Vice President of Sales – National Nursery Wholesaler – Dayton, Oregon

Job Description

Vice President of Sales – National Nursery Wholesaler –Dayton, Oregon

Acumen Executive Search is delighted to partner with Monrovia Nursery to find their next Vice President of Sales (VP of Sales). Monrovia exists to “grow beautifully”. They are dedicated to creating a more beautiful world by selecting and growing plants of superior quality. Monrovia uses their hearts, minds, and hands to nurture plants for all types of landscapes. Their passion for plants, use of natural processes, and years of experience (100 years) result in plants that enable consumers to achieve a landscape of exceptional beauty and share in the joy that comes from creating healthy living spaces. 

The Vice President of Sales is the strategic Sales Strategist and positioning business partner to the leadership team and reports directly to the President/CEO. The company has three nurseries in the United States with 1,300 FTE employees and approximately an additional 300 seasonal workers. The VP of Sales plays a critical role in building the sales strategies to position Monrovia for the next 100 years. The VP of Sales embodies Monrovia’s Craftsman culture and upholds the company’s commitment to growing beautifully, confidently, and responsibly.

 If You:

• Are experienced in working within a “seasonal” environment where shipping occurs within a short period of time while the rest of the year supports that season.
• Have created and implemented a multiple-tier sales channel to include Big Box retailers, small retailers, eCommerce, Channel partners, and Direct sales.
• Have represented quality, well-known name brands that speak for themselves, creating strong relationships.
• Managing and leading a large team that includes sales managers, partners, distributors, and customer service people.
• Are able to work in the office (Dayton, Oregon) with some flexibility for remote.
• Are able to travel up to 40% of the time.

Then, this may be the next leadership opportunity for you.

Position Overview

The Vice President of Sales is responsible for Sales Strategy & Commercial Leadership, Customer & Channel Management, People & Culture, and Metrics & Reporting. This leader owns the full commercial agenda – from long-range revenue planning and channel strategy to team development and key customer relationships – and serves as a senior cross-functional partner across Operations, Marketing, and Finance.

 Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Commercial Leadership 

• Create and maintain a three-year sales plan that minimizes expenses and maximizes ROI to achieve the plan.
• Own and communicate the annual and long-range revenue forecast, including accountability for net sales targets by channel, region, and customer
• Continuously assess market channel viability and recommend strategic pivots as needed to maintain competitive advantage.
• Recommend and support a competitive premium pricing strategy, including freight recovery modeling and managing customer-facing rate changes.
• Oversee the DTC channel in partnership with Marketing, ensuring wholesale and direct channels complement rather than conflict.
• Drive the featured plant and new variety commercialization process from introduction through sell-through.
• Manage Monrovia's featured plant program to generate a competitive advantage in the
• Develop and maintain broad and specific initiatives that position Monrovia as the premier ornamental horticulture brand.

Customer & Channel Management 

• Develop and steward Monrovia's most strategic retail partnerships at the executive level, including key national and regional accounts.
• Assess and actively manage channel conflict, particularly as DTC and IGC relationships
• Represent Monrovia at key industry events, trade shows, and customer events, including the annual Expo and centennial celebrations.
• Communicate business expectations and results clearly and consistently to customers and internal stakeholders. 

People & Culture 

• Work closely with regional sales coaches to oversee and continuously develop the sales team, driving sales figures, profitability, and individual growth.
• Recruit, develop, and retain regional sales coaches and the broader sales team, with explicit commitment to Monrovia's Craftsman culture.
• Build a coaching cadence that includes field rides, pipeline reviews, and individual development planning.
• Model leadership behaviors that demonstrate consistency, integrity, fairness, and a steadfast resolve to achieve excellence. 

Cross-Functional Leadership 

• Partner closely with Operations to align sales commitments with production availability and quality standards.
• Collaborate with Marketing on consumer insights, sell-through data, and campaign
• Provide structured input to the S&OP process to balance demand signals against nursery
• Support Monrovia's mission and strategic priorities through active engagement across all company functions. 

Metrics & Reporting 

• Define and track KPIs beyond top-line revenue, including sell-through rates, account retention, new door growth, and margin by channel.
• Report regularly to the President & CEO and Board on sales performance, market conditions, and strategic risks. 

Travel & Operations 

• Travel nationally (estimated 30–40%) to engage with the sales team, key customers, and Monrovia's nursery operations in California, Oregon, and Georgia.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of Monrovia's mission and strategic

Qualifications

Education & Experience

• 10+ years of experience in an executive sales management capacity.
• Experience with key account management at the national or regional retail level preferred.
• Experience with seasonal products a plus
• Demonstrated success managing complex, multi-channel sales organizations.

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent oral and written communication skills and excellent listening
• Excellent team management and management development
• Excellent meeting development and facilitation
• Leadership behaviors that demonstrate consistency, integrity, fairness, and a steadfast resolve to achieve excellence.
• Strong team player who supports team wins over personal
• Proficient in current technology platforms and tools, with the ability to quickly adopt new systems as needed.
• Strong analytical capability to study complex data sets and solve
• Good at planning, executing, and meeting
• Valid state driver's license with acceptable driving
• Functional use of Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel, Word, and

 How to Apply: To apply or see our other positions available, please go to Acumen Executive Search to submit a resume indicating your interest in the opportunity. If our current open positions are not the right fit for you and you would like us to share relevant opportunities, please send your resume and a brief cover to info@AcumenESearch.com.

About Acumen: Established in 2007, Acumen is recognized as the leading certified woman-owned Executive Search Partner in the Pacific Northwest with a global clientele.  We deliver high-impact results and higher than national average retention rates while nurturing genuine long-term relationships.  Acumen works shoulder-to-shoulder with our clients to deliver customized, meaningful, and proven leadership solutions that empower organizational success.