Business Development Manager
This is a true hunter position . If you thrive on opening doors, chasing new opportunities, and closing business that didn’t exist yesterday, you’ll feel right at home here. We’re looking for a Business Development Manager to aggressively grow new business in the Automotive and Appliance markets , expanding KI’s footprint with customers that align with our manufacturing capabilities and long-term growth strategy. What You’ll Do
- Hunt for new business —identify, pursue, and close new accounts in targeted industries and regions
- Build a pipeline from scratch through cold calling, prospecting, networking, and strategic outreach
- Develop and execute go-to-market strategies to penetrate new markets and customer segments
- Consistently meet or exceed new-business-focused sales targets
- Partner closely with engineering, production, and marketing to deliver solutions that win
- Create compelling proposals, presentations, and pricing strategies tailored to each prospect
- Build trusted relationships with decision-makers across procurement, operations, and executive leadership
- Monitor market trends, competitors, and customer needs to stay ahead
- Maintain accurate CRM data, forecasts, and pipeline updates for leadership
- Candidates in the Chicagoland area will work a hybrid schedule; outside of Chicago, the position is remote.
- A proven hunter mindset —self-driven, resilient, and motivated by the chase (plastic industry experience is a must)
- 5+ years of business development or sales experience in manufacturing or industrial B2B
- Demonstrated success landing new accounts and attaining new-business goals
- Strong communication, negotiation, and presentation skills
- Ability to sell technical solutions by collaborating cross-functionally
- Comfort with CRM tools and metrics-driven sales processes
- Willingness to travel for prospecting, presentations, and industry events
- Experience in the Automotive industry (appliance industry experience a plus)
- Bachelors or Masters degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering or a similar field
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word, PowerPoint, Excel & Outlook
- Willingness to travel 25-50% depending on location
- Technical background in manufacturing, engineering, or industrial products
- Experience selling to OEMs or Tier 1 / Tier 2 suppliers
- Established industry relationships and regional market knowledge
- A high-impact role with real influence on company growth
- Competitive compensation with uncapped earning potential
- Employee ownership (ESOP) so your contributions build long-term valu
- Comprehensive benefits package
- A high-accountability, low-politics environment where results are recognize
- A people-first culture with meaningful engagement programs—not gimmick
- Stability, support, and the freedom to build and grow your book of business
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