Enterprise Software

Our client is a software firm focused exclusively on enabling financial services firms to help individual financial advisors become better ‘CEOs’ of their business.

Our client’s product suite is a patented combination of personalized intelligence reports and practice management tools designed solely to enable advisors and managers, at all levels, to proactively identify and close client, product and pricing opportunities. Our client users typically realize increases in assets, revenue and fee-based advisory business, as well as improvements in client mix and pricing.

Founded in 2000, Our client has its principal place of business in Toronto, Ontario, and services a broad range of clients within Canada and the United States.

Scope of Position

Based in Toronto and reporting to the President & CEO, the Vice President, Sales is responsible to manage a team that will meet corporate sales and renewal objectives, while developing productive redistribution/channel partnerships.
This results-focused and innovative leader will bring in-depth experience at defining and managing sales processes to successfully shorten sales cycles and yield high closing rates. Direct experience managing large ticket, complex sales to enterprises is a requirement for the role.

The ideal candidate will have an in-depth understanding of the key business drivers in the retail brokerage industry and will work collaboratively with the sales and executive teams to ensure that business and sales solutions align with the company’s corporate objectives and meet the needs of our clients.

Success in this role will be measured by the ability to reliably define and meet sales quotas; train, coach and lead a team of sales people; contribute to the executive leadership of the firm; and work collaboratively with the sales, service, operations, R & D and executive teams.

Extensive travel within North America is required in this role.

Functional Tasks

• Create and follow a systematic approach to identify future opportunities, manage the sales process, meet sales and renewal quotas, and support internal forecasting requirements
• Develop, coach, and grow the sales team
• Collaborate with firm executives on business development with strategic partnerships
• Develop and maintain productive professional relationships with existing and prospective executive clients within target markets
• Develop, maintain and leverage a personal and corporate network to create sales opportunities and identify sales recruits
• Obtain, evaluate and communicate market intelligence
• Collaborate with engineering in the development of new product ideas
• Represent and promote firm in the marketplace through attendance and participation at industry conferences and events
• Collaborate with the CEO and other senior executives on the annual business planning process, contributing an Annual Sales Plan

Key Performance Deliverables
In light of the identified responsibilities, the following are specific deliverables that the position is designed to achieve.

• Revenue growth as per targets agreed upon at the outset
• Build confidence and productive relationships across the executive team
• Retention of existing client and revenue base

Competency Profile

The following competencies listed below define the role of Vice President Sales:

Results Orientation
Focuses strongly on achieving agreed upon outcomes and ensures that key objectives are met. Conveys a sense of urgency and drives issues to closure. Aims to improve upon past performance. Establishes aggressive personal targets and strives to achieve them.

Commercial Acumen
Applies appropriate commercial and financial principles. Understands situations in terms of costs, profits, added-value and return on investment. Appreciates the commercial impact of own work on the organization’s total expenses and revenues.

Planning & Objective Setting
Systematic in approach to work. Produces action plans in which objectives are defined and steps for achieving them are clearly specified. Plans by breaking down large task into subtasks. Develops plans that anticipate obstacles. Is realistic about time-scales and builds in appropriate checkpoints, milestones and controls in order to ensure that desired results are realized.

People Management
Establishes and communicates clear priorities and sense of direction. Clarifies roles and responsibilities. Adapts management style to achieve optimum results.

Drive
Adopts an energetic approach. Works towards goals and willingly tackles demanding tasks. Demonstrates capacity for sustained effort and hard work over long periods of time, even in the face of adversity.

Customer/Client Orientation
Strives to provide customers/clients with personalized and efficient service. Anticipates customers’/clients’ needs. Quickly follows up on customer/client contacts and complaints. Monitors and acts on measures of customer/client satisfaction.

Developing & Coaching Others
Accurately assesses strengths and development needs of employees. Challenges others to improve their abilities and actively supports their development. Continually provides timely and constructive feedback, coaching and challenging learning opportunities. Adjusts coaching style based on each employee’s ability and motivation level.

Initiative
Proactive. Seizes opportunities and acts upon them immediately. Takes responsibility for own actions and addresses problems before asked.

Integrity & Sincerity
Inspires trust and supports others through own authenticity and following up on commitments. Maintains high ethical standards both personally and professionally. Shows consistency among principles.

Preferred Experience / Education
The following indicates specific industry, academic and functional experience/qualifications that are important to the successful achievement of the identified responsibilities and performance deliverables.

• A proven record of success managing a sales team to sell solutions to, and maintain relationships with, senior decision makers at large financial services enterprises
• Experience with complex enterprise sales
• A history of managing sales teams who consistently achieve sales quota
• Experience using Salesforce.com, or comparable applications, to manage sales activities and the sales pipeline
• A thorough understanding of all aspects of the sales cycle, opportunity management and large account sales techniques
• Excellent communication, presentation and listening skills, including the ability to write persuasively and effectively
• The ability to be a strong motivator, relationship builder and strategic thinker combined with superb analytical skills
• The ability to inspire confidence with colleagues through reliable assessments of sales prospects and pipeline
• Keen attention to detail and numeracy coupled with strong organizational skills
• Perseverance in the face of obstacles or challenges
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively
• Minimum of an undergraduate degree #J-18808-Ljbffr