Business Developer

DuraTech Industries; Minneapolis (MN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

DuraTech Industries in Minneapolis seeks a Business Developer to grow its customer base and projects across the region. You will build multi-level relationships with key customers, engineering and operations teams, and expand opportunities from initial prospecting through quotation and production.

Candidates should have a Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, engineering, or manufacturing, plus experience selling engineered or custom products and working with independent manufacturers’

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, Manufacturing, or related field preferred.
• Experience selling engineered or custom-manufactured products.
• Experience working with independent manufacturers’ representatives is beneficial.
• Experience developing new accounts from prospecting through quotation, development and production.
• Candidates must live or be within commuting distance from Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Responsibilities

• Develop strong relationships within a select group of key customers and expand cross-functional engagement (engineering, product development, operations).
• Identify opportunities to introduce DuraTech capabilities and manage opportunities from initial concept to production.
• Coordinate with engineering, estimating, quality and operations to move opportunities through quotation and development.

Skills

Relationship building

Technical product understanding

Sales pipeline management

Remote territory management

Strong communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business/Marketing/Engineering/Manufacturing

Experience in manufacturing sales/business development

Tools

CRM software

Microsoft Office/Teams

Job description

DuraTech Industries is a growing global Printing Manufacturer located in La Crosse, Wisconsin. We have been manufacturing labels, overlays and metal nameplates for a variety of Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) in the automotive, computer, electronics, industrial and medical markets for the past 45 years. As our company expands, we need talented, forward-thinking team members to add to our team.

We work hard at making a positive, challenging and engaging environment.

We respect and value our people and recognize their diversity as a source of creativity. We value loyalty, dedication, hard work and pride in workmanship. We dedicate ourselves to provide a safe and fun work environment; one that promotes open communication, teamwork, learning and community involvement. Our Team Members are our greatest asset; our leadership in the industries we serve has been achieved because our people are the best.

We have an opening for a Business Developer in Minneapolis, Minnesota!

The business developer will grow DuraTech's business within the assigned region of Minneapolis by developing new customers and new projects, expanding relationships within selected strategic accounts, and supporting the development of independent sales representation as opportunities grow.

Strategic Account Relationships

• Develop strong, multi-level relationships within a select group of key DuraTech customers.
• Expand relationships beyond purchasing to include engineering, product development, operations, sourcing, quality, and management.
• Develop a thorough understanding of each customer’s business, products, markets, applications, and future priorities.
• Identify opportunities to introduce additional DuraTech capabilities, technologies, and services within existing accounts.
• Maintain regular contact with key customers and proactively identify upcoming programs, redesigns, product launches, and sourcing opportunities.
• Serve as a commercial resource to customers while coordinating with DuraTech engineering, estimating, customer service, quality, program management, and operations.
• Develop account growth plans for assigned strategic customers and maintain an active pipeline of opportunities within those accounts.
• Strengthen DuraTech’s position as a preferred long-term supplier and technical development partner.

New Customers & Project Development

• Proactively identify and pursue new customers that align with DuraTech’s target markets, technologies, and ideal customer profile.
• Generate new opportunities through direct prospecting, networking, industry contacts, trade organizations, referrals, digital leads, and other business development activities.
• Establish relationships with engineering, product development, sourcing, purchasing, operations, and other key decision-makers within prospective accounts.
• Identify customer applications where DuraTech’s capabilities can provide a technical, commercial, design, or supply-chain advantage.
• Work directly with prospective customers to understand applications, specifications, performance requirements, annual volumes, timing, and commercial expectations.
• Coordinate internally with engineering, estimating, quality, operations, customer service, and program management to move opportunities from initial concept through quotation and development.
• Remain actively involved throughout the development cycle to maintain customer communication, resolve commercial issues, and help convert opportunities into production business.
• Maintain an organized and measurable opportunity pipeline within the company CRM.
• Develop multiple relationships and opportunities within target accounts rather than relying on a single project or contact.
• Consistently build the regional pipeline with the goal of creating sustainable, profitable new revenue for DuraTech.

Development of Independent Sales Representatives

• Identify geographic areas and markets where independent manufacturers’ representatives could expand DuraTech’s reach and accelerate new-business development.
• Help identify, evaluate, and recommend qualified independent representative agencies that align with DuraTech’s markets, technologies, culture, and growth objectives.
• Develop productive working relationships with independent representatives operating within the assigned region.
• Educate representatives on DuraTech’s capabilities, target applications, ideal customer profiles, competitive advantages, and value proposition.
• Help representatives identify target accounts and develop qualified new-business opportunities.
• Provide the commercial and technical support necessary to advance representative-generated opportunities.
• Establish clear expectations regarding prospecting activity, opportunity development, CRM visibility, communication, and account ownership.
• Conduct regular reviews of representative activity, opportunities, challenges, and regional growth potential.
• Coordinate direct DuraTech involvement with customers when technical, engineering, commercial, or executive support is required.
• Help ensure representative activities complement DuraTech’s direct sales efforts and avoid account or territorial conflicts.
• Recommend expansion, modification, or replacement of representative coverage based on demonstrated performance and market opportunity.

Education and experience requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, Manufacturing, or a related field preferred.
• Equivalent combination of education, technical knowledge, and demonstrated business development or manufacturing sales experience will be considered.
• Experience selling engineered, custom-manufactured, or application-specific products is strongly preferred.
• Experience working directly with engineers, product designers, sourcing professionals, purchasing organizations, and manufacturing customers is preferred.
• Experience developing new accounts and opportunities from initial prospecting through quotation, development, and production is highly desirable.
• Experience working with or supporting independent manufacturers’ representatives is beneficial.
• Familiarity with printed electronics, graphic overlays, labels, membrane switches, functional printing, in-mold technologies, or related markets is beneficial but not required.

Knowledge, skills and abilities crucial to success in this role:

• Demonstrated ability and desire to develop new business rather than relying solely on established accounts or inbound opportunities.
• Strong relationship-building skills with the ability to develop credibility at multiple levels within customer organizations.
• Ability to understand technical products, manufacturing processes, customer applications, drawings, specifications, and engineering requirements.
• Ability to translate customer needs into clearly defined opportunities that can be effectively communicated to DuraTech’s technical and operational teams.
• Strong business acumen with an understanding of pricing, profitability, annual usage, opportunity value, competitive positioning, and the economics of manufacturing.
• Strong prospecting, questioning, listening, presentation, negotiation, and closing skills.
• Ability to recognize opportunities that may not be immediately apparent and connect customer challenges with DuraTech capabilities.
• Strong critical-thinking and problem-solving skills with the ability to work through complex technical and commercial opportunities.
• Self-directed and disciplined with the ability to effectively manage a remote territory, travel schedule, customer relationships, projects, and sales pipeline.
• Comfortable initiating contact and developing relationships with individuals and organizations where no previous DuraTech relationship exists.
• Ability to manage multiple opportunities and projects at various stages of development while maintaining appropriate follow-up and urgency.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Effective interpersonal skills and the ability to work collaboratively with Engineering, Operations, Quality, Estimating, Customer Service, Program Management, and senior leadership.
• Ability to professionally lead and influence independent sales representatives without direct supervisory authority.
• Proficient in the use of CRM systems and capable of maintaining accurate account, contact, activity, project, and opportunity information.
• Comfortable using Microsoft Office, Teams, digital prospecting tools, and other technology necessary to effectively operate in a remote sales environment.
• Willing and able to travel throughout the assigned region as necessary to develop customers, advance projects, support strategic accounts, and work with independent representatives.

Candidates must live or be within commuting distance from Minneapolis, Minnesota.