Business Development Manager

G A Richards Company•Kentwood, MI

39d•Hybrid

About The Position

Spearhead growth across the Midwest and global markets. Serve as the bridge between engineering excellence and the needs of Automotive OEMs, Tier 1 suppliers, and other diverse industrial sectors including ATV and RV. This role focuses on selling technical solutions for High-Volume Screw Machining and Progressive Die Stamping.

Requirements

5–10 years of outside sales or business development experience in the automotive manufacturing sector
Proven experience with Precision Turned Parts (Screw Machining) and/or Metal Stamping processes
Strong familiarity with IATF 16949 standards, APQP, and the PPAP process.
Proficiency in CRM tools such as Zoho, Salesforce, or HubSpot to track multi-year sales cycles.
Proficient in Microsoft Office
Must be able to read and speak fluent English
Must have valid Driver’s License

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or a related technical field is preferred

Responsibilities

Identify and capture new business opportunities within Automotive OEM and Tier 1 ecosystems, targeting both EV and legacy internal combustion programs.
Act as the dedicated lead for existing accounts, identifying "land and expand" opportunities to increase wallet share through additional product lines or service offerings.
Collaborate with internal engineering teams to review RFQs and provide "Design for Manufacturability" (DFM) feedback, ensuring projects align with machine capabilities from award through production.
Cultivate deep-rooted relationships with procurement, engineering, and commodity managers to ensure G.A. Richards Group remains the "first call" for both new programs and current production issues.
Lead long-term agreement (LTA) negotiations and annual price reviews, ensuring favorable terms while navigating fluctuating raw materials markets.
Serve as the internal voice of the customer to ensure quality, delivery, and engineering support meet or exceed IATF 16949 standards and customer-specific requirements.
Maintain a high-touch presence through a minimum of 30% travel to visit customer sites and industry trade shows, with frequency varying week-to-week based on project demands.