Business Development Manager - VFD/Automation

LS ELECTRIC America, Inc.

Business Development Manager – VFD/Automation (Midwest)

Territory: Midwest Region, United States

Location: Remote – Candidates may reside anywhere within the Midwest

Responsibilities

• Drive new business development across OEMs, system integrators, panel builders, and key end user accounts throughout the Midwest region, with a primary focus on VFD and automationsolutions.
• Develop and execute regional sales strategies to expand market share in control products and industrial automation, including VFDs, motion control, HMIs, PLCs, industrial networking, andrelated automation platforms.
• Identify, engage, and convert competitive accounts by positioning technical performance, system architecture advantages, lifecycle cost benefits, and long-term automation roadmaps.
• Manage the full sales cycle from opportunity identification through technical discovery, solution alignment, commercial negotiation, and close, coordinating closely with applications engineering.
• Build strong relationships with OEM engineering teams, controls engineers, plant managers, integrators, and executive stakeholders to embed automation solutions early in the design and specification cycle.
• Support and grow channel partnerships with distributors, integrators, and manufacturer representatives through joint sales calls, technical enablement, training initiatives, and collaborative go-to-market planning.
• Collaborate cross-functionally with applications engineering, product management, and marketing to ensure proper solution design, accurate proposals, and competitive marketpositioning.
• Maintain disciplined pipeline management, accurate forecasting, and opportunity tracking through CRM systems to provide clear visibility into regional activity and growth trends.
• Monitor competitor activity, technology shifts, and emerging VFD/automation trends within manufacturing, industrial, infrastructure, and HVAC/commercial building markets.
• Represent the company at regional industry events, trade shows, customer meetings, and technical forums.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, technology, or business is preferred; equivalent industry experience is fully acceptable.

Required Skills

• 15+ years of experience in industrial controls, automation sales, OEM sales, or business development within industrial automation or related electrical/controls markets.
• Proven success selling VFD/Automation solutions through OEMs, system integrators, distributors, or direct end-user channels within the Midwest U.S. market.
• Strong technical understanding of industrial automation platforms, including VFDs, servo/motion systems, HMIs, PLCs, industrial networking, SCADA integration, or related control technologies.
• Demonstrated ability to displace incumbent automation platforms and grow market share through consultative, solution-oriented selling.
• Experience working alongside applications engineers or providing high-level technical guidance during pre-sales and system design discussions.
• Strong communication and negotiation skills, with the ability to engage effectively with engineering, operations, procurement, and executive-level decision-makers.
• Ability and willingness to travel regionally up to 50% to support customer, integrator, and channel engagement.

Preferred Skills

• [Preferred] Deep industry knowledge or established network within the HVAC market, with a strong understanding of HVAC-specific VFD applications (e.g., pumps, fans, air handling units, chillers).
• [Preferred] Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office (particularly Excel and Outlook) and Salesforce (or similar CRM platforms) for reporting, communication, and disciplined pipeline/forecast management.

Other benefits

• 100% Employer covered Health, dental and vision insurance
• 401K matching
• Long/short term disability insurance
• Life insurance
• Paid time off