Industrial Business Development Manager

Vertical Supply Group is seeking an experienced Business Development Manager / Manufacturer’s Representative to accelerate the growth of our premium brands within the Industrial Distribution market across North America. This is NOT a traditional outside sales position. Success in this role requires someone who understands how large industrial distributors operate—from corporate leadership to branch operations and knows how to create demand, influence specifications, and help distributor partners win business.

The ideal candidate is a relationship builder who thrives in complex selling environments, understands long sales cycles, and can connect end‑user opportunities with distributor partners to drive sustainable growth. You will represent a portfolio of industry‑leading brands in industrial safety, rope, rigging, lifting, and work‑at‑height solutions while serving as the primary advocate for Vertical Supply Group throughout the industrial distribution channel.

• Develop and execute a strategic plan to grow Vertical Supply Group’s presence within the Industrial Distribution channel.
• Identify and prioritize target distributors, corporate accounts, and strategic growth opportunities throughout North America.
• Develop multi‑year growth strategies with key distributor partners.

• Build relationships at every level of distributor organizations, including:
• Corporate leadership
• Category managers
• Regional management
• Branch leadership
• Outside sales teams
• Product specialists
• Become a trusted advisor to distributor partners through consistent engagement and value creation.
• Conduct regular business reviews and develop joint growth plans.

• Work alongside distributor sales teams to identify, develop, and close end‑user opportunities.
• Create pull‑through demand by supporting major end users, contractors, utilities, industrial manufacturers, and safety professionals.
• Assist distributor representatives with product demonstrations, technical support, customer visits, and training.
• Influence specifications and product selection to position Vertical Supply Group brands for success.

• Identify and pursue new distributor partnerships where strategic.
• Expand existing distributor relationships by increasing product penetration and share of wallet.
• Manage long‑term sales opportunities through the entire sales cycle.
• Support contract opportunities, national account initiatives, and strategic projects.

• Deliver product training to distributor personnel and end users.
• Represent Vertical Supply Group at industry trade shows, distributor meetings, sales events, and customer demonstrations.
• Serve as the market expert for our portfolio of premium brands.

• Work closely with Marketing, Product Management, Customer Service, Operations, and Sales Leadership to execute channel strategies.
• Provide market intelligence, competitive insights, and customer feedback.
• Maintain accurate opportunity and activity reporting within the CRM system.

• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in channel sales, manufacturer’s representation, industrial distribution, or related B2B sales.
• Demonstrated success selling through large industrial distributors such as Motion Industries, Applied Industrial Technologies, Fastenal, Grainger, MSC, Core & Main, or similar organizations.
• Strong understanding of how industrial distributors operate, including corporate and branch‑level decision making.
• Proven ability to build relationships across multiple organizational levels.
• Experience managing long sales cycles and complex selling environments.
• Strong…