Regional Sales Manager - Midwest

Pfaudler Inc., with over 135 years as a leading supplier of highly engineered, critical equipment and systems for global energy, chemical and industrial markets, has an immediate opening for a Technical Regional Sales Manager (RSM).  This position provides the successful candidate with significant opportunities for career growth and global experience with a stable and growing organization.

SUMMARY

Pfaudler RSMs serve our customers by working with them to understand their needs and issues as they relate to chemical process equipment or systems and related after-market parts and service.  RSMs market and sell Pfaudler products and brands to customers as solutions for their needs and issues.  Pfaudler products include Technologies (i.e. glass-lined equipment, fluoropolymer equipment, alloy equipment, filter dryer equipment, borosilicate glass equipment, and Instrumentation), Engineered Systems (i.e. complete process systems with Pfaudler Technologies at the core) and Services (i.e. after market parts and services for Pfaudler Technologies and Systems).  RSMs develop sales strategies and identify and acquire new business opportunities and new clients in a defined territory. They individually, and/or jointly with others on the team, close orders to achieve brand and product quotas in their territory.  Each RSM plays a key role in increasing Pfaudler order volume and margin by acquiring new clients, growing market share, managing and negotiating with clients, generating leads, qualifying prospects, developing proposals and closing orders.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES - include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Promote and increase order volume for all Pfaudler products and brands.
  • Promote all Pfaudler products and brands and unique selling points (USP) to increase orders and market share of each product line and brand.
  • Customize Pfaudler standard presentations with Pfaudler USP, making them specific for each customer and/or opportunity, and utilize during customer meetings to demonstrate Pfaudler’s solutions for client needs and problems.
  • Closely follow up with clients for all Pfaudler quotes for Technologies, Services and Systems and maintain close communication with inside sales personnel.
  • Leverage the tools and power of Salesforce to manage and grow the client base and Pfaudler business.
  • Qualify opportunities (i.e. each client and project) and share this information with the team via Salesforce, conversations and emails.  Qualification is critical to prioritize inquiries, efficiently utilize resources, and meet customer needs to hit territory order targets and grow business.
  • Cross-sell to increase scope of offerings
• Manage all client relationships and client business in a Regional Territory.
  • Service existing accounts with close personal contact and relationships.
  • Grow client base by identifying and acquiring new accounts.
  • Keeps management informed by submitting activity and results reports, such as daily call reports, weekly work plans, and monthly and annual territory analyses.
  • Travel to customer sites is expected and critical, with internet meetings/presentations and emails used secondarily used to create and maintain relationships.
  • Learn and intimately know Pfaudler clients’ businesses.  Learn what each client produces as products and where and how Pfaudler’s products can be integrated in the clients’ plants.
• Technologies:   Develop close customer relationships with customer purchasing and engineering personnel to position Pfaudler as a key supplier for Technologies.
  • Prepare Technologies quotes individually or in cooperation with Pfaudler inside technical experts.
• Services:   Develop close customer relationships with customer plant and maintenance personnel to position Pfaudler as a key supplier for Services.
  • Coordinate with client relationships and opportunities with the Pfaudler Service Technicians.
  • Upsell/Upgrade existing equipment with new offerings
• Systems:  Leverage Technologies inquiries and customer relationships to increase scope of projects/orders to Systems.
  • Promote Pfaudler’s Systems capabilities to be a “shaker” for Systems opportunities.
  • Bring the opportunities to inside sales.  Stay informed during sales process.  Follow up on client quotes and projects and provide feedback to inside sales.  Assist with negotiations and order closure.
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge of Pfaudler products and brands through Pfaudler educational workshops and training as well as self-learning including reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, participating in professional societies, etc.
• Conduct client plant audits to update Pfaudler installed base in Salesforce.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE - Bachelor's degree (B.S.) Chemical Engineering preferred or related background with strong process knowledge and background considered.   8-10 years related experience preferred.  Equivalent combination of education and experience considered.  

LANGUAGE SKILLS - Ability to read, analyze, and interpret customer specifications and drawings along with general business periodicals, professional journals, technical procedures, or governmental regulations in the local language(s) of the region supported.  Ability to write reports and business correspondence.  Ability to effectively present information and respond to questions from groups of client engineers, managers, maintenance technicians or purchasing personnel.

SALES SPECIFIC SOFT SKILLS - These are people skills or life skills, like communication and empathy, as well as personal skills like decision-making and goal-setting.

• Oral Communication                           
• Written Communication      
• Presentation Skills   
• Coachable   
• Persuasiveness (benefit selling vs feature selling)      
• Handle objections/difficult customer situations       
• Ability to Cross Sell
• Self-starter and independent worker

PROCESS KNOWLEDGE - Must currently have or develop understanding of the basics related to chemical and pharmaceutical processes, which is critical to Pfaudler business.   This includes:

• Basics of chemistry and physical properties of materials, and units of measurement
• Typical unit operations including the process terms used to describe the processes and basic understanding of how units within in the operations are used in a typical chemical plant.
• Possess a general knowledge of the various processes used in chemical plants.
• Basics of chemical reactions and the associated characteristics.
• Understanding of evaporation and distillation properties/and processes. 
• Understanding of filtration and drying, especially for pharma applications.
• Understanding of Hazardous Materials and various associated risks.
• Understanding of the various types of processes used in the chemical, fine chemical, pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, agchem, semi-conductor, petrochemical, flavors and fragrances, polymer/plastic/resin industries, metal recovery, and others.
• Ability to understand plant diagrams and schematics and the various associated units.     

PFAUDLER PRODUCT KNOWLEDGE (LIBRARY SKILLS) - Understanding Pfaudler product features and services in order to present their benefits to customers accurately and persuasively.   These include:

• Glass-Lined Equipment
• Fluoropolymer Products
• Aftermarket Products/Services 
• Wiped Film Evaporators (WFE's)
• Engineered Systems 
• Interseal shaft sealing technology
• Instrumentation
• Mavag filtration and drying products
• Normag borosilicate glass equipment, component and systems
• Alloy Equipment/Mixers
• Re-glassing & product refurbishment
• Field Service

Pfaudler is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.