Sales Manager

Loen Nursery; Woodburn (OR); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Loen Nursery in Oregon is seeking an experienced Sales Manager to lead wholesale and retail nursery operations across the United States and Canada. You will develop sales strategies, manage a sales team, and coordinate with inventory, production, purchasing and shipping to grow margins.

Ideal candidates have 3–5 years in sales leadership in the nursery industry, a college degree, and strong negotiation and relationship-building skills.

Qualifications

• 3–5 years of professional sales, sales management, account management or related business development experience.
• 3–5 years in the wholesale nursery, horticulture, agriculture, landscape or related industry strongly preferred.
• College degree in Horticulture, Agriculture, Business or a related field preferred.
• Strong knowledge of the nursery industry, including growers, wholesale nurseries, retail garden centers, landscape contractors, landscape architects, brokers and distributors.
• Ability to identify and understand major companies and organizations that represent potential customers for Loen Nursery throughout the United States and Canada.
• Strong knowledge of ornamental plants and nursery products; proven ability to develop customers; strong negotiation, pricing and margin skills; excellent communication and leadership; ability to analyze sales and inventory information; valid driver's license.

Responsibilities

• Sales Leadership: Develop sales strategy; establish annual, monthly and weekly goals; monitor sales by salesperson, customer, product and location; manage gross-margin objectives; forecast demand; move aging and excess inventory; and establish pricing strategies.
• Sales Team Management: Recruit, train, develop and manage inside and outside sales personnel; establish performance standards; conduct sales meetings and reviews; train staff in plant identification, availability, pricing and customer service; and develop accountability for new and existing customers.
• Wholesale Nursery Sales — United States & Canada: Expand sales of Loen Nursery-grown plant material throughout the United States and Canada. Develop relationships with wholesale nurseries, independent garden centers, landscape contractors, landscape architects, brokers, distributors and other professional customers. Develop regional and national accounts and identify new geographic markets. Coordinate sales with plant availability, production and shipping.
• Landscape Contractor Supply Yard: Grow contractor sales, develop key accounts, increase repeat business, and coordinate customer service, product availability, pricing and delivery.
• Retail Nursery / Garden Center: Work with retail management on sales goals, product movement, customer service, promotions and high-margin sales opportunities.
• Inventory & Sales Coordination: Review availability, identify inventory needing sales attention, coordinate with production, monitor inventory turns, develop plans for excess and aging inventory, and prevent sales of unavailable or incorrectly sized products.
• Key Accounts & Reporting: Personally manage strategic customers; develop account plans; track sales, gross margin, new customers, retention, open opportunities, backorders and forecasts.

Skills

Sales leadership

Account management

Negotiation

Pricing strategy

Leadership

Communication

Industry knowledge

Education

Bachelor's degree in Horticulture, Agriculture, Business

Job description

SALES MANAGER — WHOLESALE & RETAIL NURSERY OPERATIONS

Location: Oregon Position: Sales Manager Reports To: Ownership / General Manager

POSITION SUMMARY

Loen Nursery is seeking an experienced, results-driven Sales Manager to lead sales across wholesale growing, a landscape

contractor supply yard, a retail nursery/garden center, and wholesale plant distribution. A key responsibility is expanding sales of

Loen Nursery plant material throughout the United States and Canada while developing customers, growing sales, maintaining

margins, and coordinating sales with inventory, production, purchasing and shipping.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Sales Leadership: Develop sales strategy; establish annual, monthly and weekly goals; monitor sales by salesperson, customer, product and location; manage gross-margin objectives; forecast demand; move aging and excess inventory; and establish pricing strategies.

Sales Team Management: Recruit, train, develop and manage inside and outside sales personnel; establish performance standards; conduct sales meetings and reviews; train staff in plant identification, availability, pricing and customer service; and develop accountability for new and existing customers.

Wholesale Nursery Sales — United States & Canada: Expand sales of Loen Nursery-grown plant material throughout the United States and Canada. Develop relationships with wholesale nurseries, independent garden centers, landscape contractors, landscape architects, brokers, distributors and other professional customers. Develop regional and national accounts and identify new geographic markets. Coordinate sales with plant availability, production and shipping.

Landscape Contractor Supply Yard: Grow contractor sales, develop key accounts, increase repeat business, and coordinate customer service, product availability, pricing and delivery.

Retail Nursery / Garden Center: Work with retail management on sales goals, product movement, customer service, promotions and high-margin sales opportunities.

Inventory & Sales Coordination: Review availability, identify inventory needing sales attention, coordinate with production, monitor inventory turns, develop plans for excess and aging inventory, and prevent sales of unavailable or incorrectly sized products.

Key Accounts & Reporting: Personally manage strategic customers; develop account plans; track sales, gross margin, new customers, retention, open opportunities, backorders and forecasts.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

• Minimum Experience: 3–5 years of professional sales, sales management, account management or related business development experience.

• Preferred Nursery Experience: 3–5 years in the wholesale nursery, horticulture, agriculture, landscape or related industry strongly preferred.

• Education: College degree in Horticulture, Agriculture, Business or a related field preferred.

• Nursery Industry Knowledge: Strong knowledge of the nursery industry, including growers, wholesale nurseries, retail garden centers, landscape contractors, landscape architects, brokers and distributors.

• Customer Market Knowledge: Ability to identify and understand major companies and organizations that represent potential customers for Loen Nursery throughout the United States and Canada.

• Strong knowledge of ornamental plants and nursery products; proven ability to develop customers; strong negotiation, pricing and margin skills; excellent communication and leadership; ability to analyze sales and inventory information; valid driver's license.

PERFORMANCE MEASURES

• Total sales growth
• Gross-margin performance
• Sales per salesperson
• New customer development
• Key-account growth and retention
• Inventory turnover
• Sales team performance
• Growth throughout the United States and Canada

COMPENSATION

• Base Salary: $90,000–$120,000 per year, depending on experience and qualifications.

• Performance Bonus: Performance-based bonus tied to meeting sales goals, growth of sales and customer development, with consideration of gross-margin performance.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate is a strong sales leader who understands plants and business, knows the nursery industry and its major potential customers, and can develop profitable long-term relationships throughout the United States and Canada. Success is measured by sales growth, customer development, strong margins and efficient movement of inventory.