Role Overview
The director of international sales is responsible for overseeing the creation and implementation of Reliefband Technologies international sales strategy, policies, procedures, objectives and initiatives. Because of the international nature of the position, the international sales director must maintain current knowledge of cultural, political and legal issues pertaining to sales in specific regions. This position is responsible for all non-US sales activities including identifying potential clients to develop relationships with them to closing deals and ensuring that products are delivered on time and as promised.
The director of international sales should have a comprehensive background and work experience successfully creating and driving international sales strategies for medical devices from the ground up. Experience and understanding the complexities of selling a medical device overseas is critical for this position. This role will report directly to the President & CEO.
Essential Responsibilities & Duties
- Development and execution of international sales strategy across ReliefBand Technologies.
- Identify and assess opportunities for new international sales with current and new clients and execute successful sales agreements while constructively optimizing the negotiation process and critical agreement terms.
- Formulate standard and routine proposals related to international business development in conjunction with Reliefband Technologies executives and various functional groups that support customer adoption.
- Delivers sales proposals to potential international partner(s) with confidence to close the deal.
- Communicate back to internal groups the outcome of the negotiations/proposals focusing on conveying the expectations set forth for each group with clear details, critical timeframes and expectations.
- Collaborate with the US sales, operations, technology, finance and additional groups to develop or support budgets, financial models and project performance.
- Recommend refinements and improvements of all components of proposals for new business partnerships (new territories, new niche markets, existing customers, B2B Sales, etc.) to ensure deals are closed.
- Track and report on the status of all potential territories and customers to identify opportunities to accelerate closing a mutually beneficial deal.
- Establish and maintain on-going international client relationships with the various parties to anticipate and resolve potential barriers to customer acquisition. Participate in site visits, as needed.
- Prospect for potential international customers and translate into long-term partnerships that support the overall volume growth plans for ReliefBand.
- Meet potential clients by growing, maintaining and leveraging your personal network and the ReliefBand team’s network.
- Identify potential clients and quickly establish relationships with the key decision makers within the client organization, optimizing the business development cycle to close deals.
- Plan approaches and pitches. Work with the team to develop proposals that speak to the customer’s needs, concerns and objectives relative to their culture, norms and regulations..
- Explore new products and enhance existing relationships outside of the US.
- Present to and consult with senior level leaders on business and critical market trends with a view to developing new products and international distribution channels.
- Identifies trendsetter ideas by researching industry and related events, publications and announcements.
- Comfortable with public speaking and promoting Reliefband across industry and trade organizations.
- Capable of working in a lean organization, building a team that is consistent with company growth plans and tracking individual contributors and their accomplishments.
- Lead international consumer analytics, translating what works and identifying opportunities for improvement that can be translated in future offerings (worked in concert with VP, Retail Sales, VP, Operations and other executive leaders).
Basic Qualifications
- 7-10 years of experience closing deals internationally in business development, new sales, B2B sales, or marketing within the consumer packaged goods (CPG) field.
- Experience selling medical devices outside of the US to a network of healthcare distributors and/or consumer products.
- Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, finance or relevant experience in a related field.
- Experience developing and executing international B2B sales strategies.
- Strong senior level relationships with key decision makers within leading CPG multinational companies.
- Must have exceptional and proven track record in networking, persuasion, prospecting, building customer pipelines, public speaking, research, writing and closing commercial deals.
- Thorough understanding of sales and marketing techniques and methods that deliver new business territories and facilitates any new potential customer to adopt a new normal.
- Exceptional written, oral, interpersonal and presentation skills and the ability to effectively interface with a broad range of international audiences including senior management, business and industry partners, as well as individual customers and prospects.
- Must be a critical thinker and possess a strategic mindset for long-term thinking. Sales must demonstrate a strategic link to support company growth outside of the US, future volume targets and sustainable margin/profit expectations.
- Solutions-oriented, data-driven decision making and good attention to detail and follow-up.
- Ability to work independently and process multiple complex projects while prioritizing internal and partner needs.
- Proven ability to influence cross-functional teams without formal authority.
- Ability to prioritize workload, must be highly organized, detail-oriented, handle various tasks simultaneously and work independently within limited time constraints and little or no supervision.
- Demonstrates respectful behavior and promotes teamwork and communication to encourage an interactive, cooperative, collaborative and customer focused, startup work environment.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and willingness to take on special projects, as needed.
- Ability to travel domestically and internationally as required. Overnight travel is anticipated up to 50% of the time, on a ‘as needed’ basis.
Preferred Qualifications
- MBA or Executive MBA degree
- Experience in startup companies and lean operations
- Experience leading an international sales team for CPG company