Sales Manager - Industrial Pharma Material Handling Equipment

GEA • Columbia, SC

21h • $100,000 - $150,000

About The Position

GEA Group, founded in Germany in 1881, is a global leader in engineering solutions, serving industries such as food and beverage, pharma, dairy, and more. With over 18,000 employees worldwide and a strong U.S. presence since 1929, GEA combines the heritage of a well-established company with the innovation of a forward-thinking industry leader. At GEA, we’re not just building equipment, we’re building lasting careers with an average employee tenure range from 5 to over 11+ years, reflecting the strong culture, growth opportunities, and support we provide. GEA Group's Pharma and Food Applications division is searching for a Sales Manager, Material Handling & Containment to join our Pharma Sales Team! The Sales Manager, Material Handling & Containment (“SM-MHC”) is responsible for generating new business and maintaining customer relationships for GEA’s portfolio of Pharmaceutical Material Handling & Containment Technologies. The SM-MHC will accomplish this by developing professional relationships with pharmaceutical executives, production managers, process engineers, technical services as well as industry consultants and engineering contacts in a consultative selling role. The SM-MHC will manage the opportunity pipeline through identifying, qualifying, logging and pursuing leads and opportunities while gathering and communicating market intelligence. The SM-MHC will coordinate and manage the flow of pre-sale information between the GEA North America entity, GEA’s Core Technology Centers in Europe and the customer. The SM-MHC is the customer advocate within GEA, while balancing the company’s objectives for order intake, profitability, and strategic growth.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical or Mechanical Engineering or equivalent technical degree highly preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in capital equipment sales or business development, preferably in the pharmaceutical or related process industry.
• Excellent planning, forecasting, negotiating and presentation skills.
• Demonstrated ability to understand and effectively communicate technical information in English (both written and verbal).
• Good knowledge of pharmaceutical processing equipment, FDA regulations, and standards such as cGMP, ISPE, USP, etc.
• Self-motivated with good people skills and ability to work well in a team setting as well as independently.
• Detail oriented and demonstrated ability to provide timely feedback to both internal and external customers.
• Proficiency in MS Office products, with knowledge of CRM programs (SAP CRM preferred).
• Willingness to travel to customer locations locally and within the US, Canada & Puerto Rico (40-60%) as required to perform assigned sales responsibilities.
• Occasional international travel required (initially part of the onboarding process and technical training at GEA CTC (Core Technology Center) manufacturing facilities and as maybe required for future business-related meetings/training).
• Valid Passport and Driver’s License without limitations.
• Please note: This position is based in the United States and does not offer visa or work sponsorship. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S. without current or future sponsorship.

Responsibilities

• Drive sales of GEA’s Material Handling & Containment portfolio, representing GEA in a professional and customer-centric manner.
• Identify and develop new business opportunities while maintaining strong relationships with existing customers within the assigned territory.
• Engage actively with current and prospective customers through both virtual and in-person meetings, presenting GEA technologies and identifying opportunities where GEA solutions can provide value.
• Document customer interactions through written visit or trip reports and maintain accurate records of activities and opportunities within GEA’s CRM system.
• Work collaboratively with customers in a consultative, problem-solving capacity, identifying where GEA’s technologies can improve operational performance, containment, safety, or productivity.
• Work closely with GEA engineering, product management & sales support to develop customer solutions.
• Manage the sales cycle from initial inquiry, confidentiality agreements, needs assessment, technical and commercial proposal development, to persuasive presentations of GEA proposals, negotiation of commercial & contractual terms & order placement.
• Work to support Regional Sales Managers when Material Handling & Containment equipment is part of a larger integrated system or project.
• Respond promptly to all sales leads received through CRM, phone inquiries, marketing activities, or other channels, qualifying and pursuing opportunities accordingly.
• Develop trusted relationships with customers built on technical expertise, integrity, reliability & responsiveness.
• Maintain & update the CRM system (SAP C4C), with accurate account & customer contact details, customer interactions (meetings & phone reports), opportunity pipeline/projections and other required information.
• Gather and report market intelligence, including competitor activity, pricing trends, customer investment plans, and project developments.
• Seek advice and guidance with respect to the business at hand from experience GEA process or mechanical engineers when appropriate.
• Issue order confirmations and participate in turnover meetings with engineering as required
• Prepare monthly sales activity plans and review customer engagement, pipeline development, and forecasting with the Sales Director.
• Represent GEA products and services through industry networking, trade shows, conferences, and customer events as required.
• Submit travel and entertainment expenses in accordance with company policies on a timely basis.
• Contribute to overall team success by supporting initiatives and completing additional tasks as assigned by the Senior Sales Director – Equipment Sales.

Benefits

• Start strong – Medical, dental, and vision coverage begins on your first day
• Recharge and refresh – Enjoy 12 paid holidays , including a flexible floating holiday, and 136 hours of PTO to relax or explore
• Invest in your future – A 7% 401(k) employer match helps grow your retirement savings faster
• Keep learning – Take advantage of tuition reimbursement to further your education or skillset
• Live well – Our wellness incentive program rewards healthy habits
• Get support when you need it – Access to a confidential Employee Assistance Program for personal or professional guidance
• Save smart – Flexible Health Savings and Spending Accounts to manage out-of-pocket expenses

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees