Vice President of Commercial Airline Sales

This company designs, manufactures, markets and supports a full line of airborne telecommunication systems for the Business Aviation, General Aviation, Government, and Air Transport markets. The company's latest generation of products provide voice and data services for passengers and flight crews using the global Iridium Satellite System.They have shipped more than 4,000 telecommunications systems. Its products are offered as standard or optional equipment by virtually every fixed- and rotor-wing airframe manufacturer in business aviation, and are installed aboard the world's three largest fractional ownership fleets - NetJets, Flight Options, and CitationShares.
They are a privately-held company headquartered in Louisville, Colorado, USA.

Summary:
Responsible for the planning and execution of airline sales activities. Play a “hands on” role in the enterprise sales process, establishing and maintaining decision-maker contacts and account relationships with senior airline executives. Responsible for increasing revenue and expanding the company’s reach and expansion into a new, highly regulated market. Set performance standards for the airline sales department, the Airline Sales Team, customer needs and executive level sales management.

Key Responsibilities:
·Provide direct leadership and personal involvement in establishing and maintaining strong relationships with senior airline executives.
·Be a visionary and execute thorough strategic and tactical processes to establish market position.
·Drive revenues and profitability growth by prospecting, identifying, quantifying and closing client sales in both new and existing accounts.
·Build solid long-term relationships with key decision-makers, developing and maintaining strategic relationships with their organizations.
·Analyze the communication and services needs of both current and potential customers to determine and deliver the appropriate solution for their evolving business requirements.
·Conduct presentations to educate high level airline clients on complex regulatory requirements and other highly technical topics while further cementing relationships to increase sales.
·Influence a high-performance sales team by attaining and exceeding all sales quotas, as well as, by providing superior customer service, client development, and relationship management.
·Accurately forecast, budget and manage the resources necessary to establish key target clients, vendors, and resources.
·Establish annual sales objectives that will drive the attainment of business objectives.
·Identify and research new business opportunities. Implement strategies to pursue those opportunities which will bring revenue, entrance into new markets, and future opportunities to the business.
·Define annual sales forecasts and regional quotas to achieve sales forecasts and revenue goals.
·Direct post-sale airline account management, including customer service aspects.
·Partner with Marketing department to develop an effective airline marketing strategy.
·Represent the company and the company image throughout the sales process, relationship development and maintenance, and at various industry events (trade shows, etc.)
REQUIREMENTS
Qualifications:
·A Bachelor’s degree is required, MBA preferred
·Proven history (15+ years) of success selling high value systems to US-based airlines
·Strong active contacts with senior levels within US-based airlines
·Broad knowledge of commercial aviation, airline purchasing procedures, and avionics / in-flight entertainment / communication systems
·Excellent organizational skills and the ability to effectively represent a multi-disciplined sales operation
·Demonstrated ability to sell and close deals with senior and C-level executives within airline organizations.
·Excellent written and verbal communication skills to effectively deal with external and internal customers
·Demonstrated ability as a key sales leader driving sales for overall company needs and advanced expertise and extensive experience leading corporations to success
·Structured work ethic to ensure that planning and forecasting tasks are properly completed