Oem Sales Manager - Business Development

Sierra Bullets and Barnes Bullets are seeking an experienced, highly motivated OEM Sales Manager – Business Development to lead the growth and development of OEM bullet and ammunition business across domestic and international markets.

This position is responsible for developing strategic relationships and winning new business with government, defense, military, law enforcement, commercial OEM and other strategic customers. The role will represent both Sierra and Barnes and requires the ability to operate at both a high-level strategic/business development level and a hands-on relationship management level.

The successful candidate will be a self-starter who can independently identify opportunities, build and manage a qualified sales pipeline, develop account and capture strategies, plan and execute productive business travel, and move opportunities through the sales cycle toward high-probability contract wins.

This individual will work closely with Sales, Marketing, Product Development, Operations, Engineering, Quality, Finance, Compliance and Executive Leadership to ensure customer opportunities align with the company's strategic objectives, manufacturing capabilities and profitability requirements.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Business Development

• Develop and execute a comprehensive OEM business development strategy for both Sierra and Barnes across domestic and international markets.
• Identify, qualify and prioritize new OEM opportunities based on strategic fit, revenue potential, margin, probability of award and long-term customer value.
• Develop a strong understanding of the competitive landscape, market trends, customer requirements and emerging opportunities within the ammunition, defense, military, law enforcement and commercial OEM markets.
• Establish and maintain a disciplined OEM opportunity pipeline, including opportunity size, timing, customer requirements, competitive position, probability of win, next steps and expected revenue.
• Develop strategies to achieve a high percentage of wins on qualified opportunities through early customer engagement, relationship development, competitive positioning and internal alignment.
• Identify opportunities where Sierra or Barnes can become a preferred or strategic supplier rather than simply a transactional vendor.
• Develop long-term account strategies for key OEM customers and prospects.
• Monitor government and defense procurement trends, programs, contracts, solicitations and future requirements that may create opportunities for Sierra and Barnes.
• Develop relationships with decision-makers, influencers, procurement organizations, program managers, engineers, product managers and senior executives.

Government, Defense, Military & Law Enforcement Business

• Build and maintain relationships within government, defense, military and law enforcement markets.
• Identify upcoming programs, solicitations, contracts, development programs and procurement opportunities where Sierra or Barnes can compete.
• Work with internal teams to determine the company's ability and willingness to pursue opportunities based on technical requirements, capacity, pricing, compliance, timing and strategic value.
• Coordinate the development of proposals, quotations, samples, product specifications, testing requirements and other customer deliverables.
• Develop capture strategies for significant opportunities, including customer mapping, competitive analysis, timing, requirements, internal resources and win strategy.
• Maintain a forward-looking view of government and defense opportunities to ensure the organization is engaged early in the procurement cycle.
• Develop relationships with prime contractors, defense manufacturers, ammunition manufacturers, firearms manufacturers and other strategic partners.

Commercial OEM Business

• Identify and develop new commercial OEM customers for Sierra and Barnes bullets and ammunition.
• Build relationships with firearms manufacturers, ammunition manufacturers, sporting goods companies and other strategic commercial partners.
• Identify opportunities for OEM/private-label, component supply, loaded ammunition and other strategic customer programs.
• Develop customized customer strategies based on volume, product requirements, pricing, service expectations and long-term growth potential.
• Work with Product Development and Operations to evaluate new product opportunities and customer-specific requirements.
• Negotiate commercial terms while protecting company profitability, capacity and strategic interests.

International Business Development

• Develop and manage OEM opportunities outside the United States in coordination with company leadership and international sales resources.
• Identify qualified international customers, distributors, manufacturers, government entities and strategic partners.
• Develop an understanding of international market requirements, customer needs, competitive dynamics and regulatory considerations.
• Coordinate with internal Compliance, Legal, Finance, Operations and International Sales teams to ensure opportunities can be executed effectively.
• Develop long-term relationships with international customers and strategic partners while identifying opportunities for both Sierra and Barnes.

Customer & Relationship Management

• Develop trusted, long-term relationships with internal and external customers.
• Serve as a primary strategic point of contact for key OEM prospects and accounts.
• Regularly engage customers to understand their business plans, product roadmaps, future requirements and challenges.
• Maintain strong executive-level relationships while also developing relationships with technical, operational and procurement contacts.
• Become a trusted resource to customers by understanding their businesses and identifying ways Sierra and Barnes can create value.
• Ensure customer expectations are clearly communicated internally and that commitments are effectively executed.

Sales Pipeline & Opportunity Management

• Maintain a disciplined, accurate and actionable CRM pipeline.
• Establish clear stages, probability percentages, expected award dates and revenue projections for each opportunity.
• Develop individual opportunity plans for significant prospects and contracts.
• Establish clear next steps and ownership for every qualified opportunity.
• Regularly review pipeline health, conversion rates, stalled opportunities and forecast accuracy with leadership.
• Maintain sufficient pipeline coverage to consistently achieve annual OEM sales objectives.
• Develop a 12-, 24- and 36-month OEM business development pipeline to support long-term company growth.
• Provide accurate forecasts based on customer intelligence, opportunity stage and probability of award—not simply customer estimates.

Business Travel & Market Development

• Independently develop and execute an effective business travel strategy based on the highest-value opportunities.
• Plan customer visits around strategic objectives, opportunity stages and expected business outcomes.
• Develop structured agendas and objectives for customer meetings.
• Maximize each trip by coordinating multiple customer, prospect, industry and partner meetings where appropriate.
• Participate in industry trade shows, government/defense events, OEM meetings, customer demonstrations and other strategic business development activities.
• Provide timely trip reports, customer intelligence, opportunity updates and recommended actions following significant customer engagements.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Partner closely with Executive Leadership, Sales, Marketing, Product Development, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance and Compliance.
• Translate customer requirements into clear internal business opportunities.
• Work with Operations and Supply Chain to understand capacity, lead times and manufacturing constraints before making customer commitments.
• Collaborate with Product Development to identify new products and customer-specific solutions.
• Partner with Finance to evaluate pricing, margins, business cases and return on investment.
• Coordinate with Compliance and Legal on domestic and international requirements.
• Ensure customer opportunities are aligned with company strategy and operational capabilities.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Sales, Engineering or related field preferred.
• 7+ years of progressive sales, OEM sales, business development or strategic account management experience.
• Demonstrated success developing new business and converting complex opportunities into long-term contracts.
• Experience working with government, defense, military, law enforcement and/or commercial OEM customers strongly preferred.
• Experience within the ammunition, firearms, defense, outdoor sporting goods or related manufacturing industries highly desirable.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and manage a strategic sales pipeline.
• Strong understanding of complex B2B sales cycles and contract-based business development.
• Proven ability to develop relationships at multiple organizational levels, including executive leadership.
• Strong negotiation, presentation and communication skills.
• Ability to understand technical products and translate customer requirements into commercially viable opportunities.
• Strong business and financial acumen, including understanding of revenue, margin, pricing and customer profitability.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively domestically and internationally.
• Ability to independently plan travel, customer meetings and business development activities.
• Strong CRM experience and ability to maintain accurate pipeline and opportunity data.
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple long-term opportunities simultaneously.
• Must be highly self-motivated, entrepreneurial and comfortable working independently.