Sales Development Manager- Aerospace and Defense
Boost your chances before you apply.
ZEISS Group
MI
Summary
The SDM is responsible for developing sales volume and market penetration for a defined product line or territory. They work closely with sales and marketing teams to strategically grow the sales funnel and achieve booking goals.
Job Description
About Us:
How many companies can say they have been in business for over 178 years?!
Here at ZEISS, we certainly can! As the pioneers of science, ZEISS handles the ever-changing environments in a fast-paced world, meeting it with cutting edge technologies and continuous advancements. ZEISS believes that innovation and technology are the key to a sustainable future and solutions for global change. We have a diverse range of portfolios throughout the ZEISS family in segments like Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology, Consumer Markets and Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology. We are a global company with over 42,000 employees and have over 4,000 in the US and Canada alone! Make a difference, come join the team!
What’s the role?
The Sales Development Manager for aerospace and defense is responsible for developing the defined product line or market segment sales volume or bookings for a defined territory / region. The SDM works with the Head of Business Development to develop the best channel to market to maximize market access and increase sales penetration. The SDM works with and supports Regional Heads of Sales, Regional Sales Managers, and Product Sales Managers to grow and convert the sales funnel to achieve the set booking goals. The SDM works closely with global product or segment heads as well as marketing to strategically develop the sales funnel and grow the business disproportionately to the market.
Sound Interesting?
Here’s what you’ll do:
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Represents the Company and its interests.
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Works with the head of sales to define & develop the best channel & strategy to market.
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Develops a multi-year Product or Segment development plan.
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Proactively enables Regional, Distribution & Product Sales to sell a defined Product or into a defined Segment.
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Continuous sales product / application education.
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Identify and develops key / strategic accounts.
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Works with Sales & Marketing to strategically develop the sales funnel.
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Achieves overall monthly, quarterly, and annual sales performance targets.
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Achieve targeted sales margins.
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Performs strategic planning of demo and other resources.
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Keep track of and communicate competitor and other market developments.
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Identifies opportunities and formulate strategies to capitalize on it.
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Provides sales forecasting on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis.
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Establish rapport with and support for sales regions and other key groups within the company.
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Supports Sales & Marketing events.
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Frequently visits key customers, distributors, and sales network.
Do you qualify?
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4-year degree in technical discipline (mechanical engineering, electrical engineering or physics preferred)
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4-7 years of Sales / Business Development experience (CAD/CAM, metrology or related a benefit).
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10 years related industry experience (engineering, quality, metrology, inspection, machine tool).
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Fluency in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook)
We have amazing benefits to support you as an employee at ZEISS!
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Medical
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Vision
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Dental
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401k Matching
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Employee Assistance Programs
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Vacation and sick pay
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The list goes on!
The above is intended to describe the general content of and requirements for this job. It is not to be construed as an exhaustive statement of requirements, duties, or responsibilities. The Company reserves the right to interpret, amend, or otherwise modify, in whole or in part, any job description at any time, at its sole discretion.
Your ZEISS Recruiting Team:
Lindsay Walker Goodman
Zeiss provides Equal Employment Opportunity without unlawful regard to an Applicants race, color, religion, creed, sex, gender, marital status, age, national origin or ancestry, physical or mental disability, medical condition, military or veteran status, citizen status, sexual orientation, pregnancy (includes childbirth, breastfeeding or related medical condition), genetic predisposition, carrier status, gender expression or identity, including transgender identity, or any other class or characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law of the employee (or the people with whom the employee associates, including relatives and friends).
ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the fields of optics and optoelectronics. In the previous fiscal year, the ZEISS Group generated annual revenue totaling almost 12 billion euros in its four segments Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology, and Consumer Markets (September 30, 2025).
For its customers, ZEISS develops, produces, and distributes highly innovative solutions for industrial metrology and quality assurance, microscopy solutions for the life sciences and materials research, and medical technology solutions for diagnostics and treatment in ophthalmology and microsurgery. The name ZEISS is also synonymous with the world's leading lithography optics, which are used by the chip industry to manufacture semiconductor components. There is global demand for trendsetting ZEISS brand products such as eyeglass lenses, camera lenses, and binoculars.
With a portfolio aligned with future growth areas like digitalization, healthcare, and Smart Production and a strong brand, ZEISS is shaping the future of technology and constantly advancing the world of optics and related fields with its solutions. The company's significant, sustainable investments in research and development lay the foundation for the success and continued expansion of ZEISS' technology and market leadership. ZEISS invests 15 percent of its revenue in research and development – this high level of expenditure has a long tradition at ZEISS and is also an investment in the future.
With over 46,600 employees, ZEISS is active globally in around 50 countries with more than 60 sales and service locations, around 40 research and development facilities, and 30 production facilities worldwide.
Learn more about ZEISS: www.zeiss.com/about
Data privacy: www.zeiss.com/data-protection
Imprint: www.zeiss.com/publisher
This is ZEISS's official LinkedIn account. It follows the ZEISS Netiquette: www.zeiss.com/netiquette
Company size
10,001+ employees
Industry
Machinery Manufacturing
Org type
Privately Held
Headquarters
Oberkochen
ZEISS is an internationally leading technology enterprise operating in the fields of optics and optoelectronics. In the previous fiscal year, the ZEISS Group generated annual revenue totaling almost 12 billion euros in its four segments Semiconductor Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Quality & Research, Medical Technology, and Consumer Markets (September 30, 2025).
For its customers, ZEISS develops, produces, and distributes highly innovative solutions for industrial metrology and quality assurance, microscopy solutions for the life sciences and materials research, and medical technology solutions for diagnostics and treatment in ophthalmology and microsurgery. The name ZEISS is also synonymous with the world's leading lithography optics, which are used by the chip industry to manufacture semiconductor components. There is global demand for trendsetting ZEISS brand products such as eyeglass lenses, camera lenses, and binoculars.
With a portfolio aligned with future growth areas like digitalization, healthcare, and Smart Production and a strong brand, ZEISS is shaping the future of technology and constantly advancing the world of optics and related fields with its solutions. The company's significant, sustainable investments in research and development lay the foundation for the success and continued expansion of ZEISS' technology and market leadership. ZEISS invests 15 percent of its revenue in research and development – this high level of expenditure has a long tradition at ZEISS and is also an investment in the future.
With over 46,600 employees, ZEISS is active globally in around 50 countries with more than 60 sales and service locations, around 40 research and development facilities, and 30 production facilities worldwide.
Learn more about ZEISS: www.zeiss.com/about
Data privacy: www.zeiss.com/data-protection
Imprint: www.zeiss.com/publisher
This is ZEISS's official LinkedIn account. It follows the ZEISS Netiquette: www.zeiss.com/netiquette
Company size
10,001+ employees
Industry
Machinery Manufacturing
Org type
Privately Held
Headquarters
Oberkochen