What are the responsibilities and job description for the Application Engineering & Inside Sales Manager position at Zone Industries?
Application Engineering & Inside Sales Manager
The Application Engineering & Inside Sales Manager is responsible for leading the Application Engineering and Inside Sales teams to provide outstanding technical support, quotation accuracy, customer service, and project execution. This position serves as the bridge between outside sales, customers, manufacturers, and operations to ensure engineered solutions are delivered accurately, competitively, and on schedule.
This leader is responsible for developing team members, improving quoting processes, increasing quote conversion, supporting strategic sales initiatives, and driving profitable growth across all product lines, including pumps, packaged systems, mixers, mechanical seals, motors, and related rotating equipment.
- Lead, coach, and develop the Application Engineering and Inside Sales teams.
- Establish performance expectations and accountability through KPIs and regular performance reviews.
- Conduct weekly team meetings and individual coaching sessions.
- Develop succession plans and training programs for technical and inside sales personnel.
- Foster a culture focused on customer service, responsiveness, continuous improvement, and teamwork.
- Review customer specifications and recommend the appropriate pumping and rotating equipment solutions.
- Provide technical guidance for pump selection, hydraulic calculations, material selection, seal selection, motor sizing, and system design.
- Assist with engineered package design, skid systems, and custom solutions.
- Coordinate with manufacturers to resolve technical issues and obtain application support.
- Maintain current knowledge of industry standards, products, and emerging technologies.
- Oversee the preparation of accurate and timely quotations.
- Ensure RFQs are prioritized and completed within established turnaround goals.
- Review quotations for technical accuracy, pricing, margins, and commercial terms.
- Support outside sales representatives with technical product selection and proposal development.
- Monitor quote activity, conversion rates, backlog, and customer follow-up.
- Serve as the primary technical resource for complex customer applications.
- Assist customers with troubleshooting, product recommendations, and value-engineered solutions.
- Build strong relationships with customers, consulting engineers, OEMs, municipalities, EPC firms, and manufacturers.
- Participate in customer meetings when technical expertise is required.
- Partner with outside sales to identify project opportunities and increase specification activity.
- Assist in developing sales strategies for major projects and target accounts.
- Support product launches, new manufacturer lines, and technical training.
- Work closely with marketing on technical literature and customer presentations.
- Coordinate with purchasing, production, service, and warehouse teams to ensure successful project execution.
- Help resolve order discrepancies, technical issues, and customer concerns.
- Participate in project kickoff meetings for large engineered systems.
- Standardize quotation procedures and engineering documentation.
- Develop technical standards, templates, and application guides.
- Improve ERP and CRM utilization for engineering and quotation processes.
- Identify automation opportunities that improve efficiency and customer response times.
Success in this role will be measured by:
- Quote turnaround time
- Quote accuracy
- Quote-to-order conversion rate
- Gross margin performance
- Sales growth from engineered products
- Customer satisfaction
- Team productivity
- On-time proposal delivery
- Employee development and retention
- Continuous improvement initiatives
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering or equivalent industry experience.
- 5 years of experience in industrial pumps, rotating equipment, engineered systems, or related industrial products.
- 3 years of leadership or supervisory experience.
- Strong understanding of centrifugal pumps, positive displacement pumps, mechanical seals, motors, VFDs, and fluid handling systems.
- Excellent communication and organizational skills.
- Experience interpreting customer specifications and engineering drawings.
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and ERP/CRM systems.
- Experience with ITT Goulds, Gorman-Rupp, Sulzer, Aurora, Versamatic, or similar product lines.
- Knowledge of municipal water/wastewater, chemical processing, oil & gas, power generation, and industrial manufacturing markets.
- Familiarity with packaged pump systems and skid design.
- CAD experience is a plus.
- Leadership
- Technical aptitude
- Customer focus
- Problem solving
- Project management
- Team development
- Communication
- Time management
- Decision making
- Collaboration
- Continuous improvement
- Business acumen
- Ability to occasionally visit manufacturing facilities, customer plants, and job sites.
- At Zone Industries, we help customers keep critical processes running by delivering engineered pumping solutions, rotating equipment expertise, and exceptional service. The Application Engineering & Inside Sales Manager plays a key leadership role in driving technical excellence, supporting our sales organization, and delivering industry-leading customer experiences while developing the next generation of technical talent.