Business Development Manager - Paper Mills

Jobot; Richmond (VA); Remote; USD 100,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading equipment supplier based in the Southeast is seeking a Business Development Manager to drive new business opportunities in the pulp and paper industry. This role involves building relationships with key accounts and expanding the customer base. Candidates should have extensive sales experience in industrial manufacturing and excellent communication skills. The position offers a competitive salary of $100,000 to $160,000 per year with bonus opportunities and requires some travel.

Benefits

Commission/Bonus structure

Flexible travel requirements

Qualifications

• 5–7+ years of sales or business development experience in industrial manufacturing.
• Proven track record of selling into mills or large industrial facilities.
• Strong engineering or process background preferred.

Responsibilities

• Develop new business opportunities across pulp, paper, packaging, and related mills.
• Build strong local relationships with mill operations and procurement teams.
• Manage 10–15 key accounts; prioritize large mills and packaging-oriented customers.

Skills

Sales experience

Communication skills

Relationship building

Organizational skills

Education

Bachelor or Graduate degree in Engineering or Business

Tools

Word

Excel

Job description

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This Jobot Job is hosted by : Julia Toms

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Salary : $100,000 - $160,000 per year

A bit about us :

Our client is a full-line supplier offering a wide range of equipment and services for pulp production, including wood processing, chemical pulping, mechanical pulping, and recycling. The company focuses on sustainability and efficiency through technologies that reduce emissions, improve resource use, and support the circular economy.

Why join us?

Title : Business Development Manager – Southeast Region

Location :

Southeast U.S. (remote, near mills / customers; some travel required)

Travel Requirements (Flexible)

• 2–3 weeks per month on the road.
• 1–3 nights per week overnight travel, depending on mill activity.

Compensation & Benefits

• Base salary : $100–$160k+ (depending on experience).
• Commission / Bonus : 20% target commission (structure approx. 75 / 25 split base to commission).

Key Responsibilities

• Develop new business opportunities across pulp, paper, packaging, and related mills in the Southeast.
• Build strong local relationships with mill operations, engineering, and procurement teams.
• Penetrate mills and uncover opportunities through consistent presence and credibility.
• Execute corporate sales strategy within the Southeast, adapting for local mill needs.
• Manage 10–15 key accounts; prioritize large mills and packaging-oriented customers.
• Convert corporate introductions into regional opportunities and closed deals.
• Collaborate with regional managers, sales engineers, and technical resources to deliver solutions.
• Identify unmet needs and market gaps; propose solutions to expand footprint.
• Represent the company at local industry events, customer meetings, and site visits.
• Assess mill and competitive landscapes to develop account plans and execute to achieve order growth in collaboration with Regional, Corporate and Product Management Teams
• Responsible for reaching annual Fabrics & Rolls revenue and margin growth within target mills
• Responsible for supporting individual Account Strategies and implementation of the Sales Process in the Southeast and Southwest regions
• Accountable for delivering annual growth targets with reach to all functional and leadership resources in the Fabrics & Rolls organizational matrix
• Leverage experience and skills to progress the Sales Process and execute upon this locally

Qualifications :

• 5–7+ years of sales or business development experience in industrial manufacturing, pulp & paper, packaging, or related heavy industries. Greater than five years’ paper industry experience and knowledge of machine clothing & rolls would be beneficial
• Strong engineering or process background preferred (ability to understand mill operations).
• Proven track record of selling into mills or large industrial facilities.
• Comfortable working independently in the field; ability to manage long sales cycles.
• Excellent communication, relationship-building, and organizational skills.
• Personality : energetic, strategic, humble, and highly sales oriented.
• Bachelor or Graduate degree in Engineering, Business preferred, and / or extensive maintenance, production, or sales experience within the paper or other related applicable industry
• Possesses a contemporary approach to business analytics and sales process execution
• Holds strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate clearly in both written and verbal formats
• Has the ability to work independently and collaboratively throughout internal and customer networks
• Requires strong computer skills, including a strong understanding of Word, Excel, and general database management
• Aptitude and skills for performing in a data driven manner
• Has character traits including Connectedness, Achiever, Discipline, Strategic and Individualization

Interested in hearing more? Easy Apply now by clicking the \"Apply Now\" button.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Jobot is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We provide an inclusive work environment that celebrates diversity and all qualified candidates receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, age (40 and over), disability, military status, genetic information or any other basis protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Jobot also prohibits harassment of applicants or employees based on any of these protected categories. It is Jobot’s policy to comply with all applicable federal, state and local laws respecting consideration of unemployment status in making hiring decisions.

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