Solutions Consultant - Chicago, IL (MRO Industrial Sales)

About Us:

LineDrive is the leading outsourced sales and marketing organization in North America. We deliver highly profitable growth for the most recognized industrial manufacturers through advanced partnerships with distributors and product users, focused on safety and facility productivity. We provide solutions for over 61,000 companies across the nation and plan to double our size in the next 5 years. We offer a collaborative and dynamic environment with a high-performing team focused on executing a unique and innovative service to the market. Our customers include some of the largest and most forward-thinking manufacturers and we are supported by some of the most respected investors in our industry.

Solutions Consultant

Reports to: Sales Director

FLSA Status: Exempt

Department: Sales

Level: Mid-Level

Location: Remote (Chicagoland area preferred)

Position Overview:

The Solutions Consultant is primarily focused on driving an increase in POS reporting within their assigned territory by building strong relationships with key end users, distributors, and manufacturer partners. This role combines consultative selling, data-driven decision making, and market insight to uncover opportunities, deliver product education, and position LineDrive as a trusted solutions provider. The Solutions Consultant balances strategic planning with hands-on sales execution to achieve and exceed regional goals.

Territory and Relationship Management (35%)

• Build and maintain strong partnerships across manufacturers, distributors, and end users to achieve regional and National End User growth objectives.
• Conduct a minimum of 10 end user sales visits and create a minimum of 10 opportunities weekly. This includes performing and (reporting/recording) product demos, assessments, and close opportunity follow-up.
• Conduct business reviews with distributor management to assess team engagement, pipeline and closed review, new manufacturers and quarterly performance/planning.
• Maintain identified allocated sales growth of open pipeline TOP opportunities & close TOP opportunities in SFDC to meet or exceed territory allotted weekly goal as defined in the annual sales operating plan.
• Hold regular strategy sessions with aligned manufacturers to discuss pipeline, top distributor and end-user engagement, POS numbers, and future planning targets.
• Develop and maintain contact with key manufacturers to influence end user engagement and wins.

Sales Execution and Pipeline Health (30%)

• Drive revenue growth through opportunity creation, pipeline management, and execution of LineDrive's strategic selling principles.
• Weekly review of Salesforce pipeline to ensure data accuracy, close out unviable opportunities, and plan to close key deals in accordance to the Salesforce SOP.
• Create call plans to prioritize outreach and maximize in-field effectiveness.
• Maintain up-to-date account, contact, parent/child, top opportunities, and opportunity records within Salesforce.
• Partner with Inside Sales team for opportunity development, joint meetings, and follow-up plans.
• Territory market travel cycle - Minimum 30% based on geographical location and end user POS base.

Data Driven Business Planning (20%)

• Analyze territory coverage from previous quarters to inform future planning and time allocation. Use Power BI and POS data to uncover distributor or manufacturer performance trends, MFG bleeds and opportunity gaps.
• Partner with Sales Operations to deploy targeted campaigns that address underperforming metrics.

Training, Strategy and Administrative Management (15%)

• Enhance sales effectiveness through training, planning, and efficient administrative management; allocate time for administrative work, follow-up actions, and scheduling; monthly pipeline cadence review with your manager on top opportunities.
• Present 2-3 bundled manufacturer solutions, target verticals and strategic value with regional and National End Users during distributor training sessions.
• Partner with aligned Safety Specialists to create coordinated territory strategies and discuss pipeline, sales team engagement, opportunities for training, and end user targeting.
• Complete and submit expense reports accurately and on schedule.
• Rental of offsite storage units requires approval by your manager, including rental units that are leased under the name of LineDrive and will be for company use only. (Storage units are for storage of company assigned products, samples etc. and LineDrive management will have access at all times and will be subject to inspection by your Director).
• T&E Budget allocation - appropriate use of Travel & Expense budget(s) for territory business will be monitored weekly/monthly to maintain adherence with the allotted annualized $ territory budget.

Requirements

What You Bring to the Table

• 3 - 5 years of outside sales experience required
• MRO Industrial supply background required
• Deep understanding of industrial distribution channels and manufacturer/distributor dynamics
• Prior experience with industrial distribution (i.e., Grainger, Fastenal or MSC Industrial) highly preferred
• Proficient use of Microsoft Office 365, CRM tools (Salesforce preferred) and experience leveraging analytics platforms such as Power BI
• Exceptional relationship-building and communication skills across all organizational levels
• Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, demonstrating a real desire to build business and operate with a sense of urgency
• Strong presentation and facilitation skills with confidence in leading group training
• Strong consultative selling skills with the ability to align solutions to customer needs
• Ability to interpret data to drive strategic planning and opportunity prioritization
• Highly organized and can manage their own book of business based on LineDrive guidelines, self-driven with effective time and territory management skills
• Adaptability to shift priorities while maintaining focus on long-term objectives
• Collaborative mindset, working cross-functionally with Inside Sales, Marketing, and Manufacturer teams
• Commitment to continuous improvement through feedback, learning, and innovation

Performance Expectations

• Territory Growth: Achieve or exceed monthly/quarterly and annual sales goals for all assigned manufacturers and distributors.
• Pipeline Health: Maintain an accurate, balanced, and progressing pipeline that aligns with company sales standards. 100% of close goal achieved for "A" manufacturers and 95% for all B and C manufacturers.
• CRM Compliance: Ensure all TOP opportunities, contacts, and activity logs are current in Salesforce.
• Distributor & Manufacturer Engagement: Conduct and document all scheduled distributor and manufacturer business reviews.
• Data Utilization: Regularly leverage SFDC, Power BI and POS insights to inform strategy and identify focus areas.
• Training & Enablement: Deliver engaging and effective distributor sales trainings.
• Collaboration & Communication: Maintain consistent communication with Inside Sales, Sales Leadership, National End User team, Channel team, and Safety Specialists to align on regional and national efforts.
• Operational Efficiency & Monthly Cadence Reviews: Complete all administrative requirements accurately and within designated timelines, including expense reports review of TOP opportunities and pipeline, closes, and initiatives in progress [track assessments, knife audits, ladder inspections].

Physical Requirements

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Sitting, particularly for sustained periods of time
• Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision and distance vision to safely to walk or drive through a facility
• Ability to walk through end user facilities for up to 5 hours at a time
• The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 25 pounds
• Must possess and maintain a valid Class C driver's license and have the ability to drive a vehicle
• May require frequent travel, approximately?60% quarterly within market territory
• Regular and reliable attendance