What are the responsibilities and job description for the Outside Sales Representative position at Rex Lumber Company?
Outside Sales Representative - Central/Southwest Connecticut
Our Company
Rex Lumber Company is “one of the largest wholesale tropical and domestic hardwood distributors and custom moulding manufacturers on the Eastern Seaboard,” with fully staffed locations in MA, CT, NJ, and VA. We stock both hardwoods and softwoods (domestic and imported) and serve trade customers - woodworkers, retailers, and manufacturers. Our in-house capabilities include custom milling and profile matching with 1,000 common moulding profiles and 60,000 custom profiles, plus professional pre-finishing and dependable delivery. Family-owned since 1946, we’re known for quality, service, and a seasoned sales team - many with wood technology backgrounds - focused on long-term customer relationships.
About the Role
You will grow and manage a territory of professional customers (builders, millwork shops, architects, schools, and lumberyards), develop new accounts, and expand share with existing customers across hardwoods, softwoods, and millwork solutions. You’ll own the full sales cycle: prospecting, qualifying, quoting, closing, onboarding, and long-term account development.
What You’ll Do
- Build and maintain a territory plan to hit volume, margin, and mix goals.
- Prospect continuously (calls, site visits, referrals, events).
- Conduct on-site meetings, job-walks, takeoffs, and solution consults.
- Collaborate closely with Inside Sales, Purchasing, and CT Yard to ensure product availability, proactive communication, and on-time deliveries.
- Monitor project timelines; follow through on substitutions, and change orders
- Educate customers on species, grades, machining, finishing options, and exterior modified wood solutions; provide samples and technical resources.
- Track competitors, market pricing, and demand trends; share intel to inform quoting and inventory.
- Maintain activity notes, next actions, and account plans; report weekly on results, outlook, and risks.
- Represent Rex Lumber at industry events and training sessions; support targeted outreach (e.g., school programs) that convert marketing into sales.
What You’ll Bring
- ~3 years of outside sales experience in building materials, lumber, millwork, or adjacent categories (strong industry network in CT a plus).
- Proven territory development, prospecting, and closing skills; consistent history of meeting goals.
- Working knowledge of hardwood/softwood species, grading, machining/tolerances, finishing, and installation contexts (we’ll train on our lines).
- Strong commercial judgment on pricing/margins; confidence discussing value and total cost of ownership.
- Excellent communication, organization, and follow-through; CRM proficiency and strong email/phone etiquette.
- Valid driver’s license; regular in-territory travel and occasional regional travel for trainings/events.
How We Support You
- Salary bonus structure aligned to territory performance and company goals.
- Full benefits package; robust product training; sales enablement tools and marketing support.
- A culture that values initiative, teamwork, and long-term customer relationships.
Work Environment and Travel
- Field-based role covering Central/Southwest Connecticut; frequent customer visits, jobsite meetings, and branch collaboration.
How to Apply
- Apply via LinkedIn. Screening questions required. Shortlisted candidates will be contacted to schedule an introductory call.