National Utility Sales Manager

Grip-Tite is seeking a National Utility Sales Manager to own business development for the utility market. This position will report to Senior Leadership and work remotely in the United States.

Owns the growth of Grip-Tite guy-wire anchors, forged anchor rods, and Power-Grip Hub Anchor systems through electric utility distributors and investor-owned utilities.

This position will build a productive manufacturer’s-rep network in uncovered territories, as well as recover and expand the EUDA houses and convert IOU headway into standards, stock, and repeat orders.

Grip-Tite has been making earth anchors in Iowa for more than 100 years.

Our utility line – guy-wire anchors, forged rods, and Power-Grip-Hub Anchors is growing with co-op distributors and investor-owned utilities, and we need someone to take that growth to the next level.

At Grip-Tite we provide products that are American-made, give honest lead times, and are a factory that still answers the phone.

This position is not a territory babysitting job and is not a staff job. This position will work the houses and the agencies themselves, report to Sr. Leadership, and will be measured on specific outcomes.

• Appoint two to three quality manufacturers’ representative agencies in uncovered regions and hold existing agencies to sales productivity standards.
• Recover and rebuild a lost client/distributor relationship through in person contact and operational support.
• Open a targeted coop-owned distributor as a stocking customer whose current catalog includes the same market segments in which Grip-Tite operates.
• Grow a network of electric utility material and utility supply distributors through specification and stock; ensure this network drives profitable revenue growth by maintaining pricing integrity, minimizing margin erosion, and ensure customer concessions are supported by sound business justification.
• Move a group of targeted investor-owned utilities from sales activity and relationship development to measurable conversions and sustained revenue.
• Open additional IOUs through the agencies you build.

• Eight or more years selling pole-line hardware, anchoring, guying, closely adjacent T&D material to U.S. electric utilities.
• Has demonstrated experience developing and managing relationships with at least two cooperative-owned utility distributors, including EUDA members.
• Has demonstrated experience in appointing or managing manufacturers’ representative agencies – and not just calling on reps.
• Can acclimate well to co-op culture and IOU standards / sourcing processes.
• Willingness to travel and work from the plant in Winterset or Home Office in Johnston, IA when a customer or quality issue requires it.
• Clear and direct communication with the ability to write short account plans.
  
  No hiding behind activity reports.
• Exceptional critical thinking skills and ability to adapt to ever changing business needs.
• Integrity driven to do what is right and not take short cuts.
• Ability to display confidence and product knowledge without arrogance.
• Efficient time management skills with the ability to dedicate proper time to each key accountability.
• Must be proficient in MS Office Suite, specifically Excel, PPT and have expertise in ERP systems.
• Strong persuasive and negotiation skills.
• Initiative-taking and purposeful.
• Works with a sense of urgency and demonstrates responsiveness and promptness in serving external prospects and customer needs.
• Ability to prepare and edit presentations / documents accurately.
• Abili…