Sales Manager - Manufacturing, Agriculture, Emerging Markets

Come Grow with Us and Join an Award-Winning Organization! Stearns Bank is looking for a Sales Manager – Manufacturing, Agriculture, Emerging Markets. This is a remote-eligible position headquartered out of St. Cloud, Minnesota.

JOB SUMMARY

The Sales Manager is responsible for planning, organizing, and directing the efforts of their team.  Their team is responsible for developing new vendor/manufacturer relationships within the manufacturing, agriculture, and emerging market verticals, while maintaining existing relationships to generate new sales production. 

Benefits

Stearns recognizes that team members are continuously balancing career, family, and wellness needs.  We offer the following benefits to our full-time employees;  benefits may vary for part-time positions.

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan & 401k Plan with Employer Match 
• Emergency Savings Account
• Banking Services
• Healthcare (Medical, Dental, Vision)
• Telehealth
• Basic & Optional Life Insurance
• Short/Long term disability
• 12-week Paid Medical Leave
• Paid Parental Leave: 21-weeks Primary Care Parent, 14-weeks Secondary Care Parent
• PTO from 13 to 23 days depending on tenure.  Cashout and Carryover options.
• 10 Days Sick Time
• 11 Paid Holidays 
• 4 Days Volunteer Time
• 2 Days Self Allowance Time
• Bereavement Time  
• $5,000 Family Care Reimbursement
  • Childcare, Elder Care, Student Loan Debt, Pet expenses, down payment assistance
• $1,000 Self Improvement Allowance
• Healthcare Travel Reimbursement
• Tuition Assistance

Starting annual salary range of $85,000 - 150,000. Employment offers will be dependent upon the selected candidate’s relevant qualifications and experience.

RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership

• Delegate tasks effectively to support supervisory responsibilities and team performance.
• Confidently communicate with internal and external partners.
• Lead team meetings, represent the team in division-wide meetings, and the division in organizational-wide discussions as needed.
• Demonstrate excellent time management and prioritization skills, using tools like the grids to organize tasks and balance multiple responsibilities efficiently.
• Lead planning, goal-setting initiatives, and departmental administration to drive performance and align with company-wide objectives.
• Maintain expertise in equipment financing and leasing by staying informed on industry trends and seeking growth opportunities.
• Represent Stearns Bank and its products professionally, while adhering to legal and regulatory compliance requirements 

People Management

• Train, orient, and develop department personnel to build a high-performing, dedicated team.
• Lead and mentor team members to improve sales skills, achieve critical metrics, and meet strategic sales objectives.
• Direct and coordinate team activities to accomplish organizational goals, while supporting team members in maintaining strong relationships with referral sources.
• Ensure consistent communication and engagement with vendors, manufacturers, and dealers through various channels including phone, email, and occasional site visits. 
• Promote partnership across the organization and provides backup support as needed.

Sales Management

• Cultivate and maintain relationships with vendors and prospects through networking, referrals, and identifying new sales opportunities.
• Promote and handle customized payment terms and programs (e.g., buy downs, subsidies, delayed payments) to support vendor and customer relationships.
• Prepare and deliver presentations to introduce services and programs, as well as attend and follow up on relevant tradeshows and conferences.
• Responsible for the setup and administration of new lease/sales contracts, including application entry, legal documentation, and interdepartmental teamwork to ensure timely transaction closings.
• Supervise customer transactions, perform portfolio management tasks (e.g., risk assessments, collections), and calculate payment options using tools like T-Value and HP calculators.
• Utilize and maintain proficiency in software programs (e.g., SalesForce, T-Value, Aspire) while documenting activities and tracking progress.
• Identify customer needs, cross-sell Stearns Bank products (e.g., EFD, SBA, deposits), and train the team to promote these offerings.
• Effectively communicate to negotiate credit decisions, terms, and payment structures, encouraging strong vendor and customer relationships.

Other Responsibilities

• Collaborate with leadership to establish and achieve sales goals for monthly and annual funding and approvals.
• Contribute to loss prevention, security, and related tasks as applicable to the position.
• Participate in training and other assigned work to support ongoing development.
• Light travel as needed, including occasional overnight stays.

REQUIREMENTS

• Occasionally lift and/or move up to 10 pounds.
• Literacy in English.
• Ability to sit for extended periods of time, twist, bend, sit, walk use hands to twist, handle or feel objects, tools or controls, such as computer mouse, computer keyboard, calculator, stapler, telephone, staple puller, etc., reach with hands and arms, balance, stoop, kneel, talk or hear.
• Specific vision abilities required by the job include close vision, distance vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and the ability to adjust focus.

QUALIFICATIONS

• Associate degree (A.A.) or equivalent from a two-year college or technical school; or two years related experience and/or training; or equivalent combination of education and experience. 
• Strong oral communication skills.
• Excellent customer relation skills.
• Strong digital literacy including Microsoft Suite. Sales Force is a plus.
• 3-5 years of sales management experience in the equipment finance space; managing and developing teams and valuable programs.

THE COMPANY

Founded in 1912, Stearns Financial Services Inc. (SFSI) is a $2.4 billion well-capitalized, independent financial holding company based in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Specializing in nationwide small business lending and equipment financing, Stearns has maintained outstanding customer service, fast decisions, and customized finance solutions to their customers for decades.

Stearns Bank has earned itself a stellar reputation amongst customers and competitors alike. This reputation goes beyond just word-of-mouth, as Stearns has been recognized by the Independent Community Banker’s Association (ICBA) as a top-performing bank in the nation based on a 3-year average Return on Assets for banks $1 billion or more. Stearns has also been recognized by American Banker as a top-performing bank in the nation over a 3-year period for Return on Equity for banks from $2 billion to $10 billion.

As a Star Tribune Top Workplaces award recipient and an award recipient of the Minnesota Business Magazine 100 Best Places to Work in Minnesota, Stearns takes pride in their team and holds their employees in extremely high regard. We offer a competitive salary and benefit package including our Employee Stock Ownership Program-one of the best long-term incentive programs in the nation.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER /AFFIRMATIVE ACTION PLAN

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, or creed, religion, sex, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, national origin, age, disability, veteran’s status, status with regard to public assistance, or any other class protected by Federal, State, local laws governing nondiscrimination in employment.