Manufacturing Solutions Sales Manager

Openwork, formerly Meador Staffing Services; Pasadena (TX); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Openwork is assisting a client to fill a Sales Manager – Manufacturing Solutions role in the Houston, TX area. The position focuses on new business development in a highly technical manufacturing environment, driving growth and expanding customer relationships.

Ideal candidates will have a track record in technical B2B sales within specialty chemicals or contract manufacturing settings, with ability to manage the full sales cycle from discovery to contract close and negotiation.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemistry, Chemical Engineering, Engineering, Business, or a related technical field.
• Approximately 5–10 years of relevant sales, technical sales, or business development experience.
• Demonstrated success developing new business and meeting or exceeding sales goals.
• Experience managing complex B2B opportunities and extended sales cycles.
• Working knowledge of manufacturing operations, chemical processing, raw materials, quality requirements, or product commercialization.
• Experience with contract or toll manufacturing is highly desirable.
• Strong commercial judgment and understanding of customer economics and profitability.
• Experience with opportunity qualification, pipeline management, commercial negotiations, contracts, NDAs, and deal execution.
• Ability to communicate effectively with both technical and commercial stakeholders. Strong presentation, negotiation, relationship-management, and follow-through skills.
• Ability to influence and coordinate cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Willingness to travel approximately 25–40%.

Responsibilities

• Identify, develop, and close new manufacturing and technical business opportunities.
• Build and maintain a strong pipeline of qualified prospects.
• Develop new customers while expanding opportunities within existing accounts.
• Understand customer manufacturing processes, product specifications, raw-material requirements, production volumes, quality standards, and commercialization goals.
• Translate technical and manufacturing requirements into commercially viable solutions.
• Prepare proposals and lead commercial negotiations through contract execution.
• Develop relationships with technical, operations, procurement, commercial, and executive-level stakeholders.
• Partner with internal R&D, Engineering, Operations, EHS&Q, Procurement, and Commercial teams to evaluate and execute customer opportunities.
• Coordinate technical evaluations, samples, testing, qualification, and commercialization activities.
• Negotiate commercial terms while maintaining profitability objectives.
• Manage complex, extended sales cycles with strong organization and follow-through.

Skills

Technical sales

New business development

Pipeline management

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in Chemistry

Job description

Openwork is assisting a client to fill a Sales Manager – Manufacturing Solutions role in the Houston, TX area. The position focuses on new business development in a highly technical manufacturing environment, driving growth and expanding customer relationships.

Ideal candidates will have a track record in technical B2B sales within specialty chemicals or contract manufacturing settings, with ability to manage the full sales cycle from discovery to contract close and negotiation.