Sales Manager - Salinas, CA at Smurfit Westrock

Description & Requirements

Smurfit Westrock (NYSE:SW) is the go-to leader and partner of choice in sustainable packaging. We are dedicated to creating efficient and scalable paper and packaging solutions to help solve complex packaging challenges. Guided by our values of safety, loyalty, integrity and respect, we are committed to delivering meaningful value for shareholders, customers, employees and the communities where we operate.

The Opportunity

As the Sales Manager, you will manage and lead the sales team to generate revenue and profitable volume growth by providing differentiated consultative service and strategic value to customers.

The Sales Manager is responsible for managing the productivity of the sales team and ensuring that all representatives are focused on customers’ needs and bring to bear broad market knowledge of corrugated packaging, technical savvy, and consumer insights.

The Sales Manager trains and coaches sales representatives to establish goals, direction, and standards of contact with customers for the business unit, and provides continuous support to the customers, plants, Sales Representatives, and sales leadership.

How You Will Impact Smurfit Westrock

• Reporting to the General Manager & leading the sales team to exceed volume and profit goals through new account development, growth in existing accounts, and margin improvement initiatives
• Develop the Market & Sales strategy for the business unit in partnership with the Senior Director of Sales to articulate the strategic goals and direction of the business
• Reporting to the Sales Manager will be the locally assigned sales reps , account managers & designer
• The Sales Manager will actively manage some accounts & prospects initially
• Develop and maintain a sufficient prospect pipeline via Salesforce tool to meet volume growth objectives and drive results. Lead the sales team to identify, close, develop, and grow strategic accounts
• The Sales Manager will be responsible for Developing an Innovation strategy for the local plant, working closely with the corporate support functions to deliver new products & offerings in the market , by utilizing all of Smurfit Westrock’s Innotools more effectively
• Develop processes, people, training, and tools to implement the business unit strategy, aligning activities and KPIs to strategic goals and objectives
• Develop pricing and sales strategies for each target account in partnership with Sales Representatives and Pre-Pricing Specialists by analyzing data to ensure that strategic pricing recommendations align with the requirements of the business unit, profitability goals, and plant production capabilities
• Engage with large customer & prospects contracts and support the development of formal agreements in partnership with Sales Representatives, Management, and Legal
• Monthly sales meetings and cadence calls with Sales Representatives
• Assist with development of annual budget and weekly, monthly & quarterly forecasts
• Conduct monthly performance review meetings with direct reports to assess performance, identify and remove obstacles, and discuss opportunities for growth and development
• Mentor and train sales team to develop capability around industry knowledge, relationship development, systems, tools and processes
• Onboard, train, and coach new team members to enable them to quickly become productive and effective
• Retain top talent and keep them motivated, engaged, and continuously building their capability

What You Need To Succeed

• Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred
• Must have minimum of 5 years of sales experience, manufacturing industry or corrugated industry preferred; 5 years of sales leadership is preferred
• Must have documented history of achieving and exceeding sales objectives
• Proven track record of leadership and decision-making skills to achieve goals and objectives
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Demonstrated ability leveraging order entry systems, CRM tools (e.g. Salesforce), and reporting systems

What Smurfit Westrock Offers

• Corporate culture based on integrity, respect, accountability, and excellence
• Comprehensive training with numerous learning and development opportunities
• An attractive salary/bonus package reflecting skills, competencies, and potential
• A career with a global packaging company where Sustainability, Safety and Inclusion are business drivers and foundational elements of the daily work.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or other characteristics protected by state or federal law.

The salary range for this position is $103,500.00 - $172,500.00, depending on your role, level, and location. The range listed is also the expected pay for roles in Illinois and Colorado. The benefits for this role include short-term bonus incentive, health, dental and vision insurance, flexible spending accounts or health savings accounts, retirement savings plans, life and disability insurance programs, and paid sick leave as required by applicable state/local law, 15 days of paid vacation, and 11 days of paid holidays, subject to annual change. Your pay will be based on factors such as your skills, experience, and education. To learn more about this posting, please contact your recruiter during the hiring process. You may apply online at Smurfit Westrock External Careers and the application window is expected to close by 31-Dec-2026.