Area Business Manager

Missouri Enterprise; Rolla (MO); On-site; USD 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading consulting firm is seeking a Professional Business Advisor in Missouri to partner with manufacturing leaders. The role involves diagnosing operational challenges, aligning solutions, and managing client relationships. Candidates should have over five years of consultative business consulting experience within manufacturing and exhibit strong communication skills. If you thrive in a proactive, field-driven environment and are eager to help organizations grow, this position is well-suited for you.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in consultative, solution-based business consulting within manufacturing.
• Proven ability to interpret P&L and analyze operations.
• Exceptional listening skills for C-suite communication.

Responsibilities

• Conduct deep-dive discovery discussions to uncover needs.
• Align solutions with each client's long-term goals.
• Manage the full client lifecycle focusing on retention.
• Collaborate with experts to co-create tailored roadmaps.
• Prospect and engage decision-makers across organizations.

Skills

Consultative selling

Communication skills

Problem-solving mindset

Relationship building

Job description

Missouri Enterprise is seeking a Professional Business Advisor that will be a strategic partner to manufacturing leaders. Someone who can diagnose strategic and operational pain points, design solutions that drive measurable ROI, and build long-term, high-trust relationships across a defined territory in Missouri. This position is for the Central Region, focused on the Columbia and Rolla area, serving manufacturers across central Missouri. Depending on the individual though, other locations may be available. This is not a behind-the-desk, waiting-for-the-phone-to-ring position; you will be proactively in the field, consistently knocking on doors and working to reach the right decision-makers inside each organization.

You Will

• Conduct deep-dive discovery discussions to uncover strategic as well as operational needs such as bottlenecks, inefficiencies, and growth barriers.
• Align Missouri Enterprise's solutions with each client's long-term business and profitability goals.
• Manage the full client lifecycle with a focus on retention, expansion, and ongoing value creation.
• Collaborate with technical experts/ project managers to co-create tailored project roadmaps.
• Maintain a disciplined, data-driven pipeline focused on high-impact opportunities.
• Serve as a thought leader in the manufacturing community, connecting peers and sharing best practices.
• Consistently prospect, both in person and virtually, to identify, engage, and secure meetings with the correct stakeholders across complex organizations.

You Bring

• 5+ years in consultative, solution-based business consulting within manufacturing.
• Proven ability to interpret P&L and analyze operations to uncover value-creation opportunities.
• Exceptional listening and communication skills, including presenting complex solutions to the C-suite.
• A true "door-opening" mindset, with the persistence to navigate gatekeepers, identify economic buyers, and manage long, consultative sales cycles.

Interview requirement

Show us your sales process. All candidates will be asked to walk us through their personal consultative solution-sales methodology, covering:

• Research & Insight: How you identify high-intent manufacturing prospects and what signals you look for before first contact.
• Discovery Framework: How you structure diagnostic calls and move from "What do you need?" to "What is this problem costing you?"
• Solution Mapping: How you translate technical capabilities (for example Lean, workforce, quality, automation) into business outcomes like margin improvement, throughput gains, or risk reduction.
• Consensus Building: How you navigate multiple stakeholders (Plant Manager, Operations, HR, CFO, CEO) and build a coalition for change.
• Implementation & Value Verification: How you stay engaged post-sale to ensure value is realized, documented, and leveraged into future business and referrals.
• Sustainable Pipeline: How you keep a healthy pipeline through disciplined prospecting, clear stage definitions, and consistent follow up.

If you are energized by being out in the field, opening doors, and helping manufacturers in Missouri compete, grow, and win, not just closing one-off deals, this role is ready for you.