candidates must have at least 3 years of sales experience, ideally with 3+ years leading a small team selling within the B2B sector. Restaurant equipment/supplies sales experience would be beneficial. Successful experience in a family business is strongly preferred. Having both retail and wholesale sales experience is strongly preferred. Fluency in Mandarin is required.

Specific Experience: Prior work experience must provide candidates:

• Experience in a retail sales environment.
• Successful record in achieving monthly goals; the ability to draw on those experiences to teach others to attain results.
• Knowledge of market analytics and using data to identify opportunities and to enhance performance.
• Selling to a diverse customer base, preferrable a combination of entrepreneurs and small businesses.

Education:

An undergraduate degree is highly desired.

Compatibility (Personal):

The selected candidate will be a goal-oriented self-starting leader who willingly accepts responsibility and operates best in an environment where there is a strong culture. Their background will reflect:

• high energy and superb communication skills
• commitment to enhance the capabilities and performance of their direct reports
• an active listener who continues to learn and question
• flexibility and agility in identifying opportunities and capitalizing on them
• high ethical standards: strong understanding of the various cultures and norms surrounding how business is conducted
• a sense of urgency – defining goals and accomplishing them
• inquisitiveness – a desire to enhance knowledge and the ability to analyze and interpret information.

This position requires a person who is action-oriented, motivated to have responsibility and attain the sales and profit goals of the organization, as well as develop those within their team. This person should question and challenge the status quo, always seeking new ways to become more valuable to the company and its customers. They will support the principle of accountability. She/he must have the ability to understand and deal with different attitudes and points of view and have the highest ethics.

The person selected for this position should have the ability to think broadly, while at the same time rely on data and facts to support decisions and act. They must be particularly skilled at making opportunities become reality, relying on strong follow through skills.

The successful candidate must be emotionally mature and have a great deal of self-motivation. They must be attuned to the feelings of others and able to see the world as others do. This person must be bright; they must meet the requirements of having strong verbal and numerical thinking and communications abilities. This person must rely on numbers to assist in communications.

Mindset/Attitude:

Candidates must have beliefs that result in a commitment to excellence in building the organization’s sales. Examples are:

• understand the customer and their business
• always seek to be a better supplier
• always be committed to improve
• have a bias for action, take personal responsibility for delivering results
• be a model of ethical business practices
• hold themselves to high standards of performance
• be committed to their employee’s success
• hire the right people
• Interest in gaining increased responsibility and patience to earn it through performance

Location:

This role is located at the headquarters of the retail operations, in an Atlanta suburb.

Compensation:

A compensation package reflecting the individual's experience and track record will be offered. It will consist of a competitive base salary, along with an incentive plan that rewards the high performer.

Position Benefits:

This position provides an opportunity for an individual to enter a sound, growing, founder-owned and operated organization in a key role and quickly contribute. It offers responsibility, visibility, potential additional responsibility, and personal satisfaction to high performers.