Director of Sales

This is a hands-on leadership role for a sales executive who has taken innovative products from early adoption through rapid scale in complex selling environments. 

Key Responsibilities  

Retail & Channel Sales  

• Lead and execute vendor application, onboarding and compliance processes with major national independent and corporate-owned retail chains.  

• Manage and grow relationships with regional and independent retail partners, including pricing, terms, merchandising and promotional alignment.  

• Serve as the primary commercial point of contact for retail buyers, category managers and merchandising teams.  

• Oversee forecasting, sell-through analysis, replenishment planning and channel performance tracking.  
  

Trade & Direct Outreach (Architects, Designers, Decorators)  

• Build and lead a direct outreach program targeting architects, interior designers, decorators, and other architectural coatings specifiers.  

• Develop territory strategies, outreach cadence and relationship-nurturing frameworks for the trade channel.  

• Oversee and mentor junior customer relations and outreach staff, ensuring consistent pipeline management and conversion of opportunities they initiate.  

• Track spec wins and ensure alignment with retail, direct, or project-based sales execution.  
  

E-Commerce & Affiliate Sales 

• Onboard and manage minor and specialty e-commerce retailers, ensuring brand, pricing and messaging consistency.  

• Build, manage and optimize the company’s affiliate and referral programs, including partner recruitment, tracking and performance measurement.  

• Collaborate with marketing on digital sales enablement, promotions and conversion optimization.  
  

Government & Institutional Sales  

• Identify, pursue and manage government procurement and tender opportunities at the federal, provincial and municipal levels.  

• Oversee RFP responses, compliance documentation, pricing structures and award negotiations.  

• Maintain relationships with procurement officers, sustainability leads and institutional buyers.  

• Coordinate internally to ensure delivery, compliance and post-award account management.  
  

Sales Leadership & Operations 

• Lead, develop and performance-manage the sales and customer relations team.  

• Implement and enforce CRM discipline, pipeline visibility and reporting across all channels.  

• Establish sales targets, KPIs, forecasting processes and channel accountability.  

• Work cross-functionally with Operations, Marketing and Finance to align demand, production capacity and margin objectives.  

• Provide regular performance reporting and strategic insights to the CEO and leadership team.  
  

Qualifications & Experience: 

• Ten+ years of progressive sales experience, including senior responsibility in multi-channel sales environments.  

• Proven track record of moving innovative products from early adoption to rapid, scaled revenue growth in complex, multi-channel sales environments.  

• Demonstrated experience successfully navigating vendor onboarding and compliance with major retail chains.  

• Strong background in relationship-driven B2B sales, particularly with architects, designers, decorators and specifiers.  

• Experience with government procurement or institutional sales is a strong asset.  

• Proven ability to build, lead and scale sales teams while remaining hands-on.  

• Excellent negotiation, communication and stakeholder management skills.  

• Experience in building materials, coatings, construction products, sustainability-focused products, or adjacent industries preferred.  

What Success Looks Like:

• Major and regional retail partners onboarded and actively selling.  

• A disciplined, scalable trade outreach engine producing spec wins and repeat business.  

• Junior sales and customer relations staff consistently converting leads into revenue.  

• Government tenders pursued strategically and awarded on a recurring basis.  

• Predictable, scalable revenue growth across channels without brand dilution.  

Who This Role Is Ideal For: 

• A sales leader who thrives in complexity and has personally driven growth, not just managed accounts.  

• Someone comfortable operating between strategy and execution in a scale-stage company.  

• A builder who can establish structure, process and accountability while still closing deals.  

To express interest in this opportunity please apply online directly by clicking ‘Apply Now’ below. 

If you have any questions, please contact Kate Spares, Recruitment Specialist, at View email address on meridiarecruitment.ca or Jeff Lanthier, Partner, at View email address on meridiarecruitment.ca. If you require accommodation to participate in the recruitment process, please let us know. 

Meridia Recruitment Solutions connects leading organizations with top talent by building strong relationships and creating ideal matches with candidates because we are only successful when you are. We appreciate your interest in this opportunity. 

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