Director of Sales - Midwest

ACE Hardware; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 136,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company Car

401(k) matching

Health insurance

Paid vacation (21 days)

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Emery Jensen Distribution, a Midwest-focused division of Ace Hardware, seeks a Sales Director in/around Chicagoland. You will lead Territory Managers, drive revenue growth, manage expenses, and align plans with Emery Jensen's strategy to deliver profitable results.

You will coach a high-performing team, develop talent, and navigate market dynamics to maximize market share and customer value in the Pro/Lumber/Hardware channels.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; advanced degree preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of related work experience.
• Proven ability to build a world class sales organization and coach teams.
• Strong wholesale distribution background and executive presence.

Responsibilities

• Drive revenue goals and growth through a team of Territory Managers.
• Manage operating expenses to ensure profitability growth year over year.
• Guide pricing and profitability for the sales team.
• Build and maintain a high performing sales organization in the region.
• Ensure Territory Managers meet plans and expand the customer base.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching

Strategic planning

Financial acumen

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Presentation skills

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Advanced business degree

Job description

Region: Midwest - Ideal candidate will reside in/around the Chicagoland area.

The Job

Emery Jensen is a subsidiary of Ace Hardware Corporation that sells and distributes hardline products to independent Pro, Lumber, Paint, Hardware and E-retailer customer segments.

As an Emery Jensen Sales Director, you are responsible for the performance and development of all sales team members in the assigned geography/market. The Sales Director will have direct responsibility for achieving all revenue and operating expense budgets and will have shared responsibility for meeting profitability budgets. This sales leader will be adept building World Class sales teams and must be an effective coach. They will also flawlessly execute on the sales management process and ensure that the Emery Jensen value proposition is being positioned with our customers in a way that resonates and converts business to us.

• Responsible for revenue goals and achieving sales growth targets through a group of field sales Territory Managers
• Manage an operating expense budget, meet expense management targets and ensure expense growth is slower than sales growth annually

What you’ll do

• Provide guidance and direction through the sales team with respect to pricing and profitability
• The Sales Director is responsible for building and maintaining a highly talented team of Territory Managers that drive consistent performance every month and year. Oversees and is ultimately accountable for the talent and development of the Territory Managers in the region
• Hold Territory Managers accountable to achieving sales plans, building a strong base of customers, and ensuring profitable sales growth annually
• Building strategic plans and aligning to the Emery Jensen annual strategic plan, aligning your sales team to the plan, execution of the plan, and checking and adjusting the plan and execution along the way to ensure the team is maximizing results
• Understanding your markets including the competitive landscape, customers’ channels and economic conditions. Checking and adjusting the strategic plan based on these factors is critical to success

What you need to succeed

• Bachelor’s degree required. Advanced business degree preferred
• Minimum of 7 years of related work experience
• The ability to build a world class sales organization through attracting the right talent into their sales teams
• Must have a track record of success leading teams to over goal performanceThe ability to effectively coach and develop their teams
• Strong wholesale distribution background
• Strong interpersonal and communications skills, both written and verbal
• Strong presentation skills and executive presence
• Excellent leadership skills to motivate, inspire, provide confidence and build trust
• Strong strategic orientation skills, planning and financial acumen skills
• Fact-based and solution-based problem solving and management style
• Road warrior

WORK AUTHORIZATION: _ This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future. _

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Compensation Details

$136000 - $160000 per year

Why should you join our team?

We live our values - W.E.L.I.G.H.T (Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility, and Teamwork). Gratitude. Humility. Love. You don’t often see values like these in most corporate statements, but Emery Jensen is different. These things are important to us. They represent our commitment to the company, our employees, our retailers and our brand.

In addition to providing our employees a great culture, Emery Jensen also offers competitive benefits* that address life’s necessities and perks, many of which expand and improve year after year, including:

• Incentive opportunities, based on role/grade level (rapid company growth over the past 2 years resulted in incentives being paid out above 116.96% of your target opportunity!)
• Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution the first year, in addition to an annual discretionary contribution (once eligibility requirements have been met). Over the past five years, company contributions (matching & discretionary) for fully eligible employees have averaged 6.6% of total compensation.
• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision and disability – up to 26 weeks short-term disability and long-term disability) & life insurance benefits for you and your dependents
• 21 days of vacation immediately available (prorated in the first year) and up to 6 paid holidays depending on the month of hire
• Company Car, phone and fuel card are provided for field-based positions
• Your career at Emery Jensen is more than just a job. It’s a chance to be part of something meaningful. We help locally‑owned businesses thrive and make an impact in their communities – and we support our employees in doing the same by offering an annual Cares Week, 20 hours off work per year to volunteer at an organization of your choice, opportunities to help Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Ace Helpful Fund through the Ace Foundation
• Emery Jensen invests in every employee we hire, with a key focus on development and coaching. We offer on‑site classes, facilitator‑led courses, and a generous tuition assistance program, plus a performance management approach that goes beyond the typical annual review
• We know the work environment matters. That’s why we hold frequent campus events like Employee Appreciation Week, vendor demos, cookouts, and merchandise sales
• We bring them to you! Services such as mobile spas, auto maintenance, car wash and detailing, dry cleaning, dentists, eye doctors, flu shots, recycling and more!
• Employee discounts on Ace merchandise (including top brands like Weber, Traeger, Yeti, Craftsman, DeWalt and more), travel, fitness, computers and thousands more
• Birth/Adoption bonding paid time off
• Adoption cost reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to free visits to therapists and lawyers, guidance on financial matters, elder and childcare, and assistance with tickets to entertainment events
• Identity theft protection

* Benefits are provided in compliance with applicable policies.

We want to hear from you!

Emery Jensen delivers wholesale products and best‑in‑class service to independent retailers in the Pro Lumber Yards, Home Centers, Paint, Hardware Stores, Decorating Stores, and E‑retail space. Our goal is to support sustainable and profitable growth for our customers by offering the broadest assortments, best pricing, and most knowledgeable team. We have national scale, a regional focus and the commitment to serve our customers and support each other. Come find out why a career with Emery Jensen is right for you.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Emery Jensen is committed to a policy of promoting equal employment opportunities. The company recognizes the importance of diversity and leveraging the skills and talents of all people to the mutual advantage of each individual and the organization. The company is committed to the prevention of employment discrimination related to race, religion, color, sex (including sexual harassment), gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability and military or veteran status, sexual orientation or any other action covered by federal or applicable state/local laws.

Disclaimer

The pay range for this position starts as listed in the job posting, but could be higher based on education and experience. Please note, compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each opening. We take into consideration the minimum requirements outlined in the job description, such as an individual’s education, training and experience, the position’s work location, required travel (if any), and external market conditions when determining the final salary for potential new hires.

Be aware that salary estimates published via alternate online job boards may not be a true representation of the actual pay range offered for this position. Please refer to the Emery Jensen Distribution position description for the accurate starting pay range information and feel free to discuss this with a Talent Acquisition professional if you are chosen to move forward with an interview.

This written “Position Description” is not intended to cover all aspects of the position listed. It is meant to cover the basic/general essential job functions of a particular position. Emery Jensen Distribution reserves the right to change job duties, including essential job functions, according to business necessity.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.