Government Sales Manager (Sales)

The Company:

Founded in 1978, Cabot Hosiery Mills is an American manufacturer of premium socks with uncompromised comfort, durability, and fit. With a family of brands including Darn Tough Vermont, Wide Open, and Cabot & Sons, our mission is to make the world's best socks, in Vermont, USA, and back them with our Unconditional Lifetime Guarantee. We are family owned, three generations strong, and have yet to produce our best sock.

Job Summary:

As we continue to scale one of the fastest growing apparel brands, we are seeking a Manager of Government Sales who will be responsible for growing sales and our brand presence in the Government marketplace which includes military (US & foreign), law enforcement, and other federal, state, and local agencies. This role involves overseeing government account management, business development, and strategic sales planning to grow revenue from government contracts at the federal, state, and local levels. The individual will build and maintain relationships with key government stakeholders, understand government procurement processes, and ensure successful bidding and contract negotiations. You'll report to the Sr. VP of Global Sales, have at least one direct report and will work closely with the marketing, logistics, product and financial teams.

Key Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive sales strategy for the government sector, with a focus on securing new contracts and expanding business within existing accounts. Achieve sales targets and contribute to company revenue goals. Serves as the primary point of contact for the Government Sales channel.
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities within government agencies, working closely with internal teams to align products/services with government needs. Stay current with government tenders, requests for proposals (RFPs), and other contract opportunities.
• Maintain and build upon existing relationships with government customers and distributors/resellers to grow sales through direct purchase or contract vehicles (TLS, GSA, FedMall, BPA, etc.).
• Oversee business relationships with Base Supply Centers and Exchanges.
• Collaborate with Production and Logistics teams to ensure compliance with contract order requirements.
• Engage with our Dealer Service team and monitor order processing and fulfillment to ensure customers' expected shipment dates are met.
• Conduct product demonstrations for customers and resellers, both current and prospective.
• Respond to requests for product information, lead times, quotes, etc.
• Work with Account Services and Accounting teams on new account implementations.
• Follows up on leads and referrals.
• Keep up to date with trends in the government sector, including policy changes, procurement practices, and new regulatory requirements. Understand the unique needs and challenges of government clients and adapt sales strategies accordingly. Stays informed on military footwear requirements and Program Office footwear certifications.
• Closely monitor upcoming and future product requirements (training, deployments, etc).
• Actively participate in defense industry trade shows, conferences, and other networking events to build relationships with new customers, key players, and partners in the marketspace.
• Provide in-depth reporting to the executive management team as requested.
• Work with Finance and Operations teams on forecasting, demand planning, and budget planning.
• Relay product feedback from customers to Product Development for consideration of new product designs.
• Engage with Marketing team to identify materials and assets needed to support both direct sales efforts and reseller accounts.
• Manage and mentor the Government Sales Coordinator.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• 7+ years of proven experience and robust understanding of the government procurement process and government contracting, with a track record of sales success selling to DoD and US Government agencies.
• Clothing & textile market experience preferred.
• Requires strong relationships with Prime Vendors, other key partners, and decision-makers within the defense industry.
• Very strong knowledge of Company products, including features and benefits.
• Ability to work independently while also maintaining open communications and strong working relationships with cross-functional team members.
• Must be self-motivated, detail-oriented, and highly organized with excellent follow-through.
• Exceptional communication skills including verbal, written, listening, negotiating, and presenting.
• Technical writing capability.
• Willingness to work hard and follow our Company values.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft 365 products (Outlook, Teams, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc).

• This position requires commitment to embrace the company's culture through the alignment of personal behaviors with the company's core values. 
• Additional education or background requirements/ skills needed

Desired Skills:

• Experience working with federal, state, and/or local government contracts.

• Ability to navigate complex sales cycles and negotiations within the public sector.
• Strong network within the government sector or related industries.
• Familiarity with government budgets, funding cycles, and legislative priorities
• Ability to handle frequent domestic travel (50%+). International travel as needed.

Working Conditions:

• Manufacturing environment – exposure to machinery, noise and other adverse conditions for periods of time depending on the role
• Ability to lift at least 30
• Flexible nature to manage competing and changing priorities

This job description should not be interpreted to be a complete list of all the duties, qualifications and responsibilities performed by the jobholder.  To maintain organizational flexibility, the organization has the discretion to add, drop or change at any time the duties, responsibilities and expectations of this position. This job description does not constitute an offer of employment, continuous employment or an employment contract. Reasonable accommodations will be considered to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of this position.

SALES