Industry: Manufacturer
Location: Itasca, IL
Salary: $75K~$110K (DOE)
Visa Sponsor: No
Language: English: Business Level
Detail: TITLE: Outside Sales Manager
SALARY: $75K～$110K (DOE) +Potentially Performance-based bonus
LOCATION: Itasca, IL
FLSA STATUS: Exempt
Position Overview:
The Outside Sales Manager is a proactive sales leadership role responsible for overseeing and managing the sales strategy and execution across the territories handled by the outside sales team in Illinois.
The Outside Sales Manager is accountable for leading, managing and motivating the outside sales team ensuring their performance goals are met while driving a structured and results-oriented sales approach.
The role requires strategic planning, territory management, and sales process optimization, ensuring that
the team’s sales efforts are aligned with company objectives. Through effective leadership, customer
relationship management, and strategic action plans, the Outside Sales Manager will play a pivotal role in
strengthening the company’s competitive position, maximizing sales opportunities, and driving long-term
success.
Outside Sales department is the key function focused on sales growth, revenue generation, and
market expansion within the assigned territories.
Essential Job Functions:
Primary responsibility includes but are not limited to:
Sales Strategy and Execution
• Evaluate what is required to maintain and improve sales revenue and gross profit, identify areas that are currently lacking or underperforming, and address these findings with recommended corrective actions.
• Develop and implement effective sales strategies to drive revenue growth in assigned territories handled by IL outside sales team.
• Lead the team in implementing improvement initiatives by providing follow-up, guidance, and ongoing support to ensure measurable results in sales performance and profitability.
• Establish and monitor sales goals, ensuring alignment with company objectives.
• Oversee sales activities across the territories, ensuring effective territory coverage and customer engagement.
• Identify and stay informed about market/industry trends, customer needs, and competitive insights to refine sales approaches.
• Maintain strong relationships with key customers and suppliers through in-person visits and online meetings.
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities within existing and new accounts.
• Ensure customer satisfaction by addressing concerns, resolving complicated issues, and maintaining ongoing engagement.
• Navigate and support outside sales reps with price/terms/shipment method negotiation with customers as needed.
Leadership and Management
• Maintain strong team communication, morale, and cohesion through consistent leadership and knowledge sharing.
• Manage and develop the outside sales team, providing structured guidance, coaching, and performance evaluations.
• Set clear sales targets and expectations while ensuring accountability and driving continuous improvement.
• Monitor staff activities using Google Calendar, Salesforce, and internal reports to ensure visibility, accuracy, and compliance.
• Analyze sales performance data to identify gaps and implement corrective actions, ensuring progress toward goals.
• Execute performance documentation, counseling, and disciplinary actions as needed.
• Conduct regular sales meetings and individual check-ins to address challenges, provide feedback, reinforce best practices, and maintain team alignment.
• Address escalated issues and resolve complex team challenges in a timely and effective manner.
• Recommend hiring and termination decisions for outside sales employees in collaboration with HR.
• Make financially responsible decisions by reviewing budgets, revenue, and profit before approving expenses or recommending new hires.
• Ensure resource allocation aligns with the company’s strategic and financial goals while maintaining a balanced cost structure relative to profit.
Approvals
• Approve timecards, time-off requests, remote work requests, and schedule adjustments including makeup time.
• Oversee and approve mileage reimbursements and other business-related expenses in accordance with company policies and budget guidelines.
• Monitor and confirm team activity reporting to ensure operational accuracy and accountability.
• Approve NAV system transactions such as RMAs, quotes, and sales orders, ensuring accuracy and adherence to pricing, contract terms, and company policies.
• Evaluate and authorize special pricing, non-standard payment terms, contract modifications, or other commercial exceptions.
• Assess and approve new customer and vendor account applications to ensure business integrity and alignment with risk standards.
• Review and authorize non-standard or escalated requests including priority processing, custom agreements, or policy exceptions in consultation with relevant departments to determine the best course of action.
Reporting
• Provide structured, data-driven reports to the President, including updates on sales performance, market trends, customer developments, and progress on strategic initiatives.
• Analyze and present sales metrics, team activity data, and territory insights on a regular basis using Salesforce, Google Calendar, and internal reporting tools.
• Communicate risks, opportunities, and operational challenges proactively to ensure alignment with senior leadership.
• Document key decisions, follow-up actions, and strategic recommendations to maintain transparency and support informed decision-making across the organization.
Other
• Maintain a collaborative and respectful working relationship with the Inside Sales department, recognizing its separate management structure and ensuring constructive communication with the Inside Sales Manager.
• Ensure proper alignment with company policies, compliance requirements, and HR processes when managing staff-related matters.
• Other duties as necessary to effectively perform the Management role.
Travel Requirement:
• This position requires the ability to travel, primarily overnight travel, but some day travel will be required. Position requires a minimum of 25 percent overnight travel.
• Domestic territory will include but are not limited to Illinois, California and other Midwest / Western regions.
• Primarily international travel to Mexico, with potential travel to Canada as business needs arise.
Required experience/skills:
• Successful history of product-based sales, with measurable achievements in increasing, sustaining, or expanding sales performance. (Preferably experience in delivering solutions for factory automation, enhancing efficiency and production quality, and driving cost-saving initiatives for clients within the automotive industry.)
• Proven ability to develop and execute territory sales strategies, including forecasting, pipeline management, and account planning.
• Prior management experience is preferred.
• Strong English fluency required. Bilingual ability in Japanese or Spanish is preferred but not required.
• Strong leadership skills including coaching, training, motivating sales team members as well as performance management.
• Excellent communication, time management, and computer skills
• Customer relations skills
• Must have a valid driver’s license
Work Environment:
Office environment as well as our customers manufacturing facilities. While performing the duties of this
job at a customer’s manufacturing site, the employee may be exposed to moving machineries and
vehicles. The noise level in such environment is usually moderate to loud. The passage of employees
