District Sales Manager - US

District Sales Manager
Mechanical Power Transmission | Industrial Gear Reducers & Gearmotors

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced, results-driven District Sales Manager to drive profitable growth through a combination of direct OEM account management and independent distributor/channel partner development. The successful candidate will be responsible for expanding market share, developing strategic customer relationships, identifying new business opportunities, and executing regional sales strategies.

This position requires a strong technical sales background, excellent relationship-building skills, and experience selling industrial gear reducers, gearmotors, power transmission components, or similar industrial products.

Primary Responsibilities

OEM Business Development

• Develop and execute regional sales strategies focused on OEM customers.
• Identify and secure new OEM opportunities in key industrial markets.
• Manage strategic OEM accounts from concept through production.
• Work closely with engineering teams to develop application-specific solutions.
• Lead commercial negotiations including pricing, contracts, and long-term supply agreements.
• Maintain regular contact with engineering, purchasing, operations, and executive management at customer locations.
• Manage project pipelines and forecast future production opportunities.

Channel Partner Management

• Develop and strengthen relationships with industrial distributors and manufacturer representatives.
• Increase distributor engagement through joint sales calls, product training, and business planning.
• Identify and recruit new channel partners where market coverage is insufficient.
• Support distributors with application engineering assistance and competitive conversions.
• Establish annual growth objectives with key partners.
• Monitor distributor inventory, sales performance, and market penetration.

Business Development

• Identify opportunities to convert competitive installed equipment.
• Develop market penetration strategies for key industries including:
• Material Handling
• Food & Beverage
• Packaging
• Aggregate & Mining
• Water & Wastewater
• Metals
• Automotive
• Forestry
• Bulk Material Handling
• General Manufacturing
• Generate new business through prospecting, networking, trade shows, and customer visits.

Customer Relationship Management

• Build long-term strategic relationships with OEM decision makers.
• Become the trusted technical and commercial advisor within assigned accounts.
• Resolve customer issues by coordinating with engineering, customer service, operations, and quality.
• Deliver outstanding customer experience throughout the sales cycle.

Technical Sales Support

• Understand customer applications and recommend appropriate gearbox, gearmotor, and drive solutions.
• Support sizing, product selection, and competitive replacement opportunities.
• Coordinate with applications engineering on custom solutions.
• Present technical product training to customers and channel partners.

Sales Planning & Reporting

• Develop annual territory business plans.
• Maintain accurate opportunity pipeline using CRM.
• Prepare monthly sales forecasts.
• Analyze competitive activity and market trends.
• Provide regular reports on territory performance and strategic initiatives.

Qualifications

Desired

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, Industrial Technology, or related field preferred.
• 5–10+ years of industrial B2B sales experience.
• Proven success selling through both OEMs and industrial distribution.
• Experience within one or more of the following:
• Industrial Gear Reducers
• Gearmotors
• Mechanical Power Transmission
• Electric Motors
• Motion Control
• Industrial Automation
• Bearings
• Couplings
• Conveying Equipment
• Industrial Drives
• Strong understanding of industrial manufacturing processes.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to travel approximately 50–70% throughout assigned territory.

Preferred Experience

• Experience with gearbox sizing and application engineering.
• Existing relationships with OEM manufacturers and industrial distributors.
• Experience selling engineered industrial products.
• Familiarity with CRM systems such as Zoho, Salesforce, Microsoft Dynamics, or HubSpot.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Account Management
• OEM Sales
• Distributor Development
• Territory Management
• Consultative Selling
• Business Development
• Negotiation
• Technical Aptitude
• Forecasting
• Market Analysis
• Relationship Building
• Presentation Skills
• Time Management
• Problem Solving

Performance Metrics

Success in this role will be measured by:

• Annual sales growth
• Gross margin performance
• New OEM account acquisition
• Distributor sales growth
• New product adoption
• Opportunity pipeline development
• Customer retention
• Territory market share growth
• CRM utilization and reporting quality

• Competitive base salary plus uncapped incentive compensation
• Company vehicle or vehicle allowance
• Comprehensive health, dental, and vision benefits
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Professional development and technical training
• Opportunities for career advancement within a growing industrial organization