Sales Manager - North America, GFT

Ahlstrom•Madisonville, KY

6d•Remote

About The Position

Ahlstrom is seeking a commercially driven Sales Manager for its Glass Fiber Tissue (GFT) business in North America. This hands-on sales role focuses on growing the business, acquiring new customers, managing existing accounts, and executing the sales process from initial customer discussions through qualification, negotiation, and recurring orders. The position has a broad North American focus, with the opportunity to pursue customers, applications, and markets where GFT can create value and sustainable growth. The Sales Manager will build strong relationships with commercial and technical customer stakeholders and serve as the primary commercial link between customers and Ahlstrom. Working with Product Development & Technical Customer Service, Operations, Quality, and Product Management, the role translates customer needs into viable solutions and commercially successful business. The position is remote in the United States and requires regular customer and business travel across North America.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, science, or a related field, or equivalent relevant experience.
Experience in similar B2B sales, account management, or business development within a technical or manufacturing environment.
Demonstrated ability to win new business and develop long-term customer relationships.
Strong understanding of sales pipeline management, forecasting, pricing, and commercial negotiations.
Ability to navigate technical sales processes involving product development, trials, qualifications, and multiple stakeholders.
Strong commercial judgment and ability to balance customer needs, profitability, and operational capabilities.
Excellent communication, presentation, and negotiation skills.
Self-driven, persistent approach and willingness to take ownership from first contact through commercial execution.
Ability and willingness to travel regularly across North America.

Responsibilities

Deliver sales, volume, margin, and growth objectives across North America.
Identify, prospect, and develop new customers and business opportunities.
Grow existing accounts through new products, applications, and customer programs.
Build and maintain a sales pipeline, convert opportunities into sustainable business, and contribute to commercial planning.
Build long-term relationships with key commercial and technical stakeholders and understand customers’ businesses, applications, priorities, and needs.
Lead pricing, quotations, commercial agreements, and negotiations; act as the primary commercial link between customers and Ahlstrom.
Manage opportunities from prospecting and initial discussions through trials, qualification, negotiation, and commercial orders.
Maintain disciplined follow-up, clear next steps, accurate pipeline and forecast information, and momentum throughout the sales cycle.
Monitor sales and profitability and take action when performance deviates from plan.
Partner with Product Development & Technical Customer Service to translate customer needs into viable solutions.
Coordinate the commercial aspects of customer trials, samples, qualifications, and new-product introductions.
Work with Operations and Quality to balance customer expectations with manufacturing capabilities.
Collaborate with Product Management on new applications and growth opportunities, bringing internal teams together to advance opportunities through commercialisation.