Business Development Manager – Automotive OEM & Tier Supplier Solutions

Freudenberg; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 95,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Freudenberg is seeking an OEM Business Development leader to drive growth in automotive markets across OEMs and Tier suppliers. You will map decision structures, build cross-functional relationships, and lead lubricant specification programs to win approvals and inclusion on OEM lists.

Travel nationally and internationally will be required as you coordinate with global teams and develop strategic opportunities in new platforms, EV programs, and battery supply chains.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Technical Sales, Business, Chemistry, Tribology, or related field.
• MBA preferred.
• 7+ years of automotive business development, technical sales, or account management experience.
• Experience selling into automotive OEMs and Tier suppliers.
• Proven success navigating complex manufacturing organizations.
• Experience with industrial lubricants, specialty chemicals, metalworking fluids, process chemicals, assembly materials, automation solutions, or related technologies.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute growth strategies for targeted automotive OEMs.
• Identify and map decision-making structures within OEM organizations.
• Establish relationships with engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, maintenance, sustainability, and operations leadership.
• Drive lubricant specification and approval programs across vehicle assembly operations.
• Lead efforts to secure inclusion on OEM-approved lubricant lists.
• Identify new platform, vehicle program, battery, powertrain, and assembly opportunities.
• Develop strategic relationships with Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 suppliers.
• Identify suppliers strongly influenced by OEM lubricant requirements.
• Convert approved OEM specifications into supplier production opportunities.
• Leverage OEM approvals to multiply business throughout the automotive supply chain.
• Work closely with customer engineering teams to validate and implement lubrication solutions.
• Create organizational maps identifying key stakeholders and influence strategies.
• Develop and lead strategic account management and global opportunity coordination.

Skills

Automotive sales experience

Strategic account management

Executive stakeholder communication

Relationship building across functions

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering/related field

MBA preferred

Job description

Working at Freudenberg: We will wow your world!

OEM Business Development

• Develop and execute growth strategies for targeted automotive OEMs.
• Identify and map decision-making structures within OEM organizations.
• Establish relationships with engineering, manufacturing, quality, purchasing, maintenance, sustainability, and operations leadership.
• Drive lubricant specification and approval programs across vehicle assembly operations.
• Lead efforts to secure inclusion on OEM-approved lubricant lists.
• Identify new platform, vehicle program, battery, powertrain, and assembly opportunities.

Tier Supplier Penetration

• Develop strategic relationships with Tier 1, Tier 2, and Tier 3 suppliers.
• Identify suppliers strongly influenced by OEM lubricant requirements.
• Convert approved OEM specifications into supplier production opportunities.
• Leverage OEM approvals to multiply business throughout the automotive supply chain.

Work closely with customer engineering teams to validate and implement lubrication solutions.

Stakeholder & Decision-Maker Navigation

• Create organizational maps identifying: Manufacturing Engineering Process Engineering Industrial Engineering Maintenance Management Operations Leadership Purchasing Quality Assurance EH&S Product Development Corporate Materials Engineering
• Develop influence strategies for each stakeholder group.
• Understand customer approval processes, purchasing cycles, and technical qualification requirements.

Technical Sales Leadership

• Position specialty lubricants based on: Productivity improvements, Reduced downtime, Energy efficiency, Total Cost of Ownership (TCO), Component life extension, Warranty protection, Sustainability initiatives
• Coordinate technical evaluations, product trials, testing, and validation programs.
• Support root-cause investigations and lubrication-related performance improvements.

Strategic Account Management

• Develop and maintain a robust opportunity pipeline.
• Manage long sales cycles common to automotive OEM programs.
• Forecast project development and expected revenue.
• Conduct executive-level business reviews with key accounts.
• Coordinate global opportunities with regional and international teams.

Market Intelligence

• Monitor automotive manufacturing trends including: Electric vehicle production, Battery manufacturing, Powertrain evolution, Automation and robotics, Lightweight materials, Sustainability initiatives.
• Track competitor activities, approvals, and specifications.
• Identify emerging opportunities for growth.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Technical Sales, Business, Chemistry, Tribology, or related field.
• MBA preferred.
• 7+ years of automotive business development, technical sales, or account management experience.
• Experience selling into automotive OEMs and Tier suppliers.
• Proven success navigating complex manufacturing organizations.
• Experience with industrial lubricants, specialty chemicals, metalworking fluids, process chemicals, assembly materials, automation solutions, or related technologies.

Preferred Experience

• Preferred experience in automotive assembly processes, manufacturing engineering, lubrication technology, EV/battery manufacturing, robotics and automation, OEM approval processes, IATF 16949 environment.

Physical Requirements

Requires regular domestic travel and occasional international travel, including overnight stays, approximately 50% of the time. Visit customer facilities/plants and perform equipment inspections which require the use of personal protective equipment or other onsite required gear. Frequent use of keyboard, typing and use of personal computer and/or handheld devices.

Communication skills

verbal, writing, public speaking, and presentation

The Freudenberg Group is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion. Employment opportunities are available to all applicants and associates without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), gender identity or expression, national origin, ancestry, age, mental or physical disability, genetic information, marital status, familial status, sexual orientation, protected military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Klüber Lubrication NA LP

Welcome to Freudenberg Without Freudenberg, indoor air would not be as clean, cars would not drive and wounds would not heal as quickly. And these are just three examples from thousands of our applications. Working at Freudenberg: "We will wow your world!" This is our promise. As a global technology group, we not only make the world cleaner, healthier and more comfortable, but also offer our 51,000 employees a networked and diverse environment where everyone can thrive individually. Be surprised and experience your own wow moments.