J-1 Visa Project Director Jobs
Project Director roles in the United States are accessible to international professionals through the J-1 Trainee or Specialist program category, both requiring a U.S. Department of State-designated sponsor to issue your DS-2019. Securing J-1 sponsorship means pairing a qualifying host employer with an approved sponsor organization before your program start date.
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INTRODUCTION
Chervon is one of the world’s largest power tool and outdoor power equipment manufacturers with a rich history of innovation. Chervon’s commitment to build a better world by building better tools is evident in the products we manufacture and our green approach to manufacturing. We focus on hand-held portable power tools, stationary bench tools, laser and electronic equipment and outdoor power equipment. With world-class R&D, design, manufacturing, supply chain, marketing, sales, and service teams throughout the world, we do it all.
SUMMARY OF RESPONSIBILITIES:
The Director of Sales – Hardware / Co‑Op Channel has full leadership responsibility for Chervon’s U.S. Hardware Co‑Op business, including key accounts such as Ace Hardware, Orgill, Do‑it Best, and other strategic partners. This role owns overall channel strategy, revenue growth, and profitability, and provides executive leadership to the Territory Sales Manager team and Key Account Managers selling EGO Outdoor Power Equipment and SKIL Power Tools. As a senior leader within the Hardware Channel, the Director is responsible for developing and executing strategic and operating plans, driving accurate channel forecasting, and ensuring alignment between sales execution and corporate objectives. The role partners closely with global back-end teams in Nanjing, China, as well as cross-functional North American teams including Brand, Product Management, Service, Channel Management, Marketing, Finance, and Senior Leadership.
LEADERSHIP & PEOPLE MANAGEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES:
Territory Sales Management Leadership
The Director provides strategic direction, coaching, and performance management for a team of Territory Sales Managers across assigned regions. This role is accountable for ensuring the team delivers sustainable, profitable growth through disciplined execution, effective retailer partnerships, and consistent sales processes.
Key leadership responsibilities include:
- Hiring, developing, and retaining high-performing Territory Sales Managers
- Setting clear performance expectations and sales objectives aligned to channel strategy
- Driving achievement of monthly, quarterly, and annual sales and profit targets
- Overseeing regional execution with retailers, buying groups, and multi-store hardware customers
- Ensuring consistent sales processes related to prospecting, conversions, training, merchandising, and service
- Providing coaching, field support, and performance feedback to maximize productivity and effectiveness
- Promoting efficient territory management, travel planning, and cost control
- Representing the organization at national, regional, and channel trade shows and key industry events
Key Account Leadership
The Director works in close partnership with the Key Account Managers to develop and execute long-term growth strategies for national and cooperative hardware accounts. This role ensures account strategies are aligned across Residential, Commercial and E‑Commerce channels, with a strong focus on long-term revenue, margin, and brand sustainability.
Key responsibilities include:
- Developing and executing comprehensive account strategies in collaboration with the VP of Sales
- Leading product line reviews, new product launches, and assortment optimization initiatives
- Building and maintaining senior-level relationships with key account decision makers
- Negotiating programs, promotions, and initiatives with major co-op partners (e.g., Ace, Orgill, Do‑it Best)
- Driving alignment across merchandising, branding, marketing, supply chain, operations, product development, and finance
- Ensuring flawless execution of store support, merchandising, and field-level programs
Strategic, Financial & Cross-Functional Accountability
The Director of Sales is accountable for channel-level performance and serves as a key contributor to enterprise planning and decision-making.
Core responsibilities include:
- Ownership of Hardware Channel P&L in coordination with supporting functions
- Development of annual strategic plans and long-range growth initiatives for key accounts
- Creating, managing, and forecasting channel and brand budgets
- Providing accurate sales forecasts and regular analysis of sell-in, wholesale, POS, inventory, and event performance
- Analyzing metrics and insights to refine strategy, investments, and execution plans
- Leading and participating in internal sales meetings, reviews, and planning sessions
- Delivering clear, data-driven reporting aligned to key performance indicators
- Driving profitable growth while ensuring alignment with corporate goals and brand strategy
REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:
- Bachelor’s degree preferred
- Minimum of 5 years of forecasting experience
- Minimum of 10 years’ proven work experience in the industry
- Strong sales and people management/engagement skills
- Analytic problem solving
- Experience in hiring and growing sales in an assigned territory
- Strategic intuition and thought process expertise
- Collaborative work style
- Experienced in retail, consumer, or brand
- Strong Microsoft Suite skills, SharePoint
- Experience with CRM/Salesforce
- Excellent verbal and written presentation skills
COMPENSATION:
- The salary range for this position is $155k to $180k base salary. Offers are generally made between this range depending on skills, experience and internal equity. In some cases, highly qualified candidates may receive an offer outside of the posted range.
COMPETENCIES:
- Strong People Management Skills
- Thought leadership
- Strategic thinking
- Project planning
- Business acumen
- Personal effectiveness/credibility
- Communication proficiency
- Presentation skills
- Knowledge of the tool and outdoor power equipment industries
TRAVEL:
This position requires up to 30% travel; some weekend events; some international.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
This position operates from either a remote home location or from the Naperville, IL corporate office (preferred). It also requires communication via email and video conference with international teams on a weekly basis. Chervon North America operates in a casual and fun environment. We offer a very competitive benefits package including health, dental, vision, short/long-term disability, life insurance, parental leave, a generous 401(k) match, an open PTO program and a hybrid work environment.
We think Chervon is a great place to work! Be part of our new future!
Better Tools. Better World.
Chervon North America, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer committed to hiring a diverse workforce. We consider all applicants for employment without regard to race, age, religion, color, marital status, national origin, sexual orientation, disability, gender, pregnancy, military status, order of protection status, transgender status, genetic information, or any other category protected by law.
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding J-1 Visa Sponsorship in Project Director
Document your leadership credentials precisely
Designated sponsors evaluate your prior experience against your proposed training objectives. Compile performance reviews, org charts showing your reporting structure, and project outcome summaries that demonstrate progressively senior project management responsibility before you apply.
Identify host employers with international program infrastructure
Target organizations that have previously hosted J-1 Trainee or Specialist participants. Federal contracting firms, multinational construction companies, and research institutions already understand DS-2019 timelines and training plan requirements, reducing friction during the offer stage.
Search verified roles using Migrate Mate
Use Migrate Mate to filter U.S. Project Director postings by employers familiar with exchange visitor sponsorship. Narrowing your search this way surfaces host organizations whose hiring processes already account for DS-2019 lead times and training plan submissions.
Align your training plan with the J-1 Specialist category
If your background is in a specialized field like infrastructure, public health, or environmental management, the Specialist category may fit better than Trainee. Your designated sponsor will need a training plan that maps your project oversight duties to skills not replicable in your home country.
Verify the 2-year home residency requirement early
Some J-1 participants, particularly those funded by their home government or working in fields on the Exchange Visitor Skills List, must return home for two years after their program. Confirm with your designated sponsor whether this applies before negotiating a long-term role with a host employer.
Negotiate offer terms before DS-2019 issuance
Once your host employer submits your training plan to the designated sponsor for DS-2019 issuance, changing your job title, compensation structure, or program dates triggers an amendment process. Finalize all material offer terms in writing before the sponsor initiates the DS-2019.
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Find Project Director JobsProject Director J-1 Visa: Frequently Asked Questions
Which J-1 program category fits a Project Director role?
Most Project Director candidates qualify under the Trainee or Specialist category. Trainee applies if you have a degree plus at least one year of relevant work experience, or five or more years of professional experience without a degree. Specialist is appropriate when your expertise is in a narrowly defined field and your training objectives require a host organization with specialized facilities or programs unavailable in your home country.
Who actually sponsors a J-1 visa for a Project Director, the employer or a separate organization?
The J-1 visa sponsor is a U.S. Department of State-designated organization, such as Cultural Vistas, AIPT, or IIE, not the hiring employer. The employer functions as your host organization and provides the substantive work environment. The designated sponsor issues your DS-2019, approves your training plan, and monitors program compliance throughout your exchange. You need both a willing host employer and an approved designated sponsor before your program can begin.
How far in advance should a Project Director begin the J-1 sponsorship process?
Plan for a minimum of eight to twelve weeks between your host employer's training plan submission and your program start date. Designated sponsors need time to review your application, issue the DS-2019, and allow you to schedule a consular appointment. Complex Specialist applications or roles involving government-funded programs can take longer. Starting the process only after a written offer is accepted is a common mistake that delays program start.
Can I find Project Director host employers that already understand J-1 requirements?
Use Migrate Mate to search for Project Director roles posted by U.S. employers with exchange visitor program experience. Hosts familiar with DS-2019 timelines, training plan formats, and the 30-day grace period that follows program completion are significantly easier to work with than employers encountering J-1 requirements for the first time.
Does the 2-year home residency requirement apply to Project Directors on a J-1 visa?
It depends on your specific circumstances. The requirement applies if your J-1 program was financed by your home government or the U.S. government, if your home country appears on the Exchange Visitor Skills List for your field, or if your program falls into certain government-to-government categories. Your designated sponsor reviews these factors during application processing and will note any applicable requirement on your DS-2019 and visa stamp.
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