Channel Development Manager Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Position: Territory Sales Manager

Supervisor: Regional Sales Manager

Location: Remote / Upper Midwest Region (Chicago-based; IL, WI, MN, IN, MI)

About Zip Water: https://us.zipwater.com/about/ or watch – https://lnkd.in/d9XRvJ6D

With unrivalled expertise in instant filtered boiling, chilled, and sparkling water, Zip Water is home to some of the world's most advanced water appliances. What began in Australia in 1947 has grown into a brand trusted in homes and workplaces around the world, and Zip continues to lead on innovation, design, and water quality.

Role Overview: This is a high-visibility role for a driven sales professional ready to build a premium brand in a growing market. As Territory Sales Manager for the Upper Midwest, you will own the growth of the Zip HydroTap across the luxury kitchen, appliance, and plumbing channels, working through showrooms, designers, builders, and trade influencers throughout Illinois, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Indiana, and Michigan.

The role carries two connected mandates. The first is residential business development: creating demand at the point of specification, deepening relationships with showroom partners and the design community, and turning brand awareness into a healthy, well-managed pipeline. The second is channel development. As Zip expands into new and underserved territories across the region, you will help onboard, and ramp independent rep agency partners, giving their teams the training, tools, and product knowledge to represent Zip with confidence.

It is an outstanding opportunity to join a global organization that promotes from within and rewards results. We are looking for someone entrepreneurial, highly motivated, and energized by the challenge of building something.

Role Responsibilities:

Account Development and Demand Generation -

• Build and manage residential sales pipelines across showrooms, designers, builders, and trade influencers.
• Deliver trade trainings and lunch-and-learns for prospective, new, and established partners.
• Host launch events and in-market activations that drive engagement and specification.
• Own display quality, point-of-sale, and merchandising standards at every partner location.
• Ensure the Zip brand is represented accurately and consistently across partner websites and showroom floors.
• Travel the territory regularly to strengthen relationships and uncover new opportunities.
• Run periodic business reviews with key accounts to keep growth on track.

Channel Development and Rep Agency Enablement -

• Support the onboarding of independent rep agencies as Zip expands into new territories across the region.
• Build onboarding plans that get new agency partners productive quickly.
• Deliver product, brand, and sales training to agency principals and their field teams.
• Act as the day-to-day point of contact for rep partners, coaching them on positioning, pipeline, and specification.
• Identify white-space markets and prioritize where added coverage will drive the most growth.
• Partner with the Regional Sales Manager on territory design, ramp targets, and performance tracking.

Products & Market -

• Meet and exceed sales and margin targets for the territory.
• Maintain deep knowledge of the product range, key industry trends, and specification tools.
• Stay current through in-house training, external courses, and trade publications.
• Represent Zip at trade shows, presentations, and industry events.
• Introduce new products through compelling presentations at account locations.
• Guide customers on product selection, design, and specification, maximizing Zip content in every project.

Administration & Reporting –

• Manage call cycles and maintain accurate account data in Salesforce.
• Keep a clear, current record of past, active, and planned activity in the CRM.
• Contribute to weekly team meetings with updates on wins, challenges, and opportunities.
• Work closely with the Regional Sales Manager on strategy and execution.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Three to five years in outside or B2B sales, ideally selling or specifying into the residential or design market.
• Experience in luxury appliance or plumbing is a strong plus.
• Exposure to channel, distributor, or independent rep agency management is highly valued.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred, in Sales, Marketing, Business, Interior Design, Building Sciences, or Construction Management.
• A proven, quantifiable track record of sales achievement.
• Excellent presentation, communication, and interpersonal skills.
• Strong time and process management, with the credibility to present to senior stakeholders.
• Comfortable building relationships across a wide range of trade and design partners.
• Proficient in MS Office and CRM tools.
• Willingness to travel regularly across the territory.

Competencies: Successful candidates consistently show resourcefulness, analytical thinking, creativity, and initiative. They are strong team players with a clear customer focus, excellent oral and written communication, a results-driven approach, and the strategic vision to grow a premium brand.

Zip Water is the preeminent manufacturer of multi-function taps. Our world-leading technology transforms ordinary water into water at its best – creating endless opportunities for you and your family. As a member of the larger Culligan International global team, we are dedicated to delivering high-quality water solutions to residential, commercial and industrial customers.

We offer competitive compensation including base of $100-120k plus bonus and car allowance & benefits including: Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Disability, 401(k), Parental Leave, PTO, Additional voluntary benefits.