[Remote] Business Development Manager – Pulp, Paper & Biomass

Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. Columbia Industries is hiring a Business Development Manager to develop new business and expand its presence in the Pulp, Paper & Biomass markets. The role focuses on prospecting and closing capital equipment sales, commercializing new equipment solutions, building customer relationships, and collaborating across departments to deliver engineered solutions.

Responsibilities

• Own new-business development and revenue growth within the Pulp, Paper & Biomass markets, including related industrial applications
• Proactively identify, prospect, qualify, develop, and close new customers and opportunities
• Lead the introduction and commercialization of Columbia's new equipment solutions, developing market awareness and generating customer demand
• Identify operational challenges, equipment limitations, and unmet customer needs that Columbia's engineered solutions can address
• Build relationships with decision-makers across operations, engineering, maintenance, procurement, and executive leadership
• Apply consultative, value-based selling techniques to understand customer needs and demonstrate measurable operational and financial benefits
• Develop strong product, application, and industry knowledge to become a credible technical resource and trusted customer advisor
• Manage complex capital equipment sales involving multiple stakeholders and extended purchasing cycles
• Collaborate with Engineering, Operations, Service, and other departments to develop technically sound and commercially competitive solutions
• Develop and execute market and account development strategies aligned with Columbia's growth objectives
• Build and maintain a healthy sales pipeline with clear opportunity values, timelines, probabilities, and next actions
• Maintain accurate customer information, sales activities, opportunities, and forecasts within Columbia's Epicor ERP/CRM system
• Conduct customer visits, facility assessments, product presentations, proposal reviews, and commercial negotiations
• Generate leads through direct prospecting, industry relationships, trade associations, conferences, and networking
• Monitor market trends, competitive products, customer investments, and emerging opportunities to support Columbia's product development strategy
• Identify opportunities for custom-engineered applications beyond Columbia's standard product offerings
• Achieve assigned revenue, margin, pipeline development, and new-customer acquisition goals
• Provide regular updates on sales activities, market intelligence, forecasts, and business development progress
• Support additional product lines and strategic growth initiatives as assigned
• Perform other duties as required

Skills

• Experience selling industrial capital equipment is required
• Proven success developing new markets, acquiring customers, and closing complex equipment sales
• Demonstrated ability to sell through consultative, value-based approaches rather than relying solely on product specifications or price
• Experience managing long sales cycles involving technical, operational, and financial decision-makers
• Ability to develop sufficient technical expertise to confidently discuss equipment capabilities, applications, and customer challenges
• Strong understanding of pricing, margins, return on investment, and capital equipment purchasing decisions
• Proven ability to independently develop a sales territory, generate leads, and maintain a disciplined pipeline
• Strong negotiation, presentation, communication, and relationship-building skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, Teams, and CRM/ERP systems
• Self-motivated, organized, accountable, and comfortable working independently in a remote environment
• Empathy & Consultative Selling: Ability to understand customer perspectives, operational challenges, and business priorities before recommending solutions
• Humble Self-Confidence: Confident in presenting solutions and engaging decision-makers while remaining open to feedback, collaboration, and continuous learning
• Business & Financial Acumen: Understands pricing, profitability, ROI, and the financial considerations influencing industrial capital equipment purchases
• Communication & Relationship Building: Communicates effectively with technical, operational, commercial, and executive stakeholders while building credibility and long-term trust
• Accountability & Independence: Takes ownership of results, follows through on commitments, and effectively manages priorities without constant supervision
• Problem Solving: Identifies customer challenges, gathers relevant technical and commercial information, and works collaboratively to develop practical solutions
• 7+ years of successful B2B industrial sales or business development experience
• Experience introducing new products, developing new applications, or establishing demand for emerging solutions
• Experience within Pulp & Paper, Biomass, Forestry, Wood Products, or related bulk material handling industries
• Experience with engineered-to-order, customized, or application-specific equipment
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Sales, Marketing, or a related field
• Equivalent relevant experience in industrial capital equipment sales

Benefits

• Remote position; home-based, with Microsoft Teams serving as a primary communication platform for internal collaboration.

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