Specification Sales Manager

JLH Lighting; United States; Hybrid; USD 60,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Base salary with uncapped commission

Medical, dental, vision premiums paid

Simple IRA with 3% match

Travel and business expenses covered

Job summary

JLH Lighting is seeking a Specification Sales Manager to drive growth in grocery, retail, and commercial markets from our St. Louis area HQ or remotely.

You will develop new opportunities, secure Luxco fixtures in specifications, and expand the distribution channel. Reporting to the President, this role requires 5+ years in lighting sales, deep specifier relationships, strong presentation skills, and comfort traveling up to 50%.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of sales experience in lighting, with preference for specification-driven sales.
• Established relationships with specifiers, design firms, distributors, and owners in grocery, retail, or commercial.
• Willing to travel up to 50% as needed.
• Strong communication, time management, and MS Office skills.
• Knowledge of the lighting specification process and how to keep a spec from being flipped.

Responsibilities

• Develop new sales opportunities focusing on grocery, C-store, retail, and commercial markets.
• Get Luxco specified by building relationships with specifiers, architects, designers, and store-design firms.
• Grow the Luxco distribution channel by managing electrical distributors and lighting agents.
• Utilize JLH capabilities for design wins, including layouts and complete-package supply.
• Help design products by relaying customer feedback to product development.
• Protect and maintain specifications through bid and substitution processes.
• Prepare and deliver product trainings and presentations for specifiers, distributors, and end users.
• Maintain an accurate pipeline, forecast, and account activity in HubSpot.
• Attend meetings, sales events, trade shows, and conferences; travel up to 50%.

Skills

5+ years lighting sales

Specification-driven sales

Industry relationships

Excellent communication

Time management

Travel readiness

Tools

HubSpot

MS Office

Job description

Specification-Driven Sales | Hybrid (St. Louis Area) or Remote

The grocery store is the hub of every community. We make it beautiful - and now we're bringing that same standard to retail and commercial spaces.

JLH Lighting and our manufacturing subsidiary, Luxco Lighting, are expanding. We are seeking Specification Sales Managers with a proven record of selling into and through the specification channel - lighting specifiers, architecture and design firms, and electrical distributors - serving the Grocery, C-Store, Retail, and Commercial markets. Grocery is our foundation and remains our core; Retail and Commercial are where we're growing, and this role will lead that charge.

Reporting directly to the President, the candidate must be a motivated self-starter with established industry contacts who is willing to travel as needed. Excellent communication and time management skills are vital to succeed in this position - the role can be hybrid out of our St. Louis-area headquarters or fully remote, and either way you should live within reasonable reach of a major airport. As soon as you are brought on board and trained, you will be unleashed into the market with the tools and flexibility you need to make every project shine.

Responsibilities & Duties

• Develop new sales opportunities: focusing on grocery, C-store, retail, and commercial, while driving the sales efforts to close them
• Get Luxco specified: build and maintain relationships with lighting specifiers, architects, interior designers, and store design firms, and get Luxco fixtures written into their specifications and standard fixture packages
• Grow the Luxco distribution channel: establish and manage electrical distributor and lighting agent relationships to expand our reach
• Utilize JLH where design wins the deal: full lighting layouts, standard fixture package development, and complete-package supply when selling direct, or when a distributor or designer wants a layout behind the sale
• Help design what you sell: the sales team is an integral part of product development, you're the one in front of customers hearing the good and the bad, and that field input directly shapes Luxco fixture specifications and new products
• Protect and hold specifications: Keeping the spec throughout the bid, value-engineering, and substitution process
• Prepare and deliver presentations: including product trainings and lunch-and-learns for specifiers, distributors, and end users
• Operate as the key point of contact for new accounts
• Maintain an accurate pipeline, forecast, and account activity in our CRM (HubSpot)
• Attend meetings, sales events, trade shows, and conferences as needed
• Travel up to 50%, based on need rather than a travel benchmark
• 5+ years of sales experience in lighting (10+ ideal); specification-driven sales experience strongly preferred
• Established relationships with specifiers, design firms, distributors, and/or owners in grocery (national account and/or independent - NGA), retail, or commercial
• Working knowledge of the specification process - design, spec, bid, buy - and how to keep a spec from being flipped
• Self-motivated with a results-driven approach
• Excellent listening, verbal, and written communication skills
• Superior time management skills
• Outstanding knowledge of MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
• Ability to direct and manage multiple sales efforts simultaneously

The most successful candidate will have established relationships with lighting specifiers, store design and architecture firms, electrical distributors, and owner or construction contacts across grocers, supermarkets, C-stores, retail, and commercial.

• Base salary of $60,000-$150,000, depending on the commission mix you choose - higher base with standard commission, lower base with aggressive commission upside, or somewhere in between. Commission is uncapped in every structure
• Medical, dental, and vision premiums covered 100% for the employee; spouse and dependent coverage available at the employee’s expense through payroll deduction.
• Simple IRA with 3% company match
• All approved travel and business expenses covered

About JLH Lighting & Luxco Lighting

JLH Lighting and Luxco Lighting are a vertically integrated team serving grocers, retail, and commercial spaces across the US and Canada. Luxco Lighting (LuxcoLight.com) manufactures LED fixtures sold through specifiers and distribution nationwide. JLH Lighting (JLHLighting.com) provides lighting design and full-package supply - featuring Luxco alongside fixtures sourced from any other manufacturer, because our selection approach is simple: "The best fixture for the application and price", regardless of brand. Design, specification, distribution, and manufacturing under one roof, with a lighting plan and complete lighting package for any size project and budget.

JLH Lighting and Luxco Lighting are equal opportunity employers. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.