Sales Manager - Defense

Sales Manager - Defense

US-MI-Remote

Job :

# of Openings: 1

Category: Sales

US-MI - Work from Home

About KONI

KONI is a leading global player in the development and production of high-quality shock absorbers and suspension systems. With a rich history dating back to 1857, and as part of ITT since 1972, KONI is renowned for its innovative solutions across the automotive, commercial vehicles, defense, and railway markets.

At KONI, it’s all about precision, performance, and passion. Our products are globally recognized for their reliability and customization, whether they’re used in race cars, military vehicles, or trains. With our headquarters in the Netherlands and a strong presence in international markets, we offer a dynamic and inspiring work environment where innovation and collaboration take center stage.

Position Summary:

We are seeking an experienced Defense Industry Sales Manager to drive sales of our suspension products in the military and defense markets. The ideal candidate will leverage their mechanical and technical expertise, with a focus on suspension systems, to develop strong relationships with key defense contractors, government agencies and military vehicle OEMs.

The Sales Manager, Defense will be part of our team in the United States working remote located close to Detroit, Michigan. The individual will be working on a high-performing, inclusive and collaborative team culture.

The essential responsibilities include:

• Customer Relations: Act as the primary interface for assigned defense industry accounts, representing the company with integrity, professionalism, and technical know-how.
• Sales & Business Development: Conduct sales calls to defense OEMs, military contractors, and government agencies. Focus on securing new contracts and growing market share in the defense sector.
• Proposal Management: Lead the preparation and submission of responses to Requests for Proposals (RFPs) from defense customers, collaborating with internal teams (Engineering, Legal, Finance, Supply Chain) to ensure the best technical and financial solutions.
• Market Expansion: Drive market growth by pursuing new business opportunities and developing innovative sales strategies tailored to the defense industry.
• Product Solutions: Present and demonstrate the company’s suspension capabilities and product solutions for military and defense applications, ensuring they meet customer-specific technical requirements.
• Technical Expertise: Leverage mechanical and technical expertise to validate solutions, assess costs, and ensure alignment with customer specifications and needs.
• Relationship Management: Build and maintain long-term relationships with defense customers, ensuring customer loyalty and satisfaction.
• Cross-Department
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Partner with internal teams to address customer service issues, provide technical support, and ensure timely delivery of solutions.
• Sales Reporting: Analyze and report on sales orders, pipeline, and performance to leadership monthly.
  Maintain a clear and actionable sales funnel.
• Travel: 50% travel for sales calls, trade shows, and customer presentations, with some weekend travel required.
  The position is remote.

We need your experience and skills!

The ideal candidate has a business focused approach, is willing to work in a challenging environment and is always looking to improve.
Key requirements are:

• Experience:
  
  5-7 years of experience selling technical products (components) from a manufacturing company, ideally in the defense industry, selling suspension systems or dampers to military contractors or OEMs.
• Education:
  
  A bachelor’s degree in a business or sales field is required (technical sales field is preferred).
• Technical Expertise:
  Mechanical and…