Global Director of Sales in West Chicago, Illinois at BALL HORTICULTURAL COMPANY

The Global Director of Sales is responsible for leading Ball FloraPlant's worldwide sales strategy to drive profitable growth, expand market share, and strengthen customer and breeder partnerships. This role provides strategic leadership across global sales, licensing, and customer development while ensuring commercial priorities align with business objectives. Working closely with Product Management, Breeding, Marketing, Operations, and Finance, the Global Director of Sales develops and executes commercial strategies that support new product introductions, strengthen customer relationships, and position Ball FloraPlant for continued growth in domestic and international markets.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

• Develop and execute global sales strategies that drive sustainable revenue growth and increase market share across North American and international markets.
• Establish annual sales objectives, pricing strategies, forecasting plans, and target account growth initiatives.
• Identify new business opportunities while expanding existing customer relationships and market presence.
• Partner with Ball Seed, Selecta One, breeder partners, and international distributors to maximize commercial performance.
• Lead and develop a high-performing sales and marketing team by providing coaching, mentorship, and performance management.
• Foster a collaborative culture focused on customer service, innovation, accountability, and continuous improvement.
• Partner with Product Management, Breeding, Marketing, and Operations to develop portfolio strategies and support successful commercialization of new products.
• Utilize customer feedback, market intelligence, and financial analysis to guide product positioning and business decisions.
• Serve as the primary relationship manager for key customers, breeders, licensing partners, and strategic business alliances.
• Represent Ball FloraPlant at customer meetings, industry conferences, trade shows, field trials, and other industry events.
• Collaborate with Operations and Finance to support forecasting, pricing strategies, production planning, and profitability goals.
• Monitor sales performance, market trends, customer needs, and competitive activity to identify opportunities and drive strategic decision-making.
• Develop and monitor key performance metrics to evaluate sales growth, customer retention, market share, and overall business performance.
• Oversee departmental budgets and ensure effective allocation of resources to support business objectives.

• Bachelor's degree in Horticulture, Agriculture, Business, Marketing, or a related field required.
• Minimum of 10–15 years of progressive leadership experience in sales, commercial management, product management, or a related field.
• Proven experience leading commercial organizations with global responsibilities.
• Demonstrated success driving revenue growth, market expansion, and strategic business development.
• Experience developing and managing key customer relationships, distribution channels, and strategic partnerships.
• Experience within the horticulture, floriculture, agriculture, plant breeding, genetics, or related industry strongly preferred.
• Experience managing budgets, forecasting, and commercial planning.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Strong strategic planning and business development skills.
• Excellent leadership, coaching, and team development abilities.
• Exceptional relationship-building and customer management skills.
• Strong analytical and financial acumen with experience utilizing data to support decision-making.
• Excellent written, verbal, and presentation communication skills.
• Ability to collaborate effectively across cross-functional and global teams.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Ability to travel approximately 30–40%, both domestically and internationally.

Salary Range: $140k-$190k

Physical Requirements

• Ability to lift/carry 25 lbs up to 10% of the day
• Ability to push/pull 50 lbs up to 10% of the day
• Ability to sit/stand up to 80% of the day
• Ability to kneel/bend up to 10% of the day
• Ability to reach up to 10% of the day
• Ability to climb/balance up to 10% of the day
• Ability to use hands/fingers up to 80% of the day
• Ability to work in hot and humid environmental conditions for up to 60% of the day

Our promise to you

We create excitement in the world of flowers and are the first choice for service. We deliver all the best and nothing else! To you, we deliver a work environment and a culture where building long-lasting relationships internally and externally is important. We believe that good communication, sharing ideas and collaborating on projects will set us up for success. We keep both our feet on the ground and are approachable.

In addition to this we provide a comprehensive Total Rewards package that includes:

• Medical, dental, life and long-term disability insurance
• 401k/Profit Sharing Retirement Plan
• Paid time off benefits including vacation and holidays
• Tuition assistance
• An onsite subsidized café overlooking 30 acres of renowned display gardens and restored natural areas
• Employee Assistance Program and Positive Health programs