Sharpe Engineering & Equipment is seeking an experienced Business Development Manager to drive growth by identifying, pursuing, and securing new customer relationships across the food & beverage and industrial processing industries.
This outward-facing, hunter-focused role is responsible for opening doors, developing early-stage opportunities, and expanding Sharpe’s footprint across process, packaging, automation, and compliance solutions. You’ll take the lead in building new relationships and turning them into long-term partnerships.
In this role, you’ll collaborate closely with Engineering, Controls, and Project Management to uncover client needs, shape high-level technical solutions, and position Sharpe as a trusted partner. This position is critical to Sharpe’s growth strategy and directly supports our core values of Integrity, Collaboration, Responsibility, Commitment to Stakeholders, and People-Centric Focus.
Key Responsibilities
New Business Development (Primary Focus)
- Identify, target, and pursue new customer opportunities aligned with Sharpe’s ideal client profile
- Develop and execute strategic prospecting plans across key markets, geographies, and industries
- Initiate and manage early-stage conversations with decision-makers and influencers
- Qualify opportunities based on technical fit, budget, and strategic alignment
Sales Pipeline & Opportunity Development
- Build and maintain a robust pipeline of new business opportunities
- Lead discovery meetings to understand customer challenges and identify Sharpe solutions
- Partner with engineering teams to develop high-level solution concepts
- Advance opportunities through proposal, negotiation, and contract stages
Market & Relationship Development
- Represent Sharpe at industry events, trade shows, and networking functions
- Develop relationships with industry partners, vendors, and influencers to generate leads
- Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and emerging opportunities
Handoff & Collaboration
- Represent Sharpe at industry events, trade shows, and networking functions
- Develop relationships with industry partners, vendors, and influencers to generate leads
- Monitor market trends, competitor activity, and emerging opportunities
Why Join Sharpe?
Sharpe Engineering & Equipment is growing and this role puts you at the front edge of that growth.
In this role, you’ll:
- Own the front end of the sales cycle and build new relationships from the ground up
- Sell complex, high-value engineering solutions, not commodity products
- Be backed by deep technical expertise and a strong delivery reputation
- Have the autonomy to create opportunities while working within a collaborative, high-performing team
At Sharpe, business development professionals aren’t left on an island. You’ll be supported by engineering, leadership, and a clear handoff process, allowing you to focus on what you do best: opening doors and creating opportunity.
If you’re motivated by building something new, seeing your impact quickly, and contributing to long-term company success, Sharpe offers a powerful platform to win.
Requirements
What We’re Looking For
- Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Business, or related field preferred.
- 5+ years of experience in business development, technical sales, or consultative selling.
- Demonstrated success generating new business in food & beverage, manufacturing, or automation industries.
- Strong hunter mentality with disciplined prospecting and follow-through.
- Ability to communicate technical concepts at a high level to non-technical stakeholders.
- Proficiency with CRM tools and pipeline management.
- Willingness to travel up to 40–50%.
Benefits
Sharpe Engineering offers a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your health, well-being, and work-life balance. Our benefits include paid time off (PTO) plus 10 paid holidays, a flexible work schedule, and medical, dental, and vision insurance. We also provide short-term and long-term disability coverage, as well as life insurance, helping ensure peace of mind for you and your family.
Sharpe Engineering & Equipment is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in engineering, Business, or related field preferred
- 5+ years of experience in business development, technical sales, or consultative selling
- Demonstrated success generating new business in food & beverage, manufacturing, or automation industries
- Strong hunter mentality with disciplined prospecting and follow-through
- Ability to communicate technical concepts at a high level to non-technical stakeholders
- Proficiency with CRM tools and pipeline management
- Willingness to travel up to 40-50%
What We Do
Sharpe Engineering & Equipment provides expert project management and engineering solutions for food and beverage manufacturers, specializing in packaging system integration, material handling, and automation, as well as custom solutions for plant modifications and new facility construction.
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