Sales Associate

Oswald Companies; Cleveland (OH); On-site; USD 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Performance-based annual incentive program

Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision plans

Paid time off and sabbaticals

Company stock options

Financial support for professional development

Job summary

Oswald Companies in Cleveland, Ohio is looking for sales-driven professionals to develop business and achieve production goals. This role involves generating sales opportunities, collaborating with team members, and providing exceptional customer service.

The ideal candidate will have a Bachelor's degree, sales experience, and strong communication skills. Benefits include performance incentives, comprehensive health plans, and opportunities for professional development.

Qualifications

• Minimum 1 to 3 years of industry knowledge preferred.
• Proven successful selling experience in a Business-2-Business environment is required.

Responsibilities

• Generate sales opportunities with new clients.
• Collaborate with team to cross-sell products.
• Build and maintain a book of business.

Skills

Sales experience

Networking

Customer Service

Communication

Problem Solving

Education

Bachelor degree in Business, Finance, or Risk Management

Tools

Microsoft CRM software

MS Office Suite

Job description

Oswald Companies seeks goal-driven professionals ready to take their career to the next level.

Job Purpose

Responsible to generate sales opportunities with new clients in a defined market; coordinate personal sales efforts with department team members and other internal staff. Also collaborate with the team to cross-sell products and services; develop and implement a personal sales plan with direct accountability for annual production goals.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Establish a sales development plan to originate business with new clients; build and maintain a book of business and incrementally grow the book at plan each year.
• Capitalize on opportunities to cross-sell multiple lines of coverage to existing clients; collaborate with department peers and service staff managing the company's various practices to maximize the sale of services provided.
• Maintain a high level of sales activity through self-driven initiatives to achieve production goals; market products and services to the appropriate contact.
• Develop and execute a proactive strategy to source leads, identify and target decision-makers, and make cold calls to obtain opportunities for an appointment and service presentation.
• Perform a detailed analysis of a prospective client’s needs by reviewing their existing insurance / risk management program; make recommendations for appropriate and competitive coverages.
• Customize insurance programs to suit customer needs covering a variety of risks; explain features, advantages and disadvantages of various policies to promote the sale of services.
• Communicate products and services by developing the appropriate presentation and implementing closing techniques to secure the business.
• Meet with existing clients on a regular basis to maintain close relationships and ensure required services are provided as expected; act as an adviser and consultant, helping customers analyze risk and apply innovative solutions to resolve complex risk problems.
• Maintain accurate and timely electronic records of all prospecting activities utilizing Microsoft CRM software, including data entry of established contacts, sales calls and presentations performed, closed sales achieved, and other follow-up activities.
• Develop a personal network of contacts for the long-term sourcing of prospects through professional referrals and special-interest groups; participate in community events, non-for-profit boards and other community networking opportunities.
• Attend industry events, seminars and informational workshops to learn about changes in the competitive market and the new products and services provided; receive technical training and enhance skills to improve account development ability.
• Stay up-to-date with legislative changes, industry trends and new product offerings; assist in the implementation of company promotional activities and seminars.
• Attend and participate in all mandatory Business Development Team meetings.

Other Duties and Responsibilities

• Lead others by example through the sharing of knowledge and skills.
• Participate in proactive team efforts to achieve departmental and company goals.
• Comply with all safety policies, practices and procedures; report all unsafe activities to supervisor and the Human Resource Department.
• Perform other duties as may be assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not have supervisory responsibilities.

Degree Of Supervision Needed

General Direction: receives general guidance with respect to objectives; in the majority of tasks and projects assigned, determines methods, work sequence, scheduling, and how to achieve assigned objectives; operates within specific policy guidelines.

Planning And Organizational Requirements

Handles multiple tasks simultaneously.

Personal Characteristics

• A pro-active, goal-driven and confident attitude
• A service-oriented, collaborative approach
• Effective networking and relationship-building skills
• Exceptional interpersonal abilities
• An outgoing, professional demeanor
• Excellent listening, verbal and written communication skills
• Highly-organized, detail-oriented and results-based
• Insightful, creative and innovative
• Strong analytical and problem solving skills

Competencies

Group One – Intellectual

• Problem Solving: identifies and resolves problems in a timely manner; gathers and analyzes information skillfully; develops alternative solutions; works well in group problem solving situations; uses reason even when dealing with emotional topics.
• Technical Skills: assesses own strengths and weaknesses; pursues training and development opportunities; strives to build knowledge and skills continuously; shares expertise with others.

Group Two – Interpersonal

• Customer Service: manages difficult or emotional customer situations; responds promptly to customer needs; solicits customer feedback to improve service; responds to requests for service and assistance; meets commitments.
• Oral Communication: speaks clearly and persuasively in positive or negative situations; listens and gets clarification; responds well to questions; demonstrates group presentation skills; participates in meetings.
• Written Communication: writes clearly and informatively; edits work for spelling and grammar; presents numerical data effectively; able to read and interpret written information.
• Teamwork: balances team and individual responsibilities; exhibits objectivity and openness to others’ views; gives and welcomes feedback; contributes to building a positive team spirit; puts success of team above own interests; able to build morale and group commitments to goals and objectives; supports everyone’s efforts to succeed.

Group Three – Leadership

• Leadership: exhibits confidence in self and others; effectively influences actions and opinions of others; accepts feedback from others; gives appropriate recognition to others.
• Quality Management: looks for ways to improve and promote quality; demonstrates accuracy and thoroughness.

Group Four – Organization

• Business Acumen: understands business implications of decisions; demonstrates knowledge of market and competition; aligns work with strategic goals.
• Ethics: treats people with respect; keeps commitments; inspires the trust of others; works with integrity and ethically; upholds organizational values.
• Strategic Thinking: develops strategies to achieve organizational goals; understands organization’s strengths and weaknesses; analyzes market and competition; identifies external threats and opportunities; adapts strategy to changing conditions.

Group Five – Self Management

• Judgment: displays willingness to make decisions; exhibits sound and accurate judgment; supports and explains reasoning for decisions; includes appropriate people in decision-making process; makes timely decisions.
• Motivation: sets and achieves challenging goals; demonstrates persistence and overcomes obstacles; measures self against standard of excellence.
• Planning/Organizing: prioritizes and plans work activities; uses time efficiently; sets goals and objectives; develops realistic action plans.
• Professionalism: approaches others in a tactful manner; reacts well under pressure; treats others with respect regardless of their status or position; accepts responsibility for own actions; follows through on commitments.
• Quantity: meets productivity standards; strives to increase productivity.
• Dependability: follows instructions, responds to management direction; takes responsibility for own actions; keeps commitments; commits to long hours of work when necessary to reach goals; completes tasks on time or notifies appropriate person with an alternate plan.
• Initiative: undertakes self-development activities; looks for and takes advantage of opportunities; asks for and offers help when needed.

Industry Knowledge

At least 1 to 3 or more years of industry knowledge is preferred but not required.

Education And Previous Experience

Bachelor degree in Business, Finance, or Risk Management from a four-year college or university and one to three years or more related experience or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

Prior Experience Specifically Required

• Successful selling experience in a Business-2-Business product or service is required

Certificates, Licenses, Registrations, Professional Designations

None required.

Computer Skills

• MS Office Suite 2010 – Basic
• Outlook – Basic
• Word – Basic
• Excel – Basic
• PowerPoint – Basic
• MS Windows – Basic
• MS CRM Dynamics 2011 – Basic
• Internet / WebEx / Intranet Skills – Basic

Communication Skills

Ability to read, analyze and interpret general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures or governmental regulations. Ability to write reports, business correspondence, and procedure manuals. Ability to present information effectively and to respond to questions from groups of employees, managers, customers and the public.

Mathematical Skills

Ability to add, subtract, multiply, and divide in all units of measure, using whole numbers, common fractions, and decimals. Ability to compute rate, ratio, and percent and to draw and interpret graphs.

Reasoning / Thinking Ability

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in written, oral, or diagram form. Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situations.

Physical Demands

Physical Activity: sedentary, non-strenuous daily activities of an administrative nature. Physical Requirements: while performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear; frequently required to stand, walk, and use hands to finger, handle or feel; occasionally required to sit and reach with hands and arms. Weight: the employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds. Manual Dexterity: manual dexterity sufficient to reach/handle items and work with the fingers. Vision Requirements: specific vision abilities required by this job include: close vision (clear vision at 20 inches or less); distance vision (clear vision at 20 feet or more); color vision (ability to identify and distinguish colors); peripheral vision (ability to observe an area that can be seen up and down or to the left and right while eyes are fixed on a given point); depth perception (three-dimensional vision, ability to judge distances and spatial relationships); ability to adjust focus (ability to adjust the eye to bring an object into sharp focus).

Environmental Demands

Work Environment: well-lighted, heated and/or air-conditioned indoor office setting with adequate ventilation. Work Conditions: while performing the duties of this job, the employee is not exposed to any critical risk factors. Work Noise: the noise level in the work environment is usually moderate (examples: business office with computers and printers, light traffic; frequent phone ringing).

Work Schedule / Hours

Full-time hours: core business hours of Monday through Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm and/or occasional weekend hours totaling 40 or more hours per week; no overtime payable. (FLSA Status: Exempt). Note: job responsibilities and travel expectations at this level will often require the performance of job duties beyond the normal work week schedule.

Benefits

• In addition to competitive pay, we have designed a performance-based annual incentive program. All employees are eligible to earn a bonus by meeting performance objectives.
• Comprehensive medical, dental and vision plans and numerous supplemental benefit offerings.
• Paid time off annually and a sabbatical at every 10-year service anniversary.
• Ownership in the company in the form of company stock (discretionary profit-sharing and 401(k) match contribution)
• Assistance with parking expenses, discount programs for area services/experiences, and financial support for professional development and licensure/designations
• Access to specialized leadership development programming designed to take your career to the next level.
• And so much more!

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

Oswald, a Unison Risk Advisors company is an equal opportunity employer and will consider all applications without regard to race, sex, age, color, religion, national origin, veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information or any characteristic.