National Distribution Manager

Rare Bird Recruiting, LLC; Wexford (Allegheny County); Remote; USD 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Job summary

Rare Bird Recruiting, LLC client is seeking a National Distribution Manager to lead the development and expansion of a U.S. distributor network.

The role focuses on creating a two- to three-year growth strategy, strengthening existing partnerships, recruiting new distributors, and expanding market presence across hydraulic and industrial markets. The ideal candidate will drive distributor-led revenue growth through joint planning, training, and nationwide travel, while collaborating with

Qualifications

• 5+ years of progressive sales, channel management, or business development experience in industrial markets.
• Experience selling technical products through independent distributors.
• Background in hydraulic components, fluid power, industrial instrumentation, motion control, or related products.
• Proven ability to grow sales through existing partners while developing new distributor relationships.
• Strong negotiation, relationship management, and strategic planning skills.
• Ability to work independently in a remote, nationally focused position.
• Willingness to travel extensively throughout the United States.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a two- to three-year national distribution growth strategy.
• Evaluate current distributor network, including sales performance, geographic coverage, product knowledge, market penetration, and growth potential.
• Identify underserved markets and recruit qualified new distribution partners.
• Establish distributor selection criteria, performance expectations, and ongoing evaluation processes.
• Develop strategic relationships with regional and national distributors serving hydraulic, fluid power, and industrial equipment markets.
• Drive increased revenue through existing distribution partners.
• Develop joint business plans, sales targets, and growth initiatives with key distributors.
• Conduct regular distributor visits, business reviews, and performance evaluations.
• Identify opportunities to expand product penetration within existing distributor accounts.
• Provide product training, sales support, and market development assistance.
• Work with distributor sales teams to identify new end-user and OEM opportunities.
• Identify new markets, applications, and customers.
• Build relationships with distributor ownership, senior management, sales leadership, and technical sales personnel.
• Monitor competitive activity, market trends, and distribution opportunities.
• Represent company at industry trade shows, distributor meetings, and customer events.
• Collaborate with U.S. leadership and international counterparts on commercial growth initiatives.
• Establish measurable KPIs for distributor performance and network expansion.
• Track distributor revenue, growth, sales opportunities, and market coverage.
• Provide regular reporting and recommendations to company leadership.
• Develop sales forecasts and contribute to annual business planning.

Skills

Sales leadership

Channel management

Distributor networks

Industrial markets

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, or related field

Job description

National Distribution Manager

Our client is seeking an experienced National Distribution Manager to lead the development and expansion of its U.S. distributor network.

This is a newly created position offering the opportunity to build and execute a comprehensive national distribution strategy. The successful candidate will evaluate and strengthen existing distributor relationships, identify opportunities to increase sales through current partners, and recruit and develop new distributors across the United States.

This individual will play a key role in expanding market presence and establishing a high-performing distribution network over the next several years.

Key Responsibilities

Distribution Strategy & Network Development

• Develop and execute a two- to three-year national distribution growth strategy.

• Evaluate the current distributor network, including sales performance, geographic coverage, product knowledge, market penetration, and growth potential.

• Identify underserved markets and recruit qualified new distribution partners.

• Establish distributor selection criteria, performance expectations, and ongoing evaluation processes.

• Develop strategic relationships with regional and national distributors serving hydraulic, fluid power, and industrial equipment markets.

Distributor Sales Growth

• Drive increased revenue through existing distribution partners.

• Develop joint business plans, sales targets, and growth initiatives with key distributors.

• Conduct regular distributor visits, business reviews, and performance evaluations.

• Identify opportunities to expand product penetration within existing distributor accounts.

• Provide product training, sales support, and market development assistance.

• Work with distributor sales teams to identify new end-user and OEM opportunities.

Business Development & Market Expansion

• Identify new markets, applications, and customers.

• Build relationships with distributor ownership, senior management, sales leadership, and technical sales personnel.

• Monitor competitive activity, market trends, and distribution opportunities.

• Represent company at industry trade shows, distributor meetings, and customer events.

• Collaborate with U.S. leadership and international counterparts on commercial growth initiatives.

Performance Management

• Establish measurable KPIs for distributor performance and network expansion.

• Track distributor revenue, growth, sales opportunities, and market coverage.

• Provide regular reporting and recommendations to company leadership.

• Develop sales forecasts and contribute to annual business planning.

Qualifications

Required

• 5+ years of progressive sales, channel management, or business development experience in industrial markets.

• Demonstrated success managing, developing, or expanding distributor networks.

• Experience selling technical products through independent distributors.

• Background in hydraulic components, fluid power, industrial instrumentation, motion control, or related products.

• Proven ability to grow sales through existing partners while developing new distributor relationships.

• Strong negotiation, relationship management, and strategic planning skills.

• Ability to work independently in a remote, nationally focused position.

• Willingness to travel extensively throughout the United States.

Preferred

• Experience developing a national or multi-regional distribution strategy.

• Existing relationships with hydraulic and fluid power distributors.

• Familiarity with hydraulic testing, measurement, diagnostics, sensors, or fluid connectors.

• Experience working for an international industrial manufacturer.

• Experience establishing distributor agreements, territory coverage plans, and channel performance programs.

• Bachelor's degree in business, engineering, or a related field.

Ideal Candidate

The ideal candidate is a commercially driven distribution professional who understands how industrial distributors operate and how to motivate them to sell a manufacturer's products.

This person combines strategic thinking with hands‑on relationship building and is comfortable developing a distribution program within a growing U.S. organization.

Success will be measured by stronger existing distributor performance, improved national market coverage, new distribution partnerships, and sustainable revenue growth.

Location & Travel

Remote, with regular national travel to distributors, prospective partners, customers, and industry events.

Compensation

Competitive base salary, performance-based incentive compensation, and benefits. Specific compensation structure to be determined.