Sales Consultant – HVAC

Ketchum & Walton, Co.; Columbus (OH); On-site; USD 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual contribution into ESOP account

100% employer-paid healthcare premiums

Biannual bonus opportunities

Paid time off, holidays, and leaves

401(k) retirement plan

Job summary

Ketchum & Walton, Co. is seeking an HVAC Sales Consultant to develop and execute sales plans in the Columbus, OH area. The role demands strong relationship-building and negotiation skills, along with a technical understanding of industry products. Responsibilities include managing customer relationships, requirement analysis, and ensuring thorough documentation of sales processes. Ideal candidates will have a Bachelor’s degree in engineering and proven sales experience across diverse market segments. Full-time, in-office position. Benefits include employer-paid healthcare and annual contributions to ESOP.

Qualifications

• Proven ability to develop and execute sales plans across diverse market segments.
• Strong knowledge of industry products and applications, including technical drawing interpretation.
• Skilled negotiator with the ability to handle objections and secure customer commitments.

Responsibilities

• Develop and maintain a documented sales plan covering various market segments.
• Build and maintain long-term relationships with clients and industry professionals.
• Ensure all turnover documents are thoroughly completed.

Skills

Relationship Building

Negotiation

Sales Process Proficiency

Customer Knowledge

Technical Drawing Interpretation

Education

Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field

Additional education or certifications in relevant fields

Job description

Who we are:

Ketchum & Walton is a trusted manufacturers’ representative serving industry leaders in Noise Control, HVAC Equipment, and Indoor Air Quality. We help clients achieve greater efficiency and cost savings through innovative solutions in air filtration, architectural and interior noise control, HVAC systems, and vibration isolation. We’re proud to partner with top-tier manufacturers who are committed to continuous improvement, cutting‑edge research, and advancing technology. Our work environment reflects these values—creative, collaborative, and focused on solving complex problems for our clients. At Ketchum & Walton, our core values are the foundation of everything we do. We’re a team that thinks strategically, works collectively, and strives to be a world‑class organization. If you’re driven, innovative, and ready to make an impact, we’d love to hear from you.

What we need:

The HVAC Sales Consultant is results‑driven and strategically aligned, requiring a proactive, competitive, and focused individual. It demands quick decision‑making, innovation, and the ability to lead with confidence and urgency through change. Our ideal candidate is a motivating, goal‑oriented leader who communicates effectively, adapts quickly, and thrives in a fast‑paced environment. Delegation, accountability, and high performance are key. Though we operate as a team, the salesperson is expected to work independently by planning and strategizing their own sales plan.

Key Responsibilities

• Documented Sales Plan (Cookbook) – Includes defining market segments such as Healthcare, Pharma, Industrial, Education, Government, Commercial, and Mission Critical. It covers territory management, organizing social events like trade shows, trade associations, lunch & learns, and personal entertainment. Sales activities including project takeoffs, submittals, contractor appointments, prospecting, site inspections, and entertainment are tracked diligently. The plan also requires accurate forecasting and budgeting of annual sales volume, margins, and product mix.
• Industry Knowledge – Understanding appropriate product applications for each building code primarily as it relates to vibration isolation, sound control and seismic bracing. Familiarity with online search tools and media resources such as trade journals and business periodicals, and awareness of competitors’ products, pricing, lead times, and services. Additionally, it requires the ability to read and interpret mechanical drawings and specifications.
• Customer Knowledge – Recognizing behavioral characteristics and culture of clients (using tools like DISC), identifying and understanding the roles and influence of specifiers, influencers, and decision‑makers, as well as understanding key performance drivers and success criteria by identifying and eliminating pain points. It also includes recognizing personal vulnerabilities within customer relationships and promptly mitigating risks, plus qualifying customers to ensure alignment with business goals.
• Relationship Skills – Building and maintaining long‑term relationships, networking effectively with clients and industry professionals to achieve business goals and ROI, contributing productively to team environments, and continuously self‑reflecting through customer feedback to improve service quality.
• Selling Skills – Following a proven sales process to improve results and shorten sales cycles. Key skills include prospecting and developing new business, setting meetings with clear upfront contracts, building rapport, employing strategic questioning to uncover customer needs, active listening and observation of verbal and non‑verbal cues, presenting solutions that address those needs, using innovative sales tools (like manufacturer analytics and multimedia presentations), matching solutions and pricing to ensure win‑win outcomes, providing well‑written, detailed proposals, handling objections effectively, negotiating for positive results without selling on price alone, and securing customer commitment to proceed.
• Product Knowledge – Deep understanding of product features and benefits, proficient use of manufacturers’ sales tools, technical expertise to ensure correct application, ability to generate project‑ or customer‑specific specifications, comprehensive knowledge of the mechanical contracting industry and engineering principles, and capability to provide field guidance for installation and troubleshooting. Basic Sales Responsibilities include:
  • Vibration Isolation of mechanical equipment and mechanical systems
  • Engineering Services
  • Seismic Engineering
  • Pipe Stress Analysis
  • Pipe Riser Analysis
  • Acoustical Products – Sound Attenuators
  • Barrier Walls – Acoustical Louvers and Enclosures
• Quoting – Often involves direct negotiation with the owner, setting up new customers including ACH payments, credit applications, coordinating with factories to obtain scopes and quotes, compiling proposals for bidding contractors, and following up with customers to assess potential low bidders and arrange scope reviews.
• Order Fulfillment – Ensures all turnover documents are thoroughly completed. In some cases the salesperson will take full responsibility on order entry, procurement and delivery to the customer. At other times, all documents will be turned over to inside sales. The salesperson at times must offer support to collections efforts when requested.
• Travel: 15‑25%
• Technology Proficiency – Requires 75+% of the time taking off mechanical plans, schedules and specs and interpreting them quickly for project bids. Though this is an outside sales role, it will require a large portion of in‑office time reviewing project plans and specifications to ensure adequate bid day coverage of our customers (mainly mechanical contractors).
• Other duties as assigned

What you need: Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field.
• Additional education or certifications in relevant fields are a plus including but not limited to mechanical contracting and acoustical consulting.
• Proven ability to develop and execute sales plans across diverse market segments.
• Strong knowledge of industry products and applications, including technical drawing interpretation.
• Excellent relationship‑building skills with a deep understanding of customer needs and decision‑making processes.
• Proficient in a structured sales process (e.g., Sandler), with strong prospecting, qualifying, and closing abilities.
• Skilled negotiator with the ability to handle objections and secure customer commitments.
• Effective communicator, both written and verbal, with strong networking and teamwork capabilities.
• Analytical mindset with experience managing bids, pricing, and competitive analysis.
• Detail‑oriented and organized in managing orders, documentation, and project turnover.

Reports to: Director of Sales. Status: Full‑Time, in office. Job Class: Exempt.

We are proud to be 100% employee‑owned (ESOP) and committed to investing in our people.

Benefits

• Annual contribution into ESOP account
• 100% employer‑paid healthcare premiums
• Biannual bonus opportunities
• Paid time off, holidays, and leaves
• 401(k) retirement plan
• And more!

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. Employment decisions are based on qualifications, merit, and business need—regardless of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other protected status under applicable law.

Position Location

• Philadelphia, PA