Business Development Manager

This role serves as a hybrid Business Development Manager and Product Line Manager responsible for three maritime-focused product lines totaling approximately $50M in annual business.

Responsibilities

• Drive business development efforts to support revenue growth and profitability across three maritime-focused product lines.
• Build, manage, and deepen customer relationships, acting as a primary point of contact for key accounts.
• Lead and support quote generation and all aspects of RFIs, RFQs, and RFPs, ensuring accurate and timely responses.
• Coordinate proposal activities with internal stakeholders to deliver compelling and compliant customer proposals.
• Collaborate closely with Quality, Purchasing, Contracts, Operations, and Leadership to align customer needs with internal capabilities.
• Manage order entry processes and set clear customer delivery expectations, ensuring commitments are met.
• Conduct regular customer visits, including 2 to 3 visits per quarter, to gather voice-of-customer feedback and identify new opportunities.
• Support revenue forecasting and profitability management initiatives for the assigned product lines.
• Assist in developing and executing product line growth strategies in the maritime and defense markets.
• Work with manufacturer’s representatives and distributors to expand market reach and support sales activities.
• Engage in both inside and outside sales activities, including prospecting, cold calling, and technical sales discussions.
• Provide high-quality customer service and account management, resolving issues and ensuring customer satisfaction.
• Support project and program management activities for customer-facing initiatives and product line improvements.
• Collaborate on business management and sales support tasks to streamline processes and improve efficiency.
• Represent the product lines at trade shows and industry events, promoting solutions and building new relationships.

Requirements

• Proven business development or account management experience in a customer-facing role.
• Experience as a Business Development Manager, Strategic Account Manager, Product Line Manager, or Program Manager with customer-facing responsibilities.
• Hands-on experience supporting RFIs, RFQs, RFPs, proposals, and quoting activities.
• Exposure to government contracts and a strong understanding of defense customers and requirements.
• Experience with ERP systems for managing orders, forecasting, and business data.
• Experience in manufacturing, electrical, electronics, or defense-related products.
• Experience working with distributors and manufacturer’s representatives in a sales or product role.
• Demonstrated revenue forecasting and profitability management experience.
• Strong relationship-building skills and customer communication abilities, both written and verbal.
• Ability to discuss technical products and solutions with customers in a clear and confident manner.
• Customer service orientation with a track record of delivering high-quality support.
• High School Diploma or equivalent as a minimum educational requirement.
• Eligibility to work in the United States as a citizen or permanent resident.

Qualifications

• Aerospace and defense industry experience, particularly with maritime or related solutions.
• Experience in outside sales, inside sales, and sales management environments.
• Experience in project management or program management for customer-facing initiatives.
• Experience in business management and sales support functions.
• Technical sales experience, including prospecting and cold calling.
• Strong cross-functional coordination skills, with experience collaborating across Quality, Purchasing, Contracts, Operations, and Leadership.
• Ability to attend and effectively represent the company at trade shows and customer events.

Work Environment

You will work in a dynamic, customer-focused environment that blends office-based activities with regular travel. The role involves approximately 20% travel, including a mix of local and non-local trips and 2 to 3 customer visits per quarter, as well as attendance at trade shows and industry events. You will interact frequently with internal teams such as Quality, Purchasing, Contracts, Operations, and Leadership, and use ERP systems and other business tools to manage orders, forecasts, and proposals.

Benefits

• Medical coverage (Blue Cross) effective on the first day.
• 401(k) plan with a 5% company match (Vanguard).
• Four weeks of PTO/vacation.
• 10 paid holidays.
• Company shutdown between Christmas and New Year’s.

Pay

The pay range for this position is $100,000.00 - $115,000.00 per year. Individual compensation offered within this range will depend on qualifications, skills, relevant experience, job knowledge, geographic location, internal equity, and other pertinent job-related factors.

Schedule

This is a permanent, fully onsite position based in Meriden, CT.