Certifications
Memphis, TN Preferred | Midwest Candidates Considered | National Travel
$65,000–$75,000 Base + Year 1 Bonus + Uncapped Commission
Deanna Nesbit & Associates is partnering with a long-established, family-owned U.S. manufacturer to recruit an experienced National Technical Sales Representative for a high-growth, planned succession opportunity.
This role is designed for a true hunter: someone who enjoys opening doors, developing new relationships, finding new applications, and turning opportunities into long-term business.
The company already has strong account-management capabilities. What they need now is someone who is hungry to grow the business across multiple markets, including automotive, agriculture, industrial, RV, and data center applications.
The successful candidate will initially work closely with and be mentored by the company's current Sales Leader, gaining a deep understanding of the business, customers, products, applications, and manufacturing capabilities. Over time, this individual is expected to assume greater responsibility for the sales organization, ultimately taking over sales leadership and helping grow the sales team as the business expands.
This is not a catalog-sales position, and it is not a role focused primarily on maintaining an inherited book of business.
Customers bring applications, drawings, specifications, performance requirements, and manufacturing challenges. The National Technical Sales Representative will identify opportunities, develop relationships, and work with customer engineering, purchasing, sourcing, and internal manufacturing teams to turn those opportunities into successful programs.
The company manufactures custom-engineered components and supports customers across a diverse range of markets. The right salesperson does not need to know every product or material on day one, but must be technically curious, comfortable in a manufacturing environment, and motivated to learn.
Prospect for and develop new customers, programs, applications, and revenue opportunities. Build relationships with decision-makers across automotive, agriculture, industrial, RV, data center, and other manufacturing markets.
Develop new business while strengthening strategic customer relationships
Work directly with purchasing, sourcing, engineering, and technical teams
Identify customer needs and match applications with appropriate manufacturing capabilities.
Support RFQs, quotations, drawings, specifications, and new-part development. Coordinate prototypes, testing, customer feedback, and program requirements. Work cross-functionally with Manufacturing, Engineering, Materials, and Quality. Move new programs from initial opportunity through approval and production launch. Manage active opportunities, quotations, customer programs, and sales pipelines
Travel throughout the United States for customer visits, business development, trade shows, and industry events. Develop the knowledge and leadership capability to assume increasing responsibility for the sales organization. Help build and develop the sales team as company growth creates additional needs
3–10 years of successful manufacturing, industrial, or technical sales experience; approximately 5–10 years is ideal.
Proven ability to hunt for and win new business
Experience selling manufactured parts, components, engineered products, or technical solutions
Experience working with OEM, industrial, or manufacturing customers
Ability to develop relationships from initial prospecting through program award and launch
Comfortable working with engineers, buyers, sourcing professionals, executives, and manufacturing teams
Ability to understand technical concepts, drawings, specifications, and product applications
Experience with RFQs, new-product development, or manufacturing program launches is highly desirable
Strong communication, organization, time management, and follow-through
Independent, self-motivated, and comfortable managing a national territory
Leadership potential and interest in eventually helping build and lead a sales team
Associate degree required; Bachelor's degree preferred
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, Word, and PowerPoint
Willingness and ability to travel extensively throughout the United States
Experience selling custom molded components, engineered materials, plastics, rubber, seals and gaskets, automotive components, polymers, metal components, or other made-to-print industrial products may be particularly relevant.
Industry-specific rubber experience is not required. A track record of developing new business and the ability to learn technical products are far more important.
Unlimited Earning Potential
The compensation plan includes an uncapped commission structure designed to reward successful new-business development.
Immediate Opportunity to Earn Commission
The representative can begin earning commission on personally originated new business from the beginning of employment.
Mentorship and Succession
Work directly with an experienced Sales Leader who will transfer customer, product, market, and institutional knowledge as part of a planned succession.
Path to Sales Leadership
This role is intended to grow beyond an individual-contributor sales position. As the business expands, the successful candidate will have the opportunity to assume broader sales leadership responsibilities and help build the sales team.
Multiple Growth Markets
Develop business across automotive, agriculture, industrial, RV, data center, and other applications rather than relying on a single market segment.
Base Salary: $65,000–$75,000, based on experience and open to discussion
Year 1 Milestone Bonus: $5,000–$8,000
Commission: Favorable, uncapped commission structure with immediate earning potential on personally originated new business
The compensation structure provides base-salary stability while creating substantial upside for a successful salesperson who consistently develops new business.
Complete commission details and benefits will be discussed with qualified candidates during the interview process.
Memphis, Tennessee area preferred.
Because this is a national sales role with significant travel, qualified candidates located elsewhere in the Midwest or Central United States may also be considered.
The position requires substantial national travel for customer visits, new-business development, trade shows, and industry events.
Interested candidates are encouraged to apply for confidential consideration through Deanna Nesbit & Associates.
Helping businesses with 40M+ annual revenue recruit top talent in one week without wasting time or money.
