Vice President of Channel Sales & Marketing
Reports to: President/CEO
General Description
The Vice President of Channel Sales & Marketing is responsible for the strategy, tactics and programs to create interest, demand and recognition for Acme Software Corporation and its products through the use of PR, Product Marketing, Creative Services, Advertising, Strategic Relationships, Direct, Event, Channel and Online Marketing and creating the maximum width of distribution. In addition, to ensure the product is demand driven, the Vice President of Channel Sales & Marketing works with Product Marketing and Management to ensure the right mix of features, positioning and price. This position is also responsible for planning, organizing, staffing, training, and managing all marketing functions to achieve the company objective of sales, growth, profits, and visibility while ensuring a consistent marketing message and positioning on a world wide basis consistent with the corporate direction.
Marketing Responsibilities
Strategy
- Remain strategical, tactical and program oriented, in that order.
- Work with Directors and Managers to development strategic partners for referencing, credibility and alliances.
- Help manage third-party relationships.
- Ensure the product is competitive, complete, clean and timely.
- Responsible for creating annual or biannual strategic and tactical marketing plan.
Research & Information
- Conduct and analyze market research to determine risk and marketability of potential products and product features. Supply information to appropriate personnel.
- Responsible for competitive analysis, strategies and tactics.
- Measure effectiveness of the marketing department and implement improvements.
Product, Direction, Competition
- Determine market needs and generate product requirements and definition for development.
- Responsible for the product(s) pricing, name, positioning, packaging, and definition.
- Work with the Director, MarCom to ensure production of appropriate box, collateral, sales, educational and merchandising materials.
Management & Training
- Manage and train existing and new marketing and channel sales staff.
- Ensure timely and effective execution of the marketing tactics and programs.
- Create and maintain annual marketing budget.
- Lead and manage the following responsibilities and/or departments: 1) Direct Marketing, 2) PR, 3) Advertising, 4) Online Marketing (web site), 5) Product Management, 6) Channel Marketing, 7) Event Marketing (trade shows), and 8) Creative Services.
- Ensure a consistent, fair and situational management style exist throughout the department.
- Generate a monthly summary report and comprehensive quarterly and annual marketing report.
PR & Image
- Work with PR to ensure the proper amount and type of coverage to raise awareness, win reviews and ensure consistent corporate and product branding and image.
- Help manage investor relations when applicable.
Advertising
- Work with Ad Manager and/or agency to create the media schedule, negotiate the rates, prepare the deliverables and execute. Follow-up and measure the advertising campaign using print and online methods.
Strategic Partnering & Alliances
- Participate in creating strategic partnerships, alliances and bundles that ensures Acme Software is highly visible and properly positioned and referenced.
Direct Marketing
- Maintain complete direct sales support.
- Ensure we have substantial qualified leads for direct sales. These can be gathered through direct mail campaigns, trade shows, the Web site, and qualified list acquisition.
Channel Marketing
- Maintain complete sales material support for Indirect Channel Sales–both retail and VAR accounts.
- Develop direct marketing programs to resellers to ensure appropriate stocking levels.
- Work with Event Manager to ensure proper representation at industry events.
- Help initiate a customer service and online lead generation program to support the resellers.
- Develop an effective channel marketing & merchandising program including: training & education, promotions, pop, distributor and reseller relations.
Online Marketing
- Ensure a professional, inviting Web site employing the latest technology to encourage initial and repeat visits. Develop an online store to take orders for new products, upgrades and add-ons directly.
- Help initiate and execute an entire online strategical marketing plan to make the most of this important new medium.
Creative Services
- Work with the Creative Services department to ensure a consistent look and feel among all collateral materials. Aid in the design of the box, sell sheets, product slicks, POP, folders, trade show graphics, and all other corporate imaging.
Channel Sales Responsibilities
Strategy
- Select the most appropriate channels to best sell the product line.
- Take responsibility for the overall indirect channel sales revenue either via distribution or directly from System Integrators, VARs, Mail Order, Corporate Direct, Computer Superstores, Software Chains and Mass Merchants.
Management, Motivation, Training & Reporting
- Work with the Director, Channel Sales to ensure the highest ROI on the use of MDF.
- Generate channel sales forecast for budgeting, inventory levels and quotas.
- Ensure the proper performance of channel sales through training, incentives and motivation.
- Set commission and bonus structure and levels.
- Maintain and recruit an effective channel sales force.
- Conduct complete annual performance reviews to ensure high performance. Comprehensive training of sales staff with joint model calls, coaching calls and skill building. Create a standard of performance and perform systematic PAR, and PIP to raise skills and habits to the required level.
- Compile a monthly sell-in and sell-through report and comprehensive quarterly analysis.
- Ensure formal, customized training materials for education and development of sales staff
Channel Sales & Relationships
- Help sell into the top accounts.
- Maintain direct relationships through systematic contact with top key accounts.
- Ensure complete sell-in with each product launch.
- Develop either a direct mail, quick fax, or reseller ad program to recruit the independent resellers.
- Ensure adequate distribution and MSL (minimum stocking levels) with both distributors and resellers without stuffing the channel.
- Orchestrate low cost and effective returns with wise rotation of new versions as released.
Knowledge & Skills
The idea candidate would be well rounded in all aspects of marketing and sales methodology to both vertical and consumer customers. Extensive knowledge of software marketing issues, technical markets, pricing models, consumer packaging, channels of distribution, technology trends, customer buying patterns, budgeting, public and investor relations, advertising, statistics and analysis, P&L background, direct marketing, telemarketing, planning skills, database marketing, competitive strategies, event marketing, channel marketing, merchandising, product marketing, product management, team management, presentation, sales and strong training skills during high growth stages.
(Chanimal Note: This description of for a VP of “Channel Sales” and Marketing. It does not include the description that would typically be assigned to VP of Sales (i.e., inside sales, corporate sales, customer service (when not handled by operations)))
