Director of Sales

Warn Automotive, part of Vehicle Service Group is a world leader in driveline disconnect technology. Our heritage comes from making WWII surplus Jeeps easier to drive on the road with the first unlocking hubs. We continue today by making disconnects for cars, trucks, and SUVs around the world. These trusted technologies come from years of innovation and listening to our customer's needs. We have a bright future ahead so come join our growing team at Warn Automotive.

Company Overview:

Warn Automotive can trace its beginning back to 1948, when Arthur Warn invented the first disconnecting four-wheel-drive hub for surplus World War II vehicles. Since that time, our products have continued to lead the industry with a history of innovation in Powertrain Disconnect technology.

Almost 75 years later, our products are sold to OEMs around the world, enhancing the performance, traction and capability of their vehicles while reducing fuel consumption and emissions to create a more mobile and efficient future.

Operating from our headquarters and manufacturing facility in Milwaukie, Oregon and our customer support center in Livonia, Michigan, Warn Automotive is proud to be part of Vehicle Service Group (VSG) a Dover Company.

Position Summary:

The Director of Sales & Business Development is accountable for driving profitable revenue growth and diversification across Warn Automotive's customer portfolio. This role serves as the primary commercial leader and customer interface in highly engineered automotive environments, converting technical capability into sustained growth, margin expansion, and strategic customer relationships.

This is a hands-on, execution-focused leadership role that sits on the executive team with a clear path to expanded responsibility based on growth and performance.

Essential Job Functions Include:

Revenue, Margin & Portfolio Growth

• Own annual revenue, margin, and earnings performance across assigned customers and channels.
• Lead commercial execution for large, complex OEM programs with significant revenue and profitability impact.
• Drive portfolio diversification by building 3rd-party, non-OEM, and aftermarket revenue streams that expand margin and reduce cyclicality.
• Protect and improve margins through pricing discipline, scope control, productivity actions, and change management.

OEM and Aftermarket Sales Leadership

• Serve as senior commercial liaison to OEM customers while expanding relationships with Tier suppliers, distributors, integrators, and aftermarket partners.
• Identify, structure, and close aftermarket and adjacent-market opportunities leveraging Warn Automotive's core technologies and manufacturing capabilities.
• Lead pricing strategy, contract negotiations, and resolution of major commercial issues (volume, tariffs, warranty, timing, scope).

Market Intelligence and Forecasting

• Actively evaluate OEM and customer vehicle release plans, program timing, and market trends to anticipate demand shifts.
• Produce and maintain an accurate rolling 18-month sales forecast, integrating customer release schedules, pipeline maturity, capacity constraints, and risk.
• Provide clear visibility to leadership on upside, downside, and timing risks tied to programs and markets.
• Translate market and customer intelligence into actionable commercial strategy.

Business Development and Strategic Leadership

• Develop and execute growth strategies across existing OEMs, new customers, 3rd-party partnerships, and aftermarket channels, spanning ICE and BEV platforms.
• Lead cross-functional teams (engineering, operations, finance, program management) to win and execute profitable business.
• Build data-driven business cases to support pricing, investment, and channel expansion decisions.

Product & Portfolio Input

• Partner with Engineering and Product teams to define product roadmaps, market requirements, and lifecycle strategies.
• Influence portfolio decisions that improve long-term P&L performance, mix, and capital efficiency.

Education and/or Experience:

• Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree preferred (MBA, Engineering, or related).
• 10+ years of experience in automotive OEM sales, business development, application engineering, or adjacent engineered markets.
• Demonstrated success growing aftermarket, diversified, or non-OEM revenue streams.
• Proven ability to sell highly engineered products in a consultative environment.
• Strong analytical capability to translate market and customer release data into reliable forecasts.
• Track record of delivering measurable revenue, margin, and mix improvement.

Required Qualifications, Skills and Abilities:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills commensurate with the job tasks and position necessary to communicate clearly and effectively with internal and external customers while providing exceptional quality of work and outstanding customer service. Ability to effectively, independently, and professionally create and present highly technical sales and marketing presentations to customers and management team in a manner designed to educate, inform, and influence. Ability to maintain responsiveness through travel and other internal/customer obligations.
• Must have mathematical & analytical skills equivalent to those required under education and/or experience. Must be capable of comprehending basic finance calculations required for establishing a business case and analyzing projects such as revenue, margin, burden, labor and other calculations. Clear understanding of cost details, competitiveness, and Market Price to effectively and successfully drive, negotiate, and defend pricing. Accuracy and discipline must be demonstrated with results-oriented mentality.
• Excellent interpersonal and conflict resolution skills. The ability to work efficiently in, and lead, a fast-paced work environment while maintaining a calm, rational and respectful demeanor and communication style in times of stress; occasioned by work demands, tight timelines, high expectations, unexpected issues, and other work-related challenges is required. Proven skill in taking a firm stance on issues within the framework of a team-based culture. Demonstrated negotiation skills that benefit the selling organization.
• Strong technical, troubleshooting, problem solving, research, organizational and analytical skills, both as an individual contributor and as a leader, combined with the ability to prioritize tasks, establish and meet deadlines. Ability to multitask is essential while remaining flexible with changing priorities and deadlines.
• Well-reasoned decision making with a high attention to detail regarding organization, planning, workflow, and project prioritization to ensure tasks completed timely, efficiently, and accurately. Quick learner with ability to get to facts quickly is a must.
• Highly ethical, self-motivated individual with ability to work independently and/or with limited direction, as well as ability to lead by example and motivate a project team, while consistently demonstrating collaborative, respectful and productive work habits, all with a desire to win.
• Skills and knowledge including, expert level knowledge and utilization of Microsoft Office software, particularly Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook and all other software and hardware necessary to perform the essential functions of the position.
• Ability to create, review, comprehend, interpret, process, and evaluate effectively documents written at the highest levels in English, in conjunction with the performance of the essential functions and other assigned job duties.

Benefits & Perks:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision start on day one of hire
• Fertility Treatment Coverage
• 10 Paid Holidays and a Generous Vacation Policy
• 401(k) with Employer Matching, Profit Sharing, and Annual Contributions
• Bonus Plans
• Paid Parental Leave
• Employee Assistance Programs
• Employee Discount Programs
• Career Growth, including Onsite Training and Tuition Reimbursement

Work Culture:

At Warn Automotive, we not only respect diversity, we actively seek it. We have a culture that promotes continuous improvement for our products and our people. We provide learning opportunities to help you take your skills to the next level. We value innovation, integrity and ownership in exceeding the high bar we set for ourselves in delivering for our customers.

The characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A.) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties that may be required for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this or similar positions and additional duties may be assigned.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

Work Arrangement : Onsite

Bonus Eligible: This position is eligible to earn a discretionary bonus based on performance metrics and other criteria outlined in our applicable bonus plan.

We consider several job-related, non-discriminatory factors when determining the pay rate for a position, including, but not limited to, the position's responsibilities, a candidate's work experience, a candidate's education/training, the position's location, and the key skills needed for the position. Pay is one of the Total Rewards that we provide to compensate and recognize employees for their work.

Benefits for this position include: a 401(k) savings plan with employer contributions; medical, dental and vision insurance; wellness programs; health savings account, health care and dependent care flexible spending accounts; company paid short-term disability and long-term disability; company paid employee basic life and AD&D insurance; supplemental employee and dependent life insurance; optional accident, hospital indemnity and critical illness insurance; adoption, surrogacy, and fertility benefits and assistance; commuter benefits; parental, military, jury duty, and bereavement leaves of absence; paid time off, including10 paid holidays per calendar year, paid vacation days beginning at 80 hours annually, 40 hours (Oregon) or 72 hours (Michigan) paid sick leave hours annually or as provided under state and local paid sick leave laws; tuition assistance; business travel services; employee discounts; and an employee assistance program that includes company paid counseling sessions and legal services. Eligibility for benefits is governed by applicable plan documents and policies.

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, protected veteran status, disability, age, genetic information, or any other factors prohibited by law.

Job Function : #LI-SB1