Sales Manager — Playground Safety Surfacing; Hybrid, NJ

Our client is an established New Jersey manufacturer and installer of rubber playground and recreation surfacing, with roughly two decades of hands-on Poured-in-Place (PIP) experience. They have the product, the install crews, and the internal expertise. What they need now is a sales leader to open new channels and, over time, build the sales team.

This is a ground-floor leadership role
. You will start as the lead hunter, working alongside an experienced internal team. After your first year, you will build and lead a sales team, with a clear path to Director or VP of Sales.

• Base salary: $85,000 to $110,000
  , based on experience
• Uncapped commission and performance bonuses, with on-target earnings of roughly $150,000 to $200,000+
• Health, dental, and vision benefits
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off
• Company card for travel expenses
• Clear path to Director or VP of Sales

Build new business

• Create and run a strategic sales plan to grow PIP surfacing revenue and market share across the Northeast and beyond
• Open new channels with general contractors, playground equipment manufacturers, independent rep groups, landscape architects, school districts, municipalities, parks and recreation departments, and daycare operators
• Prospect through networking, referrals, industry events, and outbound calling
• Pursue public bids and RFPs, and manage municipal purchasing processes from spec to award
• Meet or exceed monthly, quarterly, and annual sales goals

Manage and grow accounts

• Partner with the internal account management and installation teams to deliver on every project
• Build lasting relationships that turn one job into repeat business and account expansion
• Keep pipeline, activity, and customer data current in the CRM

Lead the market (and later, the team)

• Represent the company as a trusted expert on playground safety surfacing at trade shows, conferences, and association events
• Track industry trends, competitor activity, and safety standards (ASTM, ADA, CPSC)
• Work with marketing on campaigns and product launches
• In phase two, recruit, hire, and coach a sales team

Required

• 3 to 5+ years of B2B outside sales experience with a track record of hitting quota
• A consultative, process-driven approach to selling
• Strong verbal, written, and presentation skills
• Based in the Northeast (NJ/NY preferred) and able to be in the Lakewood, NJ office 2 to 3 days per week
• Willing to travel regularly, including overnight and air travel
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Construction Management, or a related field, or equivalent experience

Strongly preferred

• Sales experience in the playground industry: equipment manufacturer, independent rep group, or surfacing company
• Working knowledge of how playground projects are sold: rep groups, GCs, landscape architects, and municipal decision makers
• Direct experience selling Poured-in-Place rubber surfacing
• Existing relationships with playground rep groups, GCs, or municipal buyers in the Northeast
• Experience with public bids, RFPs, and municipal purchasing
• Experience with Salesforce, Hub Spot, Microsoft Dynamics, or a similar CRM

Coming from outside the playground industry? Our client will also consider proven sales managers from adjacent industries (building products, site furnishings, construction, or municipal sales) who bring strong sales management credentials and the drive to learn the playground market quickly.

Annual revenue growth, gross profit margin, new customer and channel acquisition, proposal-to-sale conversion, bid awards, pipeline growth, and repeat business and customer retention.

• Hybrid: in the Lakewood, NJ office 2 to 3 days per week; not open to fully remote
• Employment type: full-time, permanent
• Travel: regular multi-state travel, company card provided
• Reports to: VP of Operations / VP of Sales

Interested? This search is managed by Axe Recruiting. All inquiries are held in strict confidence; the client’s identity is shared with qualified candidates at the screening stage.

Compensation disclosure: the base salary range above reflects the good-faith range for this position; final base depends on experience and industry background. Our client is an equal opportunity employer.