RHH202618

Director of Sales

Automotive Interior Parts Manufacturer

THE COMPANY

Our client is a leading U.S.-based automotive parts manufacturer with multiple operations across North America. For more than six decades, the organization has been recognized for its operational excellence, consistently producing high-quality products, delivering on time, and earning the confidence of leading OEMs and Tier suppliers. Its culture is defined by disciplined professionals who operate with consistency, well-established processes, and an unwavering commitment to integrity, accountability, and customer satisfaction.

THE OPPORTUNITY

Lead the Automotive sales organization with a relentless focus on strengthening customer relationships and expanding the company’s presence within the market. This individual will develop deep, trust-based partnerships with customers, identify opportunities to deliver innovative solutions, and create sustainable growth through exceptional service, collaboration, and strategic account development. Building lasting customer loyalty and elevating the company’s role as a valued business partner are fundamental to success in this position.

This position reports to the Chief Operations Officer.

JOB DEFINITION

The ideal candidate must have a demonstrated track record of leading sales and business development efforts, along with direct experience selling highly engineered, technical products and solutions into the automotive industry. This individual will possess the executive presence and commercial acumen to build trusted relationships across all levels of customer organizations, from engineering, operations, and purchasing leaders to C-suite executives. A results-oriented leader, the Director of Sales, will proactively identify growth opportunities, driving profitable revenue expansion across new and existing customers. This individual will be a self-starter who combines strategic thinking with disciplined execution, consistently delivering measurable business results.

Equally important, this leader will embody the organization’s core values through an unwavering commitment to quality, continuous improvement, and customer satisfaction. This leader will champion a culture that strives for defect-free performance, values the contributions of every associate, and consistently delivers products and services that exceed customer expectations.

SKILLS

Summary of Key Responsibilities:

The Director of Sales is responsible for driving sustainable, profitable growth by developing and executing aggressive yet achievable sales strategies that increase market share. This individual will cultivate strategic relationships with OEMs and Tier suppliers, identify new business opportunities, and deliver value-driven solutions that strengthen customer loyalty and advance the company’s long-term growth objectives.

  • Partner closely with executive leadership to execute the automotive commercial strategy, identifying and pursuing opportunities that drive sustainable and profitable growth.
  • Build and expand strategic relationships within OEM and Tier 1 organizations, effectively engaging engineering, purchasing, operations, and executive leadership while consistently ensuring we are delivering value to our customers.
  • Develop and execute strategic account plans that strengthen customer partnerships, increase content/volume, and create long-term revenue opportunities.
  • Identify, qualify, and convert new business opportunities across all automotive product lines, expanding the organization’s presence within targeted customers.
  • Cultivate trusted, long-term customer relationships by understanding evolving business needs and delivering innovative, value-added solutions.
  • Serve as the voice of the customer, effectively communicating market trends, customer requirements, and competitive intelligence to cross-functional teams to influence product, engineering, and operational decisions.
  • Maintain a disciplined sales pipeline and forecasting process, providing accurate revenue projections, opportunity visibility, and demand planning that support strategic business decisions.
  • Collaborate closely with operations, engineering, program management, supply chain and quality to ensure seamless execution from opportunity identification through production launch.
  • Represent the organization in customer presentations, commercial negotiations, technical discussions, and new business pursuits, positioning the company as a preferred strategic partner.
  • Drive profitable business growth by aligning customer opportunities with organizational capabilities, ensuring commercially sound business awards and long-term value creation.
  • Coordinate timely, competitive quotations while balancing customer expectations, technical feasibility, operational capabilities, and financial objectives.
  • Build collaborative relationships across the value chain to ensure alignment between customer expectations and internal execution.
  • Communicate effectively with both commercial and technical stakeholders, translating complex engineering concepts into compelling business value propositions.
  • Demonstrate the highest standards of professionalism, integrity, accountability, and customer advocacy while representing the organization internally and externally.

BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE

  • 15-years’ experience in Automotive industry, showing a track record proving significant sales growth and program acquisitions.
  • Ability to promote new products with customers as well as existing products with new customers, anticipate market trends, and provide early input to the Engineering Team on new developments to get ahead of the competitors.
  • Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills.
  • International mindset, to ensure the best communication with NA customers having a global footprint and with the global team.
  • Understands and is in alignment with the company core values.
  • Demonstrates ability to manage the negotiation process with customers on behalf of the company.
  • Proven ability to develop business plans which address delivery pipeline, performance-against-budget and projected future activity.
  • A proven track record in executing successful sales strategies that maximize revenue growth.
  • Strong verbal communication skills and a longevity mindset. Exemplary written communication skills, including the ability to draft effective written communication to a variety of audiences in a comprehensible manner.
  • Must lead by example, and create accountability at the management level, and effectively at tactical levels.
  • Demonstrates a “Roll-Up-Your-Sleeves” participative sales leader.
  • Proven ability to work autonomously and handle multiple projects simultaneously, and work with a sense of urgency.
  • Exemplary emotional intelligence skills.
  • Creates a positive work environment by demonstrating and sharing functional/technical knowledge.
  • Proven track record of successfully growing revenue while maintaining required profitability metrics.
  • Demonstrates financial acumen and related analysis skills, budget planning and creation, understanding pricing strategies and the ability to create highly accurate sales and revenue forecasting models.
  • Domestic travel is required in order to engage with customers, in addition to some international travel.

 

Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Business or Marketing is required. MBA highly preferred
If you have these qualifications and are looking for a challenging career, please submit your Resume using the button below.
Eric Hohauser
President & Lead Consultant
Nicole Regula
VP of Executive Search Operations
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