Director, Sales Operations, On-Site RoleBuena Park, CA

Job Summary:

The Director of Sales Operations plays a critical leadership role in managing key customer relationships, driving growth through strategic account management, and leading a high-performing inside sales team. This position combines client engagement, business development, sales process optimization, and cross-functional collaboration to deliver best-in-class service to a diverse customer base within the Aviation, Aerospace, and Defense sectors. The Director will help define the customer experience, develop talent within the organization, and contribute meaningfully to the continued double-digit growth of the company.

Key Responsibilities:

Client Relationship Management:

Cultivate and sustain deep, long-term partnerships with key customers by consistently delivering value, trust, and tailored support aligned with their evolving business needs.
Act as the primary liaison for key customer accounts, ensuring consistent communication, exceptional service, and long-term relationship success.
Develop a deep understanding of each customer’s business needs to deliver tailored, mutually beneficial solutions that support profitability. Consistently provide best-in-class service to foster long-term client loyalty and retention. Offer value-added solutions that simplify processes and reduce the workload for our customers.
Proactively communicate with both external customers and internal management regarding material-related issues or opportunities. Clearly articulate challenges and escalate concerns when necessary, while presenting effective solutions to mitigate risks. Demonstrate a strong sense of urgency in resolving problems and driving tasks to completion.

Business Development:

Proactively identify opportunities to upsell and cross-sell products and services that align with customer needs. Effectively and transparently negotiate price adjustments to ensure mutual value and sustained profitability.
Partner with cross-functional teams to develop and execute strategic initiatives that drive business growth.
Cultivate and sustain a comprehensive understanding of the client’s industry, competitive positioning, and the dynamics of their end markets.

Managing and Mentoring the Inside Sales Team:

Provide strategic leadership and hands-on coaching to a high-performing inside sales and customer service team of 4 to 6 account managers, fostering a culture of accountability, continuous development, and exceptional customer engagement.
Lead efforts to attract, retain, and develop top sales talent by fostering a high-performance culture built on accountability, ongoing professional growth, and meaningful recognition of individual and team success.
Deliver continuous mentorship, implement individualized professional development plans, and establish clear, measurable performance expectations to drive team growth and accountability.
Foster a collaborative and supportive team culture rooted in responsiveness, mutual respect, and a customer-centric mindset.
Track and analyze team KPIs, lead regular performance evaluations, and implement targeted strategies to drive continuous improvement and exceed operational goals.
Equip team members with the tools, training, and support needed to confidently manage customer accounts and resolve issues with efficiency and professionalism.
Drive alignment between inside sales initiatives and the company’s overarching strategic sales goals to maximize effectiveness and revenue growth.

Strategic Planning:

Develop and execute account strategies that broaden and deepen our product offerings.
Continuously evaluate account performance to identify opportunities for improvement and proactively collaborate with clients and internal teams to address challenges and implement effective solutions.
Collaborate with the VP of Sales and senior management to establish ambitious yet achievable booking targets for each key account.

Cross-functional Collaboration:

Collaborate proactively with cross-functional teams including production, engineering, quality, finance, operations, and logistics—to deliver integrated, customer-focused solutions with efficiency and consistency.
Collaborate with product development teams by delivering client insights and identifying opportunities for product enhancements to better meet customer needs
Take full ownership and oversight of all orders from initiation to completion, ensuring seamless execution throughout the entire process.

Reporting, Analytics and Streamlining Processes:

Define, track, and communicate critical key‑account metrics, including bookings, revenue growth, client‑satisfaction scores, and project‑delivery timelines to ensure clear visibility of performance against plan.
Develop and deliver comprehensive business reviews on a regular basis, providing actionable insights and performance updates to both customers and internal stakeholders.
Proactively analyze customer data, including booking trends, sales performance, and profitability, to uncover both challenges and growth opportunities. Take prompt action to address issues and capitalize on opportunities to ensure targets are met or exceeded.
Evaluate core functional processes to assess their effectiveness and efficiency, identifying and eliminating non–value-added activities to streamline operations.

Problem Solving & Issue Resolution:

Deliver tailored solutions that address our customers' unique challenges. Respond to every need with urgency and a deep respect for the success and well-being of their business.
Proactively manage and mitigate risks by applying sound judgment and anticipating potential issues. Demonstrate the intuition and attentiveness to recognize when a customer requires additional support and engagement.

Qualifications & Skills:

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field required. Prior experience in industrial machining or manufacturing is preferred. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in build-to-print manufacturing environments.
Demonstrated success in customer-facing and customer care supervisory roles, with a strong background in inside sales and account management.
Proven experience supporting Fortune 100 companies, OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and other high-value strategic accounts.
Strong understanding of sales principles, account management, and customer service.
Deep understanding of engineering, operations, and sales processes, with a proven ability to collaborate effectively across functions within a manufacturing environment. Experience in the Aerospace and Defense (A&D) sector is preferred, though not required.
Proven leadership experience, including direct management of an inside sales team and indirect oversight of cross-functional operational resources.
Ability to develop and execute annual bookings, sales plans, budgets, and forecasts to drive revenue growth and ensure alignment with strategic objectives.
Expert level competency in MS Excel and MS PowerPoint.
Nimble in ERP systems and reporting tools.

Additional Skills:

Expertise in negotiation and delivering persuasive, high-impact presentations to diverse audiences.
Problem-solving and critical-thinking abilities, with a proven capacity to analyze complex issues, identify root causes, and implement effective solutions.
Strong business acumen with a proven ability to quickly understand and adapt to clients’ unique industries and market dynamics.
Dynamic and self-motivated leader with a proactive mindset and a proven track record of energizing and inspiring teams to achieve high performance.
Proven ability to cultivate and sustain long-term client relationships, consistently delivering exceptional service and driving high levels of customer satisfaction.
Exceptional interpersonal and communication abilities—both verbal and written—with a proven ability to engage and build strong relationships with customers, team members, and executive leadership.
Skilled in managing competing priorities through strong organizational and time management abilities.
Demonstrates strong analytical abilities with a proven capacity to solve complex problems and resolve conflicts effectively and diplomatically.
Adept at embracing new systems and technologies to enhance efficiency and streamline business operations.
Capable of thriving in fast-paced, deadline-driven environments while maintaining focus, accuracy, and efficiency.

Working Conditions:

Full-time onsite with some travel expected to visit customers.
Occasional extended hours to meet client needs or deadlines.

This is a full-time, direct-hire, on-site role.

Qualified and interested candidates are urged to apply immediately:

Zach Hoofring, zach@avalonstaffing.com or Jackie Hoofring, jackie@avalonstaffing.com.

AVALON

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