Regional Sales Manager – Membrane Treatment – Central US

American Water Chemicals (AWC) is seeking an experienced and motivated Regional Manager to lead and develop a team of Technical Sales & Applications professionals. This role is critical to advancing AWC’s presence in industrial and municipal membrane treatment markets by ensuring regional sales execution, fostering customer success, and supporting the growth of our technical sales organization.

The Regional Manager will be responsible for driving team performance, providing coaching and guidance, managing regional strategies, and ensuring AWC delivers consistent, high-quality support to its customers.

Location and Travel

This is a field-based leadership role, reporting to the VP of Sales & Marketing.

•    Frequent travel within the assigned region is expected to visit customers, support pilot projects, and coach sales team members in the field.

•    Overnight travel will be required for customer visits, team ride-alongs, and participation in industry events.

Responsibilities

Leadership & Team Development

•    Lead, manage, and mentor a team of Technical Sales & Applications professionals within the assigned territory.

•    Provide regular coaching, joint field visits, and development plans to strengthen technical, sales, and customer relationship skills.

•    Monitor KPIs and performance metrics; ensure accountability and support individuals in achieving quarterly and annual targets.

•    Recruit, onboard, and train new Technical Sales team members as the organization grows.

Sales & Business Growth

•    Understand the customer’s structure and demonstrate the ability to apply this knowledge in business and sales growth and sales retention for the customer.

•    Develop and implement regional strategies aligned with AWC’s overall sales and growth objectives.

•    Drive regional revenue growth by supporting team efforts to expand existing accounts, acquire new customers, and convert competitor business.

•    Coordinate cross-selling opportunities and ensure consistent customer coverage across the region.

•    Engage directly with key customers, consultants, and distributors on strategic opportunities and negotiations.

•    Develop strong relationships with the customer at various levels and internal relationships within the company to strengthen the overall relationship.

Customer & Project Support

•    Provide exceptional technical support for all designated accounts and within their territory. Be a trusted technical support guide for existing customers and prospects for daily operation, troubleshooting, or system modifications. 

•    Visit designed accounts regularly, and accounts within the territory as needed, to maintain existing relationships and assist with troubleshooting, cleaning, piloting, or system optimization. Occasional technical support outside the territory might be needed.

•    Ensure Technical Sales team members provide reliable technical support, data analysis, and system evaluations.

•    Oversee execution of pilot programs in the region, ensuring trials remain operational and deliver clear, reliable results.

•    Serve as an escalation point for complex customer issues, supporting troubleshooting and resolution in collaboration with AWC’s Applications and Operations teams.

Collaboration & Reporting

•    Create a strategic business plan that reflects the customer’s business objectives and strategies and align those objectives with ours. 

•    Partner with Inside Sales, Logistics, Customer Service, and Technical Applications to ensure seamless support of accounts.

•    Provide accurate regional sales forecasts, pipeline updates, and performance reporting to the VP of Sales & Marketing.

•    Ensure CRM is kept up to date and work closely with the sales team to maintain complete information on existing customers and opportunities.

•    Represent AWC at industry events, technical workshops, and conferences to enhance visibility and strengthen relationships with influencers.

Skills & Competencies

•    Proven leadership ability to manage and develop a sales team, including coaching, performance management, and talent development.

•    Strong knowledge of water treatment and membrane processes (MF/UF, NF/RO) including scaling, fouling, and cleaning protocols.

•    Track record of achieving sales growth targets and managing strategic accounts.

•    Ability to translate technical findings into customer-ready recommendations and solutions.

•    Excellent organizational skills to manage multiple team priorities, pilots, and accounts.

•    Effective communicator with both technical and non-technical audiences.

•    Proficiency in Microsoft Office and CRM platforms, with strong reporting and forecasting capabilities.

Qualifications

•    Knowledge of water treatment and membrane pretreatment processes, including MF/UF and NF/RO.

•    Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Chemistry, or related technical discipline preferred.

•    Minimum 5 years of experience in sales, business development, or operations within the membrane water treatment industry.

•    Demonstrated ability to drive growth, build customer relationships, and lead technical sales teams to success.