Vice President Of Sales- Furniture, Fixtures And Equipment (Remote)

At Lakeshore, we create innovative learning materials and world-class guest experiences for teachers, parents and children. Since 1954, we’ve grown into a global community—with a thriving e-commerce business, multiple catalogs, 60+ retail stores, a peerless national sales force, plus international offices that support our preeminent supply chain division. But today we’re working better, smarter and faster than ever—and setting our sights even higher. We’re building an infrastructure designed for scalability, embracing data-driven decision-making and using technology to improve efficiency and ensure the best tools for the best work. Most importantly, we continue to invest in a diverse team of inquisitive top talent who fuel each other’s passions and curiosity, take risks, try new things, and believe that every new day brings opportunities for growth.

In a time of unprecedented expansion, we are seeking a Vice President of Furniture, Fixtures and Equipment to join our team. In this role, you will secure new and repeat business by building strong relationships with key customers and stakeholders. As part of this process, you will utilize internal and external partnerships to create constructive pipelines for success in relationship management, sales strategy and execution of projects. The position also requires visiting clients on a regular basis to assess emerging and ongoing needs. The ideal candidate has excellent presentation skills and the ability to speak to customer needs at all levels—including teachers, administrators, directors and other officials. Applicants also should have a strong work ethic and the ability to lead remote teams operating across large territories. And we’re here to help you succeed—in 2022 Lakeshore earned its Great Place to Work® Certification™ and is proud to put its associates first.

A day in the office looks like this:

• Maintaining an ongoing awareness of local, state and national trends, as well as funding opportunities
• Partnering with Sales and Retail teams, as well as our Professional Services Group, to support the needs of educators
• Participating in local, state and national conferences to promote the Lakeshore brand
• Providing Sales Managers with details on all significant bids, RFPs, projects, competitor data, industry trends, customers and events in their territory
• Pursuing relationships with city, county and state government officials, school administrators and community-based organizations to support cutting-edge learning environments for children
• Helping form and modify sales strategies, provide recommendations and coach team members
• Planning selling activities on a daily, weekly and monthly basis to ensure maximum available selling time
• Collaborating with managers to delegate tasks and responsibilities to project team members
• Regularly working across departments, including with the Executive Leadership team
• Attending bid openings

Got the skills and experience? Here’s what we’re looking for:

• Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Outlook and Salesforce
• Relationship management experience with school networks/superintendents preferred
• Background/network in education furniture sales or elementary, middle or high school education a plus
• Ability to travel as needed within the country, including overnight stays, to identify nuances of current/emerging markets and to provide training; more than 50% travel expected
• Great attention to detail
• Previous sales or design experience in furniture or related industry preferred; existing relationships with architects, designers and end users in this area will be helpful
• Minimum 10+ years of experience in Sales Management; or equivalent work experience
• Located in: Kansas City, Denver, Chicago, Detroit, Dallas/Houston or St. Louis
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent administrative and organizational skills

And here’s our end of the bargain!

• Salary: $160,000-$200,000 plus no cap on commissions
• Flexible benefits—choose what you like, ignore the rest
• Generous employee discount on products that make you smarter
• Excellent medical/dental and vision coverage—EPO, PPO and HSA
• 401(k) retirement plan with company contribution (because you will retire someday)

At Lakeshore, we know our diversity makes us stronger, and when everyone feels included and valued, we all win. We strive to embrace our differences and create an intentionally diverse and inclusive community that is representative of the teachers, families and children we serve.

We know we couldn’t do the extraordinary things we’re doing without the people on our team. Thanks to the passion and enthusiasm of this spectacular group, Lakeshore is more than a great place to work—it’s a great experience to be part of. Day in and day out, we give everything we’ve got to create products that instill a sense of wonder and foster a true love of learning. To help maintain this high bar for success, we’re constantly on the lookout for people to join us. So if you’re a down-to-earth professional who shares our desire for making a difference, we’d love to hear from you.
To learn more about Lakeshore, visit www.lakeshorelearning.com/careers
Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
People are selected to become members of the Lakeshore family based on skill, merit and mind-boggling talent—not based on race, color, creed, sexual orientation, gender or gender identity, marital status, domestic partnership status, military status, religion, age, national origin, ancestry, alienage, AIDS or AIDS-related complex status, genetic information, predisposition or carrier status, status as a victim of domestic violence, physical or mental disability, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. If things aren’t equal, we all lose.

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