Business Development Manager - Aerospace & Defense Platforms, Vantage Surface Treatment Technologies

Position Summary & Scope

The role of Business Development Manager for Aerospace & Defense Platforms is critical to the success of our Surface Treatment Technologies (STT) business.  Expect to utilize your experience in military, defense, or aerospace industry contract sales, business development and in gaining new qualifications to this unique role that will drive the rapid growth of our STT business through direct, customer-facing engagements. In a business development capacity, you’ll hunt for new opportunities with some of the largest Aerospace and Defense organizations in the world while vetting targets to drive business growth. You’ll lean on your experience building relationships at the right levels with key OEM’s while knocking down barriers to position our STT products as new qualifications.  You’ll also provide strategic and tactical direction, market knowledge, and product expertise to the global commercial sales network (including sales support) while meeting and exceeding profit and growth targets.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Primary responsibilities of OEM engagement, approval, and new qualification expansion.

• Drive and manage new product qualification & re-qualification activities at OEMs and MROs in Defense, Commercial and General Aviation sectors.

• Ensuring the proper strategies for our Aerospace and Defense market. Develop and manage global market and GTM sales strategies in Aerospace & Defense markets to support the commercial sales organization.

• Developing and executing a Channel Expansion strategy informing our go-to-market approach and options.

• Driving Relationships with Trade Partners or Distribution Partners in specific countries and ensuring qualifications are in place certifying our ability to sell into commercial Aerospace & Defense segments.

• Develop strategic customer accounts in collaboration with Regional Sales Managers worldwide.

• Provide commercial organization with market knowledge, product expertise, and collateral to support value-added, solution selling methods.

• Maintain internal alignment with Customer Service, Product Management, Sourcing, Marketing, R&D, Operations, and other internal functions to meet customer and business expectations.

• Develop market and sales forecasts, pricing trends, and competitor assessments.

• Build and manage business plans for New Product Introductions (NPIs), liaising with customers, allied partners, R&D, Regional Sales Managers, Product Management and other internal functions.

• Develop and maintain high-level relationships with strategic key accounts (OEMs/MROs) and allied partners across the Surface Treatment value chain.  

• Demonstrate a consistent flow of highly qualified new application opportunities.

• Attend applicable trade exhibitions as needed throughout the year

Note: The duties listed above are not all inclusive and may be subject to periodic updating or revision.

Education & Experience

Education: Bachelor's degree required, preferably in a technical or business-related field.

Experience:

• Minimum 5-10 years technical and solution/value selling sales experience in an industrial environment is required.

• 1 – 3 years experience working in Aerospace and Defense markets strongly preferred.

• Experience in gaining qualifications with trade partners or distribution partners to qualify products for specific regions / countries.

• Experience in Surface Treatment or Precision Cleaning industry is preferred but not required.

• Experience in the management of end-to-end sales projects.

• Demonstrated success in sales performance with a past track record of meeting / exceeding targets while obtaining strong support for your company's products on both current and developmental business

• Strong history of identifying and developing new opportunities for products in your area of expertise.

• Experience negotiating contracts and pricing agreements.

• Experience preparing and delivering presentations in front of customer groups and for various levels of company leadership.

• Experience using CRM systems, Outlook and Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint required.

• Experience driving specific KPIs including Target Market Growth, Target Customer Growth, Sales Cycle Time, Average Contract Value, Lead Conversion Rate, Win Rate, Customer Lifetime Value

Knowledge, Skills, & Talents

Detail the specific competencies, attributes, and skills needed for success in this role. Provide a bullet-point list of desired qualities, such as technical skills, interpersonal abilities, and any unique talents relevant to the position.

• Candidates who are ambitious, assertive and tenacious, with relentless focus on their customer will flourish in this role.

• Well-versed in using CRM tools for management of your sales territory, internal/external communication via email/instant messaging, as a tool for sales analysis, and for visual aids for sales presentations.

• Demonstrated balance of working well independently in the field while engaging and collaborating with colleagues at headquarters.

• Proficiency in value, solution-selling

• Excellent oral and written communication skills.

• Accomplished interpersonal and organizational abilities.

Working Conditions

• Remote role; Willing and able to travel 40% - 60% of the time.

Pay and Benefits

The estimated base pay range for this position is:  $110,000 - $165,000 annually.  Actual pay will be determined based on education, certifications, experience, qualifications, skills and geographic location.  This position is eligible to participate in a short-term incentive program.

Vantage offers a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees, including:

• Medical, HSA, dental, vision

• FSA (limited purpose, dependent care, and commuter/parking)

• Life and AD&D insurance

• Accident, hospital indemnity and critical illness insurance

• Short- and long-term disability

• EAP, identity theft protection

• Paid time off, Parental Leave

• 401(k) with company match

Equal Employment Opportunity

Vantage is an equal opportunity employer.  Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other protected category. 

About Vantage

Vantage provides natural solutions to our customers’ technical performance and marketing needs through a unique combination of chemistry, application expertise and service. Underpinned by our broad portfolio of formulations, ingredients and actives that are built on a backbone of sustainable oils, fats and their derivatives, Vantage targets selected markets and applications including personal care, food, surface treatment, agriculture, pharma, and consumer and industrial performance. Vantage is headquartered in Deerfield, IL., operates in 11 countries worldwide and employs more than 1,000 talented professionals focused on delivering exceptional customer experiences with every interaction.

We are a dynamic people-centered organization where you’ll be part of a collaborative global team. Embracing our cultural diversity, we learn from each other to constantly improve, adapt and iterate. We value the voices and talents of our colleagues, empowering them to drive their unique ideas to completion. We’re convinced that exceptionally motivated employees produce outstanding results and we celebrate them by fostering a culture of recognition, development, learning, excellence and shared achievement. Most importantly, we know you’re going to like it here.  For more information visit: vantagegrp.com or LinkedIn/vantage.