Business Development Manager - Engineered Seals

Freudenberg Group•Houston, TX

43d•Remote

About The Position

This role focuses on driving profitable growth and expanding market share for engineered sealing solutions within the U.S. market. The Business Development Manager will identify and develop new customers, applications, markets, and revenue opportunities, building and maintaining a strong pipeline of qualified business opportunities. The position requires establishing and maintaining strong relationships with key decision-makers, understanding customer applications and challenges, and collaborating with internal technical teams to develop innovative sealing solutions. The role also involves representing the company at industry events and managing commercial aspects of new business development.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business, Marketing, or a related technical or commercial discipline; engineering or other technical degree preferred.
5–7+ years of experience in business development, technical sales, sales engineering, or strategic account management within engineered products or industrial markets.
Experience with engineered sealing solutions strongly preferred, including knowledge of sealing technologies, materials, applications, and customer performance requirements.
Experience within related industries such as mechanical seals, elastomers, polymer-based sealing solutions, gaskets, expansion joints, rotating equipment, fluid handling, or other highly engineered industrial products.
Demonstrated success in developing new business, penetrating new accounts, and converting technically complex opportunities into profitable revenue growth.
Strong technical aptitude with the ability to understand customer applications, operating conditions, specifications, drawings, and performance requirements and translate them into commercial opportunities.
Experience working directly with OEMs, end users, engineering organizations, EPCs, distributors, and/or other industrial customers.
Proven ability to develop relationships with technical and commercial decision-makers across multiple levels of customer organizations.
Experience managing a business development pipeline and utilizing CRM systems, forecasting tools, and commercial KPIs to track opportunities and performance.
Strong negotiation, presentation, communication, and value-selling skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical audiences.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively in a global, cross-functional organization, collaborating with Sales, Engineering, Product Management, Operations, Quality, and Marketing.
Ability to work independently, prioritize multiple opportunities, and manage complex, long-cycle sales and development projects.
Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally as required to support customers, business development activities, and internal collaboration.

Nice To Haves

Experience working within a global manufacturing or engineering organization preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute business development strategies to drive profitable growth and expand market share for engineered sealing solutions, with a strong emphasis on growth within the U.S. market.
Identify and develop new customers, applications, markets, and revenue opportunities that align with Freudenberg Flow Technologies’ engineered sealing capabilities and strategic objectives.
Build and maintain a strong pipeline of qualified business opportunities from initial identification through technical evaluation, quotation, negotiation, and commercial award.
Develop strategic account and market penetration plans to expand business with both new and existing customers.
Monitor and analyze market trends, industry developments, competitor activity, customer needs, and emerging applications to identify opportunities and adjust business development strategies proactively.
Establish measurable business development goals, forecasts, pipeline metrics, and KPIs and provide regular updates on progress toward growth objectives.
Establish and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers, engineering teams, procurement organizations, OEMs, end users, and other strategic industry partners.
Position Freudenberg Flow Technologies as a trusted technical partner and innovative provider of engineered sealing solutions by developing a strong understanding of customer applications, operating conditions, performance requirements, and business challenges.
Identify customer needs and application challenges and work with internal technical teams to develop differentiated, value-added sealing solutions.
Lead customer discussions and commercial negotiations related to new business opportunities, including pricing, commercial terms, technical requirements, and long-term supply opportunities.
Develop opportunities for specification of Freudenberg engineered sealing solutions into new equipment, customer designs, applications, and projects.
Represent the company at customer meetings, industry events, trade shows, technical conferences, and other business development activities to strengthen market presence and generate new opportunities.
Partner closely with Engineering, Application Engineering, Sales, Product Management, Operations, Quality, and Marketing to evaluate customer requirements and develop commercially viable engineered sealing solutions.
Serve as a key commercial interface between customers and internal technical teams throughout the development and commercialization of new applications.
Translate customer requirements, market feedback, and application needs into actionable input for product development, engineering, and operational teams.
Coordinate internal resources to support technical evaluations, proposals, quotations, product trials, qualification activities, and customer-specific development projects.
Support the successful transition of newly developed business from opportunity development into production and ongoing account management.
Promote effective collaboration between U.S. commercial activities and global teams to leverage Freudenberg’s technical expertise, product portfolio, and manufacturing capabilities.
Maintain accurate and timely documentation of customer activity, opportunities, pipeline status, and business development initiatives within the company’s CRM system.
Develop and maintain sales forecasts, opportunity pipelines, business development plans, and other commercial performance metrics.
Provide regular business and market updates to leadership, including pipeline development, customer activity, competitive intelligence, risks, and emerging growth opportunities.
Apply value-based selling principles to communicate the technical, operational, and financial benefits of Freudenberg’s engineered sealing solutions.
Partner with internal stakeholders to support pricing strategies, margin improvement, commercial excellence, and sustainable profitable growth.
Ensure business development activities are aligned with company policies, commercial processes, strategic priorities, and Freudenberg’s Guiding Principles.