Job Description

The Business Development Manager is a revenue-generating, field-based role responsible for managing and growing existing customer accounts within an assigned territory. This position focuses on building strong, in-person relationships, understanding customer business needs, delivering tailored solutions, and driving revenue growth through proactive service and strategic support.

Core Functions:

• Serve as the primary field-based representative of Central States by fostering strong customer relationships, delivering on-site value, supporting ongoing customer success, and maintaining professional product displays with current marketing materials.
• Own all new business development responsibilities, including acquiring and activating new accounts, prospecting target markets, conducting cold calls and field visits, leveraging referrals and research, and positioning Central States as the supplier of choice.
• Develop and execute strategic sales and territory plans that prioritize high-impact accounts, identify new opportunities, balance customer visits with follow-ups, and drive achievement of territory goals such as pounds sold, customer growth, and year-over-year revenue.
• Establish a strong in-person regional presence by visiting prospective and existing customers, observing competitive activity, gathering market intelligence, and uncovering opportunities for new products, improvements, or innovation.
• Manage, grow, and recover accounts within the territory by re-engaging underperforming or lost customers, identifying expansion opportunities, and increasing product penetration and customer volume.
• Lead customer training on Central States products and the Central Link platform to enhance efficiency, ordering accuracy, tool adoption, and overall customer engagement.
• Represent Central States at trade shows, industry events, and customer functions to strengthen brand visibility, reinforce partnerships, and support sales initiatives.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Inside Sales, Operations, Quality, and Marketing to support customer needs, resolve issues, and maintain alignment on territory priorities and customer expectations.
• Proactively address and resolve quality concerns through on-site visits, partnership with the Corporate Quality Team, guided warranty support, and customer-focused issue resolution.
• Maintain accurate CRM documentation including visit notes, updated contacts, account changes, follow-up actions, and use social media to actively grow brand awareness, promote company values, and enhance visibility with customers, employees, industry partners, and candidates.
• Act as a strategic advisor and advocate for customers by aligning Central States’ products and services with their goals while demonstrating the company’s core values: Own It, Can Do, and Act In Love.

Performs other duties and activities related to the department as necessary to support overall operations and responsibilities, even if not specifically listed above.

Key Measures of Success:

• Achievement of assigned territory sales goals, including new business pounds sold, pounds sold, down customer increases, lost accounts recovered and revenue growth targets.
• Consistently onboarding new customers each month and converting qualified leads into active buying accounts.
• Speed and completeness of the onboarding process, including timely first orders, product education, and customer setup.
• Demonstrated strategic thinking to identify new business opportunities, growth opportunities, address competitive threats, and anticipate evolving customer needs.
• Effectively collaborates with cross-functional sales team members to achieve territory goals and deliver an exceptional customer experience.
• Ensure customers have appropriate, up-to-date product displays and marketing materials, managing delivery and usage within budget.
• Consistently receives high customer satisfaction scores, with actionable feedback that supports account retention and growth.
• Ensures a seamless transition of accounts from the Regional Sales Executive, building immediate trust, maintaining service continuity, and driving early engagement with the customer.
• Consistent, timely, and accurate use of the CRM system with documented activity, updated statuses, and clearly defined next steps to ensure visibility, accountability, and effective cross-functional collaboration.
• Executes effective territory planning and time management, prioritizing high-impact accounts and maintaining a consistent in-person presence across the territory.
• Demonstrates a strong understanding of the metal industry and actively aligns with Central States Manufacturing’s strategic initiatives.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, Word, PowerPoint) and CRM systems to manage customer data, reporting, and create effective product displays and customer-facing presentations.
• Professionalism in every customer interaction along with consistent demonstration of Central States’ core values:
  • Own It – Commitment to customer, company, and each other.
  • Can Do – Team Player, Open to Change, & Pursuing continuous improvement.
  • Act in Love – Treating others with humility, respectfulness, kindness, honesty, patience, and self-control.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

None, but may assist in training or guiding administrative staff as needed.

Education & Experience:

Minimum Required:

• Bachelor’s degree in a relative field or equivalent job experience.
• Three years of proven experience meeting/exceeding sales goals
• Three years Field Sales Experience
• Three years' experience with CRM Systems

Preferred:

• Metal Industry experience

Physical Demand & Work Environment:

Work is primarily performed in an office environment. This role will routinely utilize standard office equipment, including computers, phones, and printers, to perform the core functions listed in this job description. The work is primarily sedentary and requires extensive reading, data entry, and verbal/electronic communication. This position requires the ability to occasionally lift office products and supplies up to 25 pounds.

This role involves minimal exposure to noise or temperature variations.

Key Physical Requirements:

• Regular activities: sitting, standing, typing, reading
• Occasional activities: lifting office supplies up to 25 lbs., performing tasks requiring fine motor skills (e.g., reaching, pushing, pulling, grasping, kneeling, crouching, twisting, bending)
• Environmental notes: minimal exposure to noise or temperature variations

Reasonable accommodation is available to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

Travel:

This position requires extensive field-based travel and will require 80% to 100% travel, depending on business needs. Travel may include visits to company locations, client sites, training, or industry events. The amount of travel is subject to change and should not be considered a fixed or ongoing expectation.

Benefits Offered:
At Central States, we are an ESOP. That means each one of our employees is an owner of the company and receives an allocation of stock every year. This allows all our employees to share in the wealth and success of the company. We also offer:
• 401K Match
• Education assistance available – Up to $5,250 each year
• Profit-Sharing bonus
• Medical
• Dental
• Vision
• Holiday pay
• Vacation pay
• Employee Assistance Program providing Confidential Emotional Support, Work and Lifestyle Support, Legal Guidance, Financial Resources and Digital Support
• Care Guides to help employees navigate the complex healthcare system
• Life insurance – 1.5x annual salary – 100% employer paid
• Wellness Program – earn up to $1,200 annually when enrolling in a medical plan!
• Health Savings Accounts
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Short-Term Disability
• Long-Term Disability – 100% employer paid
• Performance based merit increases
• SHINE program – Employee Financial Assistance and Dependent Scholarships!

Central States Manufacturing, Inc. provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local laws. This applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.

10.2025