A Regional Sales Director for a senior living company doesn’t work at an individual community, but on a regional level, coordinating the sales and marketing efforts of a team of community-based Sales Directors. For this reason, a Regional Sales Director position requires regular, and at times heavy, travel, a key consideration for many job candidates. In some cases, you’ll be on the road up to 90 percent of the time.

A Regional Sales Director is typically responsible for a territory spanning a state or a combination of several states, depending on the company. This is a management role, in which you’ll be accountable for achieving census goals through ongoing coaching and development of on-site sales and marketing directors who lead community-level marketing and admissions programs.

Regional Sales Director Job Responsibilities

A Regional Sales Director job requires you to manage a team of Sales Directors remotely, coordinating meetings and implementing reporting procedures in order to keep track of census data at all senior living communities within your region. An individual with a Regional Sales Director position is typically responsible for coordinating his or her own schedule, traveling to various sites within the region based on need to provide one-on-one coaching and support to subordinates.

The Regional Sales Director usually reports to a Vice President or Senior Vice President of Sales and Marketing, but may work closely with a Regional Director of Operations, who oversees the company’s operations in your region.

Additional Responsibilities for Regional Sales Directors

In addition to the general oversight of sales and marketing activities within an assigned region, a Regional Sales Director is often responsible for:

• Ongoing, critical evaluation of community-level Sales Directors, including one-on-one coaching and implementing disciplinary actions as appropriate.
• Playing a critical role in the development and implementation of formal sales training programs across the company and, specifically, within the candidate’s assigned region.
• Developing and implementing quarterly and annual sales and marketing campaigns.
• Working with Sales Directors at individual communities within your assigned region to aid subordinates in developing locally-impactful sales and marketing programs and activities.
• Ensuring that leads are appropriately and effectively transitioned through the sales process, promoting the achievement of census/occupancy goals while working within appropriate federal and state guidelines.
• Coordinating and working within an established sales and marketing budget, allocating funds according to need and other procedures to individual communities within your region.
• Evaluating the return on investment (ROI) of sales and marketing campaigns within your region.
• Working with local Sales Directors to conduct competitive analysis and develop effective marketing strategies to overcome objections and drive census in each community within your region.
• Regularly interface with superiors, counterparts, and subordinates to ensure continuity in sales and marketing messages, achieve census goals, and further the overall brand reputation of the senior living provider.

Typical Background Requirements for Regional Sales Directors

Regional Sales Director job positions require prior sales and marketing experience, preferably in the senior living industry or a related health care field. Previous management experience is also often sought-after by senior living companies.

Regional Sales Director job descriptions typically outline the following requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution in a relevant field, such as business or marketing. Other degrees are often considered provided candidates have proven their proficiency in sales and marketing through relevant work experience.
• Multi-site sales management experience in assisted living or other senior living setting.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Proven ability to meet defined sales goals and objectives, such as occupancy or revenue goals.
• Proven ability to establish and maintain operational/marketing budgets, working within established budgets while achieving sales and marketing goals.

Any skills or experience that you have in the areas of sales, marketing, and/or advertising, particularly if they’re relevant to the health care industry, will serve you well in seeking a Regional Sales Director position. Previous management experience is almost always a prerequisite for this role, although exceptional sales leaders with proven abilities may also be considered by some senior living providers.

If you have what it takes to be the next rock-star Regional Sales Director for a senior living provider, send us your resume today.