CONFIDENTIAL OPPORTUNITY – Business Development & Commercial Growth Leader (Technical Sales) | Guelph Area
Guelph, Ontario
Build the Future of an Ambitious Canadian Manufacturer
An established and financially stable advanced manufacturing company located in the Guelph, Ontario area is entering an exciting new phase of growth.
With significant investments in leadership, engineering, manufacturing capabilities and commercial development, the company has embarked on an ambitious multi-year growth strategy supported by investments in leadership, manufacturing capabilities, engineering, and commercial development. The successful candidate will play a central role in accelerating organic growth and expanding the company's presence across North America.
To help achieve this vision, we are seeking an exceptional Leader of Business Development & Commercial Growth (Director or Sr. Manager role)—a technically credible, highly motivated business developer who thrives on opening doors, creating opportunities, and building long-term customer relationships.
This position reports directly to the General Manager and offers the opportunity to play a key role in shaping the future of the organization.
About the Company
We design and manufacture custom-engineered plastic and rubber components serving OEM customers throughout North America.
Our capabilities include:
- Large-format vacuum thermoforming
- Rubber compression molding
- Engineered packaging solutions
- Product development
- Tooling management
- CNC trimming and fabrication
- Assembly and value-added manufacturing
Our customers span multiple industries including:
- Automotive
- Construction applications and Equipment
- Electric Vehicles
- Industrial Equipment
- Material Handling
- Infrastructure
- Consumer Products
More than simply manufacturing parts, we help customers redesign products, improve manufacturability, reduce costs, simplify supply chains and launch innovative solutions.
The Opportunity
This is not a traditional sales management position.
Nor is it simply an account management role.
We are looking for someone who enjoys building business.
Reporting directly to the General Manager, you will help develop and execute the company's commercial growth strategy while personally leading new business development initiatives across North America.
You will work closely with Engineering, Operations and Executive Leadership to identify opportunities, develop customer solutions and build long-term strategic partnerships.
As the company grows, this position offers significant opportunity to assume increasing leadership responsibilities and help build the future commercial organization.
Key Responsibilities
Business Development
- Identify and develop new OEM and Tier-1 customers throughout North America.
- Generate and maintain a healthy pipeline of qualified business opportunities.
- Build relationships with Engineering, Purchasing, Operations and Executive leadership within target organizations.
- Prospect consistently through customer visits, networking, LinkedIn, referrals, trade shows and industry events.
- Develop strategic account plans for high-potential customers.
Technical Sales
- Lead consultative sales discussions focused on solving customer manufacturing challenges.
- Identify opportunities to replace metal, fiberglass, wood or fabricated assemblies with engineered plastic and rubber solutions.
- Collaborate with Engineering and Manufacturing to develop innovative customer solutions.
- Support quotation development and value-based pricing strategies.
- Promote Design for Manufacturability (DFM), cost reduction and supply chain optimization initiatives.
Commercial Leadership
- Help strengthen CRM discipline, forecasting and sales reporting.
- Mentor and support members of the existing commercial team.
- Recommend improvements to sales processes and commercial effectiveness.
- Provide competitive market intelligence and identify emerging market opportunities.
- Participate in strategic planning with executive leadership.
What Success Looks Like
First 90 Days
- Develop a thorough understanding of our manufacturing capabilities.
- Meet key customers and strategic prospects.
- Build a prioritized target account list.
- Establish a disciplined prospecting cadence.
- Develop a qualified opportunity pipeline.
First Year
- Generate significant new quoting activity.
- Secure multiple new OEM accounts.
- Deliver measurable revenue growth.
- Help strengthen the commercial organization.
- Become a trusted commercial advisor to executive leadership.
Qualifications
We are looking for someone who has demonstrated success building business—not simply maintaining existing accounts.
Ideal candidates will possess:
- 8–15 years of technical B2B sales experience within manufacturing.
- A proven history of personally developing new customers and winning complex business.
- Experience selling engineered products, plastics, rubber, tooling, automation, fabricated components or similar custom manufacturing solutions.
- Strong technical aptitude with the ability to understand engineering drawings, manufacturing processes and customer applications.
- Experience coordinating or mentoring small commercial teams is considered a strong asset.
- Excellent communication, presentation and negotiation skills.
- Willingness to travel throughout Ontario and selected North American markets.
Who You Are
· You are someone who naturally creates opportunities.
· You enjoy the challenge of opening new doors.
· You are energized by meeting new customers, understanding their operations and helping solve complex manufacturing problems.
· You combine technical credibility with commercial instinct.
· You are competitive without being arrogant.
· Confident without being political.
· Organized without becoming bureaucratic.
· You are equally comfortable speaking with engineers on the production floor as you are presenting business solutions to senior executives.
· Most importantly, you want to build something meaningful.
Why Join Us?
· This is an opportunity to have a visible impact on the future of an established manufacturing company.
· You will work directly with executive leadership while helping build the commercial foundation for the company's next phase of growth.
· Your ideas will influence strategy.
· Your results will drive investment.
· Your leadership will help shape the future commercial organization.
For the right individual, this role offers the opportunity to grow into broader executive leadership responsibilities as the company continues its expansion.
Compensation
We offer a competitive compensation package including:
- Competitive base salary
- Performance-based incentive program
- Comprehensive benefits
- Professional development opportunities
- Long-term career growth
Compensation will reflect experience, technical capability and demonstrated business development success.
Confidential Search
This search is being conducted on a confidential basis.
Qualified candidates are invited to submit a confidential résumé together with a brief summary highlighting significant business development accomplishments and why they believe they are the right fit for this opportunity.
Please apply in confidence
Job Types: Full-time, Permanent
Pay: From $85,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Casual dress
- Dental care
- Mileage reimbursement
- On-site parking
- RRSP match
Work Location: Hybrid remote in Guelph, ON N1H 7M2
