Technical Sales Representative, Municipal and Industrial Wastewater

Xylem is a Fortune 500 global water solutions company dedicated to advancing sustainable impact and empowering the people who make water work every day. As a leading water technology company with 23,000 employees operating in over 150 countries, Xylem is at the forefront of addressing the world's most critical water challenges. We invite passionate individuals to join our team, dedicated to exceeding customer expectations through innovative and sustainable solutions.

We're Hiring a Sales Representative in Chicago, IL!

Flygt, a Xylem business, is seeking a motivated and technically minded Sales Representative to support municipal and industrial wastewater customers throughout the Chicago area. This role focuses on building lasting customer relationships, uncovering complex operational challenges, and delivering Flygt’s pumping, mixing, monitoring, control, and aftermarket solutions to enhance system performance, reliability, and operational efficiency.

You will work directly with municipalities, wastewater utilities, industrial facilities, consulting engineers, contractors, and other industry partners. You will manage opportunities throughout the full sales cycle, from prospecting and early project development through technical evaluation, proposal strategy, negotiation, closing, and post-sale support.

Responsibilities:

Develop and Grow the Territory

• Build and execute a strategic sales plan for the Chicago-area municipal and industrial markets
• Identify new customers, projects, and applications through prospecting, networking, referrals, market research, and field activity
• Expand relationships within existing accounts while developing new sources of revenue
• Maintain a healthy, accurate pipeline of short- and long-term opportunities
• Use market intelligence, customer data, and competitive insight to prioritize accounts and allocate selling time effectively
• Consistently achieve or exceed annual order, revenue, margin, and growth objectives

Build Trusted Customer Relationships

• Develop strong relationships with utility leaders, operators, engineers, contractors, maintenance professionals, procurement teams, and industrial decision-makers
• Learn each customer’s system, operational priorities, capital plans, and long-term challenges
• Serve as a trusted technical and commercial resource throughout the customer relationship
• Conduct regular account reviews, site visits, and follow-up activities to identify emerging needs and future opportunities
• Deliver a high level of responsiveness, professionalism, and customer service
• Represent Xylem and Flygt with integrity while protecting long-term customer and company interests

Sell Technical Solutions

• Evaluate customer needs and recommend appropriate pumping, mixing, controls, monitoring, service, and aftermarket solutions
• Translate technical product capabilities into clear operational and business value
• Conduct effective technical presentations, product demonstrations, lunch-and-learns, and customer training sessions
• Review plans, specifications, operating conditions, and application requirements in collaboration with internal technical resources
• Develop solution strategies that differentiate Flygt based on performance, reliability, lifecycle value, service support, and application expertise
• Build persuasive proposals that address both the technical and commercial requirements of each opportunity

Manage Projects and the Sales Process

• Manage opportunities from initial identification through quotation, negotiation, award, delivery, startup, and post-sale follow-up
• Develop account strategies and project-specific pursuit plans for significant opportunities
• Coordinate pricing, commercial terms, proposal development, approvals, and contract requirements
• Negotiate effectively while maintaining appropriate value, margin, and risk discipline
• Maintain accurate sales activity, account information, forecasts, and opportunity data in Salesforce or other required systems
• Provide timely and reliable forecasts to sales leadership
• Monitor project schedules, customer commitments, competitive activity, and potential risks

Collaborate Across the Organization

• Work closely with application engineering, service, operations, customer support, marketing, product management, and leadership
• Coordinate internal resources to provide customers with timely and technically sound solutions
• Engage product and application specialists when opportunities require additional expertise
• Share customer feedback, market trends, competitive intelligence, and product needs with internal stakeholders
• Support team initiatives and contribute to the overall growth of the regional business
• Help ensure a smooth customer experience from initial engagement through delivery and ongoing service

Develop Industry and Product Expertise

• Build a strong understanding of municipal and industrial wastewater systems, processes, applications, and purchasing practices
• Develop expertise in Flygt pumps, mixers, controls, monitoring systems, aftermarket products, and service capabilities
• Stay current on market conditions, competitors, regulatory drivers, infrastructure funding, and emerging technologies
• Participate in technical training, sales development programs, conferences, trade associations, and customer events
• Continuously strengthen consultative selling, negotiation, account management, and technical communication skills

What Success Looks Like

Successful Sales Representatives at Flygt take ownership of their territory and operate with a strong sense of urgency, accountability, and customer focus. They are comfortable working independently, but they know when to engage technical and operational resources to deliver the best outcome.

They are persistent without being transactional, technically credible without overcomplicating the message, and commercially disciplined without sacrificing the customer relationship. They build trust over time, develop opportunities before they become formal projects, and consistently create value for both the customer and the business.

Qualifications:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, engineering, environmental science, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience
•8+ years of demonstrated experience in outside sales, territory management, business development, account management, or technical sales

•Experience with pumps, rotating equipment, water or wastewater systems, process equipment, controls, instrumentation, capital equipment, or engineered solutions
• Ability to develop new business and manage complex, relationship-driven sales opportunities
• Strong communication, presentation, negotiation, and closing skills
• Ability to understand technical concepts and communicate them clearly to both technical and nontechnical audiences
• Strong organizational, analytical, and time-management skills
• Ability to work independently, manage competing priorities, and maintain accountability for territory results
• Proficiency with Salesforce or a comparable CRM platform
• Ability and willingness to travel regularly throughout the assigned Chicago-area territory

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience selling into municipal utilities, industrial facilities, consulting engineering firms, contractors, or public-sector organizations
• Knowledge of municipal procurement, engineering specifications, capital improvement projects, and construction-related sales cycles
• Mechanical aptitude or the ability to quickly develop technical product and application expertise
• Established relationships within the Chicago-area water, wastewater, engineering, construction, or industrial markets

The estimated salary range for this position is $100,000.00 USD plus commissions. Starting pay is dependent on multiple factors, such as skills, experience, and work location, and is not typically at the top of the range. At Xylem, we offer a competitive compensation package with a generous benefit package, including Medical, Dental, and Vision plans, 401(k) with company contribution, paid time off, paid parental leave, and tuition reimbursement.

Why Join US

Flygt solutions support some of the most demanding water and wastewater applications in the world. As a Sales Representative, you will have the opportunity to build meaningful customer relationships, solve complex infrastructure challenges, and represent a trusted portfolio of products, services, and technical expertise.

You will join a team that values performance, collaboration, customer commitment, and professional growth. You will be given meaningful responsibility for your territory, access to experienced technical resources, and the opportunity to make a visible impact on the business and the communities our customers serve.

Join the global Xylem team to be a part of innovative technology solutions transforming water usage, conservation, and re-use. Our products impact public utilities, industrial sectors, residential areas, and commercial buildings, with a commitment to providing smart metering, network technologies, and advanced analytics for water, electric, and gas utilities. Partner with us in creating a world where water challenges are met with ingenuity and dedication; where we recognize the power of inclusion and belonging in driving innovation and allowing us to compete more effectively around the world.

At Xylem, you'll not only contribute to solving water issues but also have the chance to make a difference through our paid Volunteer Program, Xylem Watermark. We prioritize our employees' well-being through inclusion and belonging as well as our Employee Resource Groups (ERG). Proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity (including disability and veterans) and Affirmative Action workplace, Xylem fosters an inclusive environment free from discrimination or harassment. 

Please note that the information in this job description outlines the general nature of the position and is not an exhaustive list of duties. Xylem is dedicated to providing reasonable accommodations to enable all employees to perform their essential job functions. We reserve the right to modify this job description and assign additional duties as needed. Embrace the opportunity to be part of Xylem's transformative journey in shaping the future of water technology! #XylemCareers #GlobalImpact #WaterInnovation