Office Sales Engineer - Chicago

Summary

The Office-Based Sales Engineer (OSE) is a district-based sales role focused on driving customer engagement, qualifying new opportunities, and supporting market growth. This role is designed to expand Festo's reach, improve responsiveness to inbound opportunities, and develop early-stage customer relationships into sustainable business opportunities.

Duties of This Job

• Lead Management & Opportunity Qualification
• Review and contact daily leads from unassigned quotes, CAD leads, call center logs, and other lead-generating reports.
• Qualify leads based on market potential, application fit, and long-term growth opportunity.
• Document lead outcomes in CRM and provide recommendations for follow-up actions or channel assignment.
• Target Account Development
• Serve as the primary sales contact for 3–5 assigned target accounts in the local region.
• Focus on accounts with high market share potential but minimal daily transactional demand.
• Develop account plans to build relationships, uncover opportunities, and increase Festo share of wallet.
• District Account Qualification
• Act as the general sales contact for unqualified accounts within the district.
• Conduct initial discovery, assess growth potential, and recommend channel strategy (direct sales vs. distribution) to the DSM.
• Ensure qualified opportunities are transitioned to the appropriate sales channel for long-term management.
• Collaboration with District & Channels
• Work closely with the DSM to align opportunity qualification with district growth strategies.
• Provide feedback to Front Line Managers, Distribution Managers, and Industry Segment Managers regarding market insights and account potential.
• Support distributor engagement by identifying accounts suited for indirect sales coverage.
• Customer Engagement & Responsiveness
• Ensure timely follow-up and professional engagement with all assigned leads and accounts.
• Build relationships with technical and commercial contacts to position Festo as a trusted automation partner.
• Escalate account needs, service issues, or strategic opportunities to the DSM for coordination.

Performance Metrics

• Timely and effective qualification of leads and unassigned accounts.
• Conversion of qualified leads into opportunities and revenue.
• Growth and retention within assigned target accounts.
• Accuracy and completeness of CRM documentation.
• Contribution to district sales growth and channel strategy execution.

Knowledge, Skills, And Experience

• Experience in technical sales, inside sales, or customer support within industrial automation or related fields.
• Strong ability to qualify opportunities and assess account potential.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills for engaging with technical and commercial stakeholders.
• Proficiency with CRM tools, reporting systems, and lead management processes.
• Self-motivated, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple lead sources simultaneously.
• Ability to collaborate effectively with DSMs, Sales Engineers, and channel partners.

Pay

The annual base pay range for this role is between $65,000 - $70,000.

Benefits

Festo Corporation offers a robust benefits package, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Flexible Spending Programs, Short-term and Long-term disability, 401k, Pet Insurance, Paid Holidays, Paid time off, Educational assistance, and many more.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Festo is an equal opportunity employer. We believe that the best way to attract and retain a diverse workforce is to encourage a culture of inclusion within our organization.