Director Specification Sales - Outdoor lighting U.S.

Job Summary

We use technology to solve problems in spaces, light, and more things to come—for our customers, our communities, and our planet.
Acuity Brands, Inc. (NYSE: AYI) is a market‑leading industrial technology company. Through our two business segments, Acuity Brands Lighting and Lighting Controls (ABL) and the Intelligent Spaces Group (ISG), we design, manufacture, and bring to market products and services that make a valuable difference in people’s lives. Our solutions span lighting, lighting controls, building management systems, and location‑aware applications.
We are positioned at the intersection of sustainability and technology, helping customers save energy, reduce carbon emissions, and create more connected, intelligent spaces.

The Director of Sales – Innovation + Architectural (I+A) Outdoor Category is a senior sales leadership role responsible for driving revenue growth for assigned I+A category through a team of category‑focused Architectural Solutions Partners (ASPs).  Reporting to the Specification Sales Leader, this role owns category performance by setting strategy, developing talent, and ensuring disciplined, consistent execution across markets. 
The Director leads and develops a team of ASPs who are aligned by product category, ensuring deep expertise, clear market focus, and strong external influence within the architectural and design community. This role serves as the primary connection point between category ASPs, ATS, regional sales leadership, and internal product and marketing teams—balancing people leadership, category strategy, and market engagement to deliver sustainable, specification‑driven growth.

Key Tasks & Responsibilities (Essential Functions)

Category Revenue & Specification Strategy
•    Own overall revenue performance for assigned I+A category driven through the ASP organization.
•    Establish category‑specific strategies that define target segments, priority design firms, and high‑value project profiles.
•    Ensure ASP efforts are aligned to category priorities, product roadmaps, and growth objectives.
•    Partner with sales leadership and ATS to integrate category strategy into regional and national sales plans.
•    Personally engage in select strategic opportunities, key accounts, and high‑impact projects as needed to support category success.

Lead, Coach & Develop Category‑Focused ASPs
•    Recruit, onboard, develop, and retain high‑performing ASPs.
•    Ensure each ASP operates as a recognized subject matter expert and public face of their assigned category.
•    Provide regular coaching, feedback, and performance management to drive consistency, effectiveness, and professional growth.
•    Set clear expectations for activity focus, engagement quality, and outcomes tied to category goals.
•    Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the ASP team.

Design Community & Market Leadership
•    Ensure strong, consistent engagement with the architectural and design community across assigned categories and markets.
•    Guide ASPs in building deep, strategic relationships with influential design firms aligned to their category focus.
•    Champion category thought leadership, innovation storytelling, and brand credibility within the design ecosystem.
•    Represent the I+A category organization at key industry events and leadership forums, as appropriate.

Channel & Cross‑Functional Collaboration
•    Drive strong alignment between category ASPs, agency partners, ATS, and internal sales teams.
•    Ensure clear communication, role clarity, and coordinated execution across teams supporting category growth.
•    Partner with product management, marketing, and training teams to support category‑specific launches, positioning, and enablement.
•    Act as an escalation point for complex category opportunities, conflicts, or strategic decisions.

Market Feedback & Category Insight
•    Aggregate and synthesize market insights gathered by category‑focused ASPs into clear, actionable input.
•    Provide strategic feedback to product management and marketing on category trends, gaps, competitive dynamics, and unmet needs.
•    Ensure the voice of the design community informs category roadmap decisions and go‑to‑market strategy.

Operating Rhythm & Performance Management
•    Establish consistent operating rhythms for the ASP team, including forecasting, pipeline reviews, and performance discussions.
•    Ensure disciplined use of CRM and reporting tools to maintain visibility into category performance.
•    Drive accountability around opportunity management, activity tracking, and execution quality.

Preferred Skills and Experience

How Success Is Measured

Success in the Director of Sales – I+A Category role is measured by category‑level performance and the effectiveness of the ASP organization, including:
•    Category Revenue Performance
o    Achievement of revenue targets for assigned I+A categories
o    Growth of overall Innovation + Architectural revenue 
•    Specification Impact
o    Volume of specifications written and influenced by category ASPs
o    Progression and close rate of specification‑driven opportunities
•    Team Effectiveness
o    Performance, development, and retention of category‑focused ASPs
o    Consistency and quality of execution across markets and categories
•    Design Community Influence
o    Strength and depth of relationships with key design firms by category

Skills and Experience Required
•    Bachelor’s degree or equivalent field experience.
•    Extensive experience in specification‑driven sales within lighting, architectural, or adjacent industries.
•    Proven people‑leadership experience managing and developing sales or market‑facing teams.
•    Strong understanding of architectural products, category management, and the construction cycle.
•    Ability to influence at multiple levels, internally and externally.
•    Strong coaching, communication, and strategic planning skills.
•    Proficient in Microsoft Office and CRM tools (e.g., Salesforce).

Travel requirement

• This role requires regular travel to support ASP development, key customer engagements, and category‑level strategic initiatives
• 30% – 50% travel

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