Director of Sales

Job Title: Director of Sales (steel/stamped metal)

Location: Aurora, IL (Hybrid - Travel Required)

Position Overview:
The Director of Sales will be accountable for driving profitable growth, strengthening customer partnerships, and expanding market share in the steel industry. This leader will manage and coach a high-performing sales team while also engaging directly with key OEM customers. The ideal candidate will bring deep knowledge of the steel and tubular products industry, proven experience in business development, and strong leadership skills to cultivate a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Sales Leadership & Coaching

Lead, mentor, and develop a team of sales professionals to achieve and exceed individual and collective revenue and profitability goals.

Provide coaching, performance feedback, and professional development opportunities to strengthen team capabilities.

Foster a results-oriented, customer-focused culture aligned with company values and long-term strategic objectives.

Strategic Sales Management

Develop and execute a comprehensive sales strategy and business plan, identifying target markets, growth opportunities, and competitive positioning.

Drive profitable growth by securing new business opportunities, expanding share with existing customers, and replacing competition within assigned markets.

Partner with executive leadership to align sales initiatives with corporate objectives.

Customer Engagement & Business Development

Serve as a trusted advisor to key OEM customers, leveraging industry knowledge to propose custom-engineered solutions.

Establish and nurture strong relationships with customer executives, procurement teams, and industry influencers.

Oversee the creation of project justification requests, including ROI calculations, market intelligence, and performance requirements.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

Partner with Marketing, Engineering, and Operations to ensure seamless project execution and alignment with customer expectations.

Lead participation in industry trade shows, marketing campaigns, and product development discussions to elevate company visibility and credibility.

Market & Industry Leadership

Monitor industry trends, competitor activities, and emerging technologies in steel, tubing, stamping, and forming.

Provide strategic insights and recommendations to enhance product offerings and sales strategies.

Ensure compliance with CRM and ERP processes while leveraging data for strategic decision-making.

Position Requirements:

Bachelor's degree in Business, Sales, Marketing, or related field (Master's degree preferred).

Minimum of 10 years of progressive sales experience, with at least 5 years in a leadership capacity managing and coaching sales teams.

Proven track record of driving incremental revenue through new business development in custom-manufactured products, preferably within the steel, tubing, stamping, or forming industry.

Strong business acumen with the ability to understand complex customer operations and deliver tailored value propositions.

Excellent analytical, negotiation, and project management skills.

Highly proficient in MS Office (Excel - formulas, pivot tables), PowerPoint, and Word.

Experience using CRM platforms (e.g., Salesforce) and ERP systems strongly preferred.

Outstanding written, verbal, and presentation skills.

Ability to travel up to 40% to customer sites, trade shows, and industry events.