Territory Sales Manager (Greater Chicago Area)

Power Up Your Career with Makita USA!!!

At Makita USA, we believe our employees are the driving force behind our success. That’s why we offer a competitive and comprehensive benefits package to support your health, financial well-being, and professional growth. When you join Makita, you become part of a dynamic, innovative, and team-oriented culture that values hard work and dedication.

Makita is a worldwide leader in the professional power tool industry. Over the past 100 years, we have built a reputation for using the finest raw materials, the most advanced manufacturing equipment, and the most rigorous quality testing in the industry. Headquartered in La Mirada, CA, Makita U.S.A., with offices in Reno, NV, Wilmer, TX, and Flowery Branch, GA, has brought Makita's best-in -class engineering advantage to professional power tool users in America since 1970.

Job Summary:

The Territory Sales Manager is responsible for owning and growing revenue within the assigned geographic territory. This role serves as the primary business leader for the territory, driving sales growth, market share, and profitable expansion through disciplined planning, strong customer relationships, and consistent field execution. The Territory Sales Manager operates with a “CEO of the Territory” mindset, balancing strategic planning with day-to-day customer engagement across distributor partners, end users, and key accounts. Success in this role is measured by sustainable growth, execution consistency, and strong relationship development across the territory.

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty to satisfactory standards. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

Sales Execution & Revenue Growth

• Deliver annual revenue, market share, and profitability targets within the assigned territory.
• Execute company initiatives, promotions, and product launches with measurable in-market follow-through.
• Maintain a strong opportunity pipeline and actively manage accounts through the full sales cycle.
• Ensure consistent call frequency aligned with territory segmentation and growth priorities.
• Monitor competitive activity and respond with effective positioning.
• Provide accurate forecasting and maintain CRM integrity.

Territory Strategy & Planning

• Develop and execute an annual territory business plan aligned to district and regional objectives.
• Analyze sales data, market trends, and competitive activity to identify growth opportunities.
• Prioritize accounts and allocate time based on revenue potential and strategic value.
• Maintain accurate forecasting and pipeline visibility.

Account Development

• Grow existing accounts through relationship expansion, product penetration, and end-user pull-through.
• Identify, prospect, and convert new distribution and end-user opportunities.
• Conduct joint business planning sessions with key accounts.
• Execute promotional programs with disciplined in-store and field follow-through.

End User Engagement

• Drive demand creation through jobsite visits, product demonstrations, and training events.
• Partner with distributor sales teams to build advocacy and product knowledge.
• Support large project opportunities through specification selling and application expertise.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Partner with DSM on territory alignment and execution coaching.
• Coordinate with service, marketing, and operations to deliver exceptional customer experience.
• Support regional initiatives, contests, and product launches.

Skills Required:

• Strong communication and presentation skills
• Ability to influence across customer types
• Territory planning and organizational discipline
• Analytical thinking and business acumen
• Ability to conduct product demonstrations and training
• Relationship-building across distributors and end users
• Initiative and self-motivation in a field-based role
• Comfort navigating industrial and construction environments

Supervisory Responsibility:

This position does not have supervisory responsibility.

Other Duties:

This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties, or responsibilities. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Work Environment:

This position operates in a highly mobile, field-based sales environment, working primarily from a home office. The TM spends most of their time traveling within their assigned geographic territory. Daily activities regularly include in-person meetings, jobsite visits, product demonstrations, and ride-alongs with distributor partners. This role requires conducting business in a wide variety of settings, including distributor branches, industrial facilities, commercial and residential jobsites, retail environments, and customer offices. Work environments may vary significantly from day to day and can include active construction sites, outdoor conditions, and physically demanding settings where appropriate safety protocols and personal protective equipment are required. The role requires early or extended work hours aligned with customer schedules and jobsite activity. While much of the work is performed independently, the Territory Sales Manager role requires frequent collaboration with internal teams, distributor partners, and end-user customers. The position demands flexibility, self-direction, and comfort operating in unstructured, fast-paced environments, balancing proactive planning with the need to respond to changing job-site conditions and customer priorities.

Travel:

This role requires regular travel within the assigned territory, primarily involving local and regional driving to customer locations, distributor facilities, and job sites. The position also includes occasional regional and national air travel to attend company meetings, training sessions, trade shows, and customer or industry events. Overnight travel is required when necessary, based on territory size, customer needs, and scheduled meetings or events.

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.

• Ability to lift, carry, push, and pull equipment and products weighing up to approximately 50-75 pounds, including items such as lawn mowers, breaker hammers, and display materials.
• Ability to safely operate and demonstrate power tools, including saws, drills, breaker hammers, and other handheld equipment
• Ability to transport tools, displays, and merchandising materials into and out of vehicles, customer facilities, and jobsite environments
• Ability to walk extended distances through large industrial and construction job sites while carrying tools or equipment
• Ability to navigate stairs, ramps, elevators, ladders, and uneven or outdoor terrain commonly found on job sites
• Ability to stand, bend, kneel, crouch, reach, and use repetitive hand and arm motions during demonstrations, setup, and merchandising activities
• Ability to drive for extended periods of time, including local and regional travel, in varied weather and traffic conditions
• Ability to work in indoor and outdoor environments, including exposure to noise, dust, temperature variations, and typical jobsite conditions
• Ability to wear required personal protective equipment (PPE) such as safety glasses, gloves, hearing protection, hard hats, and protective footwear

Education and/or Experience Desired:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience preferred
• 3–7 years of field sales experience (industrial, construction, or durable goods preferred)
• Proven track record of quota attainment
• Strong territory planning and account development skills
• Ability to conduct product demonstrations and training sessions
• Proficiency with CRM systems and Microsoft Office

Our Benefits Include:

Health & Wellness

• Medical, Dental, and Vision insurance options after 30 days of employment
• Flexible spending accounts (FSA) & Health Savings Accounts (HSA)
• Employee assistance program (EAP) for mental health and well-being
• Paid subscription to Headspace and 5 other members of your choice

Financial Security

• Competitive pay & performance-based incentives
• Company-branded vehicle provided
• 401(k) retirement plan with company match
• Basic Term Life insurance is 100% company-paid
• Long-term Disability Coverage 100% company paid
• Disability Coverage
• Voluntary Coverage: Critical illness, accidental, hospital indemnity, whole life, and supplemental life plans.