District Sales Manager

Purpose/Summary

This position will report to the National Sales Manager and will be responsible for implementing Akebono's sales and training initiatives to support our North American distribution network, professional installers, fleets, and Jobbers. District sales managers must be highly motivated, organized, present a professional image, possess a strong work ethic and be willing to travel extensively (up to 75% travel).

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

• Build and maintain direct relationships with distribution partners, professional installers, jobbers, and local fleets to educate them on the Akebono brand.
• Manage customer relationships within the assigned district to drive sustainable, long-term profitable sales, while proactively responding to customer needs.
• Execute the Akebono Sales strategy (STP) Sell, Train and Pull through to drive product awareness, customer engagement and sales growth
• Provide weekly sales and activity reports to the National Sales Manager, highlighting performance, key activities, opportunities, and challenges.
• Cultivate relationships with existing and prospective customers and provide strong support for local customer events and initiatives.
• Identify and develop new business opportunities and effectively communicate the Akebono's value proposition to prospective and existing customers.
• Provide inventory management guidance by utilizing the Akebono Buyers Guide and Order Writer file to support appropriate inventory levels and product availability.
• Gather and communicate market intelligence, including competitor activity, market trends, and emerging opportunities or potential impacts to the business.
• Manage Company expenses responsibly while effectively prioritizing time, travel, and customer activities to maximize productivity and results.
• Process and support warranty claims in accordance with Company policies and procedures.

Education and/or Experience

Bachelors degree (B. A.) from a four-year college or university, and or 5 years automotive parts sales experience required. Experience with automotive braking systems is preferred but not required.

Essential Knowledge, Skills, Abilities

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Ability to travel extensively within the assigned territory with required overnight stays (75% travel requirement)
• Ability to develop strong working relationships with internal teams and external customers.
• Excellent organization skills, attention to detail and follow-through.
• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills including presentation skills.
• Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as sales budgets, sales forecasting, discounts, gross and net margin, rebates, percentages, and volume.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office programs (Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point)
• Positive, professional attitude and strong work ethic
• Ability to exercise independent judgment to perform essential duties.

Supervisory Responsibilities

This position does not have direct supervisory responsibility.

Physical Demands/Environment

This position requires the ability to sit, stand, walk, use hands and fingers to handle or feel objects, reach with hands and arms, communicate verbally, and hear effectively. The position also requires the occasional ability to lift and/or move items weighing up to 50 pounds.

Specific vision requirements include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and the ability to adjust focus.

The work environment is primarily sedentary, with occasional exposure to moving mechanical parts, vibration, and outdoor weather conditions. The noise level is generally moderate.

Other Requirements

Up to 75% of travel is required to visit other Akebono facilities, and customers, therefore flying and the ability to drive a motor vehicle is required.

Work Location

The ideal candidate will reside in California