This is a key leadership position at the Silicon Valley Business Journal, with responsibility for achieving monthly and annual advertising revenue goals; driving revenue growth; engaging, growing, and retaining advertising customers; and leading and nurturing a high-performance sales team.
You will be an important market-facing leader of the Silicon Valley Business Journal. Your ability to forge and nurture lasting relationships and partnerships, network in the local business community, and connect to business decision makers is an important contributor to success in this position.
In collaboration with leadership team, VP of sales will create, execute, and promote revenue-generating ideas, programs, and opportunities. We sell ideas, and yours will be important.
The VP Sales is responsible for evaluating talent, recruiting, and hiring exceptional sales professionals, fostering team culture, and creating a motivating environment for revenue success.
Our products are business-to-business, multi-platform, and include digital, print, event, research, and a growing array of customized advertising and marketing solutions. We sell national, regional, and local advertising campaigns, targeting accounts HQ in Silicon Valley and offering multi-market solutions to those with broader geographic reach.
The VP Sales is responsible for directing new business development activities and helping the sales team hunt, identify, and connect with the best prospects to grow their business.
This is a tremendous opportunity to grow as a leader, engage with the community, and demonstrate your ability to build a winning team and drive significant growth of a vital asset in the American City Business Journals portfolio of local / regional business media operations. It is a career building opportunity for a top performer.
Job Responsibilities
The performance of the VP Sales will be evaluated according to the standards set below. The target standard defined for each duty is the expected level of performance.
Goals and Quotas: Yearly and monthly goals will be set in coordination with the Publisher/ Market President. VP Sales should, at a minimum, meet monthly and yearly budget targets, and should strive to exceed them.
Revenue Development: Manage a strategic planning process and guide the sales team to achieve revenue budgets by product type; develop new revenue opportunities; nurture and grow existing client relationships; direct, manage, and measure new business development.
Sales Management Process: Execute and enforce minimum required activity levels to build a pipeline of business and closed contracts. Each sales rep should weekly perform the following: 3-5 new business calls, 3-5 proposals, and 3-5 presentations. Ensure each member of the team is meeting those activity levels and manage performance accordingly. VP Sales is expected to participate in customer-facing sales calls on a regular basis, and to help the team make high level connections.
Forecast: Manage the process of the sales pipeline and revenue forecast in Salesforce to ensure accurate recording of prospecting activity, conversion success and active sales opportunities at each stage of the sales process as well as future new business revenue. Stay ahead of future months and the year and anticipate gaps and opportunities.
Expenses: In consultation with the Publisher/ Market President, develop an annual expense budget. Consistently finish each month at or under the expense budget. Be aware of costs associated with new revenue ideas and manage to an agreed-upon profit margin.
Staff Development: Provide each department member with two performance appraisals each year and regular ongoing feedback. Working with the ACBJ revenue team, provide sales staff with training opportunities on sales techniques, products, approaches each month. Take full advantage of the many sales tools, resources, and training opportunities.
Product Knowledge/Market Intelligence: Work with sales team to be able to clearly express the value proposition and benefits of ACBJ's products and solutions and ensure that solutions address clear business needs for the client. Consume content produced by ACBJ daily and stay informed of opportunities in the market and in our news as well as trends affecting clients' industries. Monitor the sales team to remain up to date on product knowledge and market intelligence. Be present in the community at key community events gathering market intelligence and forging new relationships.
Recruiting/Hiring: Recruit and interview continuously to develop a bench of qualified candidates for sales positions. Use company provided recruitment tools throughout the hiring process. All new hires must participate in a new hire orientation and training program, using local and corporate resources.
Marketing: Execute Advertising Department's Marketing Plan working in collaboration with ACBJ Corporate Marketing.
Management Team: Work cooperatively and collaboratively with all colleagues and other department managers.
National Sales and Multi-Market Advertisers: Work effectively with the national sales team and other ACBJ markets. Manage the team to make sure the sales team adheres to the ACBJ corporate policies set in place.
Professional Development: The VP Sales is expected to participate in all training offered by Silicon Valley Business Journal and ACBJ. In addition, he or she is encouraged to participate in one other training opportunity each year, as agreed upon with the Publisher/ Market President.
The VP Sales should be prepared to assist with any other task or project in collaboration with and as needed by the Publisher/ Market President.
Skills & Experience
BA/BS degree.
4+ years media or senior level sales management experience or 3+ years within sales at an ACBJ publication.
Proven record of success driving revenue, leading sales teams, and achieving goals, budgets, and objectives.
Proficient with Microsoft Office Suite, CRM tools like Salesforce.
Well versed in a variety of social media platforms including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn.
Additional Job Information
The well-being of our employees is paramount. For that reason, ACBJ offers a variety of rich and competitive benefits including bundled health, dental and vision plans designed to meet our employees' needs. We also provide programs to support mental health and wellness and a generous time-off policy in support of taking the time needed to recharge.
Here are just a few of our programs:
* Paid Parental Leave * 401K Plan with Employer Match * Flexible Spending Accounts * Employee Assistance Program * Multiple Employee Dependent Scholarship Programs * Commuter Flexible Spending * Lifestyle Programs (Including incentives for healthy habits) * Medical Infertility Services * Corporate discount programs * Employee Recognition/Service Awards * And so much more!
(Benefits coverage indicated above may be based on employee participation in benefit programs)
Salary Range
$180- $250 (Base + Bonus Potential)
Compliance Statement
This Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The Company considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, veteran status, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other characteristic protected by applicable city, state or federal law. Appropriate CDC guidelines are being followed for the protection of our employees and customers.
