Job Description

At Stearns Bank, we’re helping people, entrepreneurs, small businesses, and local communities nationwide reach their full financial potential. Sound like something you want to be a part of? If so, we’re currently looking for a Sales Manager - Equipment Finance. This is a Connected Mobile Work Environment.

Come see how we’re doing business unusual and charting our own path to reimagine a more inclusive financial services and banking ecosystem for all.

BENEFITS

Stearns Bank understands and respects that everyone is managing unique career, family, and wellness needs. That’s why we offer industry-leading benefits to employees to help them live healthy lives and bring their full selves to work every day. Benefits may vary for part-time positions. Some of those benefits include:

• Employee Stock Ownership Plan & 401k Plan

• Healthcare (Medical, Dental, Vision, Telehealth, Life insurance)

• 12-week Paid Parental Leave and Medical Leave: With a cap of 20 weeks for eligible team members who qualify for both Medical and Parental Leave related to the birth of a child.

• $5,000 Family Care Reimbursement: Childcare, Elder Care, Student Loan Debt, Pet expenses, Down Payment Assistance

• 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

• Tuition Assistance

For this position, we anticipate an annual salary range between $85,000 - $150,000.

Final employment offers will be dependent upon the selected candidate’s relevant qualifications and experience.

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 agriculture and manufacturing industries, while maintaining existing relationships to generate new sales production.

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 provide 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 trade shows 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

• Bachelor’s degree from a four-year college or university preferred but will consider commensurate experience.
• Strong oral communication skills.
• Excellent customer relation skills.
• Strong digital literacy including Microsoft Suite. SalesForce 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 $3.2 billion, independently owned financial institution with locations in Minnesota, Florida and Arizona, and over 35,000 small business customers nationwide. Specializing in affordable housing financing, USDA and SBA lending, and small business and equipment financing, Stearns Bank is regularly recognized as one of the country’s top-performing banks and “Best Banks to Work For” by American Banker

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. To learn more about Stearns Bank, visit www.StearnsBank.com

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.