Product Manager - Machinery

Job Description

Job Description

Drive Growth in a High-Impact Packaging Equipment Leadership Role

Our client, a global leader in packaging machinery and automated filling solutions, is seeking an experienced Product Manager to lead sales growth, market development, and channel management across North America. This is a highly visible leadership opportunity for a sales professional with deep expertise in packaging or food processing equipment who thrives in a customer-facing, growth-oriented environment.

This role will be responsible for expanding market share for pre-made pouch and horizontal form-fill-seal equipment while strengthening distributor relationships, increasing direct customer engagement, and identifying new market opportunities. The successful candidate will play a critical role in shaping commercial strategy, driving revenue growth, and building long-term partnerships throughout North America.

Company Recognition & Industry Standing

The organization is recognized as a long-established innovator in packaging machinery, with a history dating back to 1960 and a reputation for advancing packaging technologies and solutions worldwide. Recent research did not identify specific employer or workplace awards within the past five years; however, the company continues to maintain a strong industry presence through innovation, customer partnerships, and leadership within the packaging sector.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead activities across distributor, representative, and direct customer channels.
• Develop and strengthen distributor and sales representative relationships through performance management, enablement, and strategic account planning.
• Increase direct engagement with key accounts and strategic customers throughout North America.
• Represent the organization through active participation in PMMI and other key industry associations.
• Identify and develop new product segments, partnerships, and market expansion opportunities.
• Direct marketing initiatives including trade show strategy, social media programs, and coordination with external marketing agencies.
• Recruit, coach, develop, and retain high-performing commercial talent.
• Maintain disciplined pipeline management, forecasting, and account planning processes.
• Utilize CRM tools, including Salesforce, to build and manage customer, partner, and prospect databases.

Desired Background

• Experience in packaging machinery, food processing equipment, or related capital equipment sales and marketing.
• Experience helpful working with distributor networks, sales representatives, and direct B2B customer relationships.
• Experience working within multicultural business environments.
• Ability to travel approximately approximately 20% throughout the United States, South America, and Asia.
• Valid U.S. passport required.
• Must be based in or willing to relocate to the Chicago area for this on-site position.

What Success Looks Like

Within the first 18–24 months, the successful candidate will:

• Establish strong alignment with global stakeholders in a multicultural business environment.
• Implement a disciplined sales management process across distributors, representatives, and direct sales channels.
• Build and maintain a robust CRM-driven database of customers, partners, and industry contacts.
• Increase direct customer engagement while preserving and strengthening channel partner relationships.
• Develop measurable marketing, advertising, social media, and trade show programs that contribute to business growth.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

• Join a respected global organization with decades of innovation in packaging technology.
• Lead commercial growth initiatives across North America.
• Influence strategic market expansion and partnership development.
• Work directly with industry-leading customers and distributors.
• Opportunity to shape the future growth of a well-established business in a growing market segment.

Salary: $110k, negotiable. Plus benefits.

Location: Glendale Heights, IL

About RD Worldwide: RD Worldwide, Inc. has been a leading recruiter for automation, manufacturing, and engineering companies in North America, Asia & Europe since 1999.