Job Description

JOIN THE BEST TEAM ON THE FIELD IN SPORT, SPIRIT & ACHIEVEMENT

At Varsity Brands, we believe every student deserves the opportunity to succeed and every educator wants to make a difference. It takes a team to make a real impact, and through our three distinct brands – BSN SPORTS, Varsity Spirit and Herff Jones – and our network of 9,000+ employees and independent representatives, we are proud to partner with schools, colleges and universities across the country to transform the student journey in SPORT, SPIRIT and ACHIEVEMENT.

Are you looking to play an important role on a winning team? Are you looking for more than “just a job,” but a place where you can truly thrive and have your daily contributions make a real difference in someone’s life? At Varsity Brands we’re a growing company where you can lend your skills and talents in support of a greater mission. In return, you get to work with great people on challenging assignments that will accelerate your professional growth.

HERFF JONES, REGIONAL SALES MANAGER – Indianapolis, IN

YOUR OPPORTUNITY:

The HERFF JONES K-12 Sales team, based in Indianapolis, IN, is looking for a Regional Sales Manager to join our team.

Here's How You’ll Make an Impact:

The Regional Sales Manager is a driven, motivated sales professional responsible for leading the overall revenue growth in the designated territory. In this role, you will be developing business plans, prospecting for business, managing a territory and driving growth. As RSM you will manage your team’s daily sales efforts by motivating and coaching the independent sales staff on specific Herff Jones Initiatives that will drive growth. In addition to working with and alongside sales partners you will also be responsible for developing relationships with key decision makers and winning new schools for Herff Jones.

Herff Jones may have been around for 100 years, but we desire talent with an entrepreneurial mindset to take us into the next 100 years. As we see it for right now, here are the opportunities we want you to tackle:

Lead a High Performing Team

• Capable of cultivating a “winning culture” that is customer focused, accountable, and inspires team performance.
• Manage Sales Partner growth by developing account level relationships and optimizing back office work flows.
• Drive new opportunities with existing and new accounts, assist with challenging prospects and support soft lead conversion.
• Discuss and leverage account strategies, approach, and planning best practices to effect Partner Playbook.
• Leads and inspires team through organizational transformation
• Collaborates with the Regional leader to develop a vision and strategy that is aligned to the area and business unit.
• Inspires commitment to regional goals and gains agreement on how these goals will be accomplished.
• Sets high expectations for customer value creation, monitors performance, and takes appropriate action.
• Understands the health of the team and facilitates group interactions that engage and inspire positive performance.
• Engages with and leads with peers and internal support teams and operations.

Select, Develop and Retain Talent

• Select, develop, and retain sales representatives who perform effectively as members of a team.

• Focus on cross-selling, up-selling functions within accounts.

• Utilizes the performance management process to inspire individual performance as appropriate.

• Partners with sales partners to create individual development plans based on evaluation of skill strengths, gaps, and development priorities.

Coach to Achieve Business Results

• Coach and model the process of creating customer value and delivering business results

• Coaches to defined sales partners competencies (need assessment) using the HJ Coaching Model (need tool) by adapting coaching and leadership style.

• Year over year improvement in contract value leveraging upgrades and increasing units with existing customers.

• Grow new accounts sales through acquisition of high value targets as identified by sales reps with a 15% close rate.

• Partner with Varsity Brands for no less than 8 cross business sales wins (BSN, Varsity Spirit & Herff Jones)

• Coaches and models customer interaction capabilities that result in industry leading customer value and service.

• Coaches the process of business ownership by developing a culture that is responsible and accountable for local decision making.

• Coaches and models the use of market knowledge and customer insights.

• On-Time renewal rate of 70% or better for existing core product line accounts.

• Renewal rate of 92% for all product lines.

Analyze, Prioritize and Plan:

• Maximizes business opportunities by identifying and allocating resources need to capture
• Contribute to sales operations, including pipeline management, forecasting, reporting, CRM to support territory planning.
• Utilize current market trends to develop and execute business plans to achieve revenue goals and to influence market share growth among assigned sales representatives.
• Capable of analyzing the area business based on the external environment, area trends, and gaps in performance. Responsible for prioritizing opportunities based on business unit objectives, resources, and local analysis.
• Develops and communicates a knowledgeable area plan bases on prioritized opportunities and resources.
• Access and/or negotiates for, and ensures effective allocation, of required resources to meet district objectives and drive profitability.

Execute, Evaluate and Adjust

• Manage the area as a business by executing territory and district strategies, measuring results, and making adjustments.
• Evaluates sales partners execution of territory business plans
• Adjusts business plans based on working local knowledge of the current implementation, results, resource availability and the changing educational environment.

CORE ACTIVITIES:

• Maximize financial performance of the existing base of business by increasing contract value through pricing strategies, upgrades and increased individual book sales.
• Grow and maintain an effective sales pipeline of high value accounts utilizing CRM tool.
• Coach and mentor individual sales reps and ensure new reps (<3 years experience) receive consistent development and feedback.
• Help develop and execute prospecting plans with individual sales reps that will lead to successful signing of new business contracts.
• Cultivate an environment of high performance through target setting, measuring and managing work, team collaboration and performance.
• Lead the sales cycle coordinating all the information, activities and internal resources.
• Provide a monthly renewal update including status of all not renewed Core accounts beginning July 1, 2018.
• Assist overdraft 1099 reps and employee reps with individual strategy plans and provide quarterly reporting on progress.
• 1 Spring/Summer strategy meeting with Settlement reps as evidenced by Individual Strategy Reports
• Formulate area sales plan that incorporates strategies and programs (i.e. hunter strategies, event strategies) and include financial territory analysis to make recommendations on investment strategies to optimize growth opportunities

What You’ll Bring to the Table:

• Bachelor’s degree in a business-related field preferred

• Previous success leading and training outside sales staff, preferably independent sales rep experience

• Proven track record of sales success and prospecting skills that deliver new business

• Experience with CRM software (Salesforce)

• Proven ability to hire, mentor, train and retain a high performing sales team

• Evidence of financial management and analysis skills

• Ability to take on and manage significant travel

Why You Should Work for Us:

• Competitive benefits packages: medical, dental, vision and supplemental life insurance
• 401k match
• Casual dress policy for every day of the week
• My Time Off – Paid time off that can be used by the hour for vacation, sick days and personal days
• Eight major holidays off with three floating holidays available for personal use

THE MOST TRUSTED NAME IN CELEBRATING STUDENT MILESTONES – HERFF JONES Herff Jones is the leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for students. Herff Jones' products include class rings and jewelry, caps and gowns, yearbooks, diplomas, frames, announcements and Greek accessories as well as motivation and recognition programs. Since 1920, our team has worked alongside students, faculty and staff on campuses nationwide to help build a stronger community and celebrate student milestones. Our continued success relies on hiring extraordinary talent, with a passion for making a difference and eagerness to roll up the sleeves, to help us write the story of our next 100 years.

We help coaches do more as the recognized leader in team athletic gear at BSN SPORTS. Through VARSITY SPIRIT, we make game day unforgettable as the driving force in cheer, dance and band. We create memories that last a lifetime with the most trusted name in student milestones, HERFF JONES. And, together, we elevate student experiences and make a lasting impact on the lives of those we serve.

Company Description

Company Summary: Indianapolis-based Herff Jones is the leading provider of graduation and educational products and services designed to inspire achievement and create memorable experiences for young people. A division of Varsity Brands, Herff Jones’ products include class rings and jewelry, caps and gowns, yearbooks, diplomas and announcements as well as motivation and recognition programs. Focused on building long-term relationships through a nationwide network of over 2,000 employees and sales partners, the professionals at Herff Jones have been helping elevate the student experience and celebrate academic milestones for more than 100 years.