Technical Sales Manager- Industrial Manufacturing

Position Summary

The Technical Sales Manager leads, develops, and supports the sales team while serving as a senior technical resource for customers and internal departments. This role combines sales leadership with a strong working knowledge of overhead cranes, hoists, material handling equipment, industrial controls, inspections, repairs, and engineered lifting systems.

This is a hands-on, customer-facing leadership position. The Technical Sales Manager will spend most working time supporting the team from the company facility while remaining willing to participate in occasional customer meetings, site evaluations, and sales ride-alongs. The successful candidate will mentor sales representatives, help evaluate complex applications, and ensure customers receive practical, technically sound solutions.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Technical Sales Leadership

· Lead, coach, and mentor the sales team through regular communication, technical guidance, and occasional field involvement.

· Participate in occasional ride-alongs with sales representatives for key customer visits, complex applications, and new business opportunities.

· Assist sales representatives during technical discussions, equipment reviews, customer presentations, and site evaluations.

· Help the sales team understand customer applications, equipment conditions, operational challenges, and safety concerns.

· Provide practical guidance regarding overhead cranes, hoists, runway systems, controls, inspections, repairs, upgrades, and replacement equipment.

· Support the development of accurate scopes of work, equipment recommendations, proposals, and technical solutions.

· Review complex opportunities to confirm that proposed solutions address the customer's operational, safety, and budgetary requirements.

Customer Engagement

· Build and maintain strong relationships with industrial customers, plant managers, maintenance leaders, engineers, safety professionals, contractors, and other decision-makers.

· Join sales representatives for select customer meetings to better understand equipment, processes, production needs, and lifting challenges.

· Participate in occasional job-site walkthroughs, equipment assessments, and application reviews when technical support is needed.

· Help resolve technical concerns and ensure customers receive timely, practical, and accurate information.

· Serve as a senior point of contact for key accounts and technically complex projects.

· Support important customer presentations, negotiations, and project discussions.

· Identify opportunities involving inspections, preventive maintenance, repairs, modernizations, parts, load testing, operator training, and new equipment.

Sales Team Development

· Provide ongoing technical and sales training to team members.

· Mentor sales representatives in account development, customer communication, territory planning, and solution-based selling.

· Help team members recognize equipment deficiencies, operational risks, repair opportunities, modernization needs, and replacement requirements.

· Establish clear expectations and hold the team accountable for customer activity, follow-up, pipeline development, and results.

· Participate in the hiring, onboarding, coaching, and development of sales personnel.

· Conduct performance evaluations and provide direct, constructive feedback.

· Promote strong collaboration among sales, engineering, service, parts, production, and operations.

Sales Growth and Operational Coordination

· Develop and execute sales strategies that support company growth and profitability.

· Monitor sales activity, customer opportunities, quotations, backlog, and revenue performance.

· Assist with territory development and account planning.

· Review large or technically complex quotations before presentation to customers.

· Work closely with engineering, service, parts, fabrication, and operations to confirm project feasibility, pricing, lead times, and scheduling.

· Ensure customer commitments are realistic, clearly documented, and properly communicated internally.

· Support a smooth handoff from sales to engineering, production, installation, or service.

· Maintain awareness of competitors, customer needs, industry developments, and potential business opportunities.

· Represent the company at occasional customer meetings, job sites, association meetings, and industry events as needed.

Supervisory Responsibilities

The Technical Sales Manager supervises and develops members of the sales team in accordance with company policies and applicable employment laws. Responsibilities include:

· Interviewing, selecting, and onboarding sales personnel

· Training and mentoring team members

· Assigning accounts, territories, and responsibilities

· Providing field coaching during occasional ride-alongs

· Reviewing individual and team performance

· Establishing sales goals and activity expectations

· Recognizing strong performance

· Addressing performance concerns and resolving problems

· Supporting continued professional and technical development

Qualifications

· Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Industrial Technology, or a related field preferred; equivalent industry experience will be considered.

· Minimum of seven years of progressive experience in technical sales, sales leadership, crane and hoist equipment, industrial equipment, or a closely related field.

· Previous experience leading, coaching, or mentoring sales professionals.

· Strong technical understanding of overhead cranes, bridge cranes, jib cranes, gantry cranes, monorails, runway systems, hoists, controls, and related material handling equipment.

· Familiarity with crane inspections, preventive maintenance, repairs, modernizations, load testing, parts, and engineered lifting solutions.

· Ability to evaluate customer applications and translate technical requirements into practical equipment or service recommendations.

· Strong customer communication, presentation, leadership, and problem-solving skills.

· Ability to read and interpret equipment specifications, drawings, inspection reports, and technical documentation.

· Understanding of applicable crane and hoist safety requirements, regulations, and industry standards.

· Ability to balance technical requirements, customer expectations, operational capabilities, and profitability.

· Comfort working in industrial, manufacturing, and active job-site environments when needed.

· Proficiency with CRM systems, Microsoft Office, and standard sales reporting tools.

· Valid driver's license and acceptable driving record.

· Ability and willingness to travel occasionally for customer meetings, site visits, sales ride-alongs, and industry events.

Preferred Experience

· Overhead crane and hoist industry experience

· Crane service, inspection, engineering, estimating, or project management experience

· Experience selling custom or engineered industrial equipment

· Familiarity with electrical controls, variable frequency drives, motors, mechanical components, and runway systems

· Experience supporting industrial maintenance, safety, engineering, or production departments

· Knowledge of CMAA, OSHA, ANSI, and other applicable crane and hoist standards

Work Environment and Travel

This position is primarily based at the company's facility and works closely with the sales, engineering, service, parts, production, and operations teams. Occasional travel is required for customer meetings, site evaluations, sales ride-alongs, and industry events. Overnight travel may be necessary on a limited basis.

Physical Requirements

· Ability to walk through industrial facilities and active job sites.

· Ability to climb stairs and access equipment areas when necessary.

· Ability to wear required personal protective equipment.

· Ability to observe overhead crane, hoist, and material handling applications in operating environments.

· Ability to travel by vehicle and, on occasion, by air.

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $120,000.00 - $150,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance

Ability to Commute:

• Eureka, IL 61530 (Preferred)

Work Location: In person

Salary : $120,000 - $150,000