Distribution Development Director Jobs in Illinois

Position Summary

Pioneer Aero Supply, LLC is seeking an experienced and well-connected Regional Sales and Business Development Director, Americas to expand and strengthen Pioneer's presence throughout the aviation aftermarket across the Americas.

This senior commercial role is responsible for developing new business, growing strategic customer relationships, expanding Pioneer's approved supplier footprint, and identifying opportunities that drive sustainable revenue and margin growth.

The ideal candidate brings significant aviation aftermarket experience, established relationships with airlines and other end users, and a proven ability to open doors, negotiate opportunities, and convert relationships into long-term business.

While the primary focus is sales and business development, this role requires a broad commercial mindset. The Regional Director will identify not only sales opportunities, but also opportunities involving inventory acquisitions, assets, consignments, programs, and strategic partnerships. This is a senior but hands-on role requiring autonomy, urgency, sound commercial judgment, and strong accountability.

Key Responsibilities

Regional Business Development & Sales Growth

• Define and execute commercial strategy for assigned markets across the Americas.
• Identify, approach, and secure new airline, MRO, OEM, leasing, and other end-user customers.
• Leverage existing industry relationships and build new relationships to establish Pioneer as an approved supplier.
• Expand business within strategic accounts by identifying additional divisions, locations, platforms, fleets, and purchasing opportunities.
• Identify and pursue new revenue opportunities, including parts programs, material support agreements, contracts, consignments, asset purchases, surplus inventory, teardown opportunities, and other strategic arrangements.
• Build and manage sales and acquisition pipelines from initial identification through negotiation and closure.
• Maintain a visible market presence through customer visits, trade shows, conferences, and industry events.
• Partner across Sales, Procurement, Asset Management, Finance, Operations, Quality, and other functions to execute opportunities.

Strategic Accounts & Customer Relationships

• Manage a portfolio of strategic accounts and serve as a senior commercial point of contact.
• Build long-term relationships with airlines, MROs, OEMs, lessors, suppliers, distributors, repair facilities, and other aftermarket partners.
• Develop account plans identifying relationship objectives, revenue opportunities, risks, key decision-makers, and next steps.
• Maintain a strong understanding of customer fleets, purchasing behavior, material needs, priorities, and business challenges.
• Support RFQs, RFPs, proposals, and customer opportunities in partnership with the Sales team.
• Take ownership of customer issues requiring resolution and coordinate internally to ensure timely follow-through.
• Build relationships with senior decision-makers and key influencers within strategic accounts.

Commercial Strategy, Contracts & Deal Execution

• Identify and pursue strategic opportunities aligned with Pioneer's growth and profitability objectives.
• Negotiate standard commercial agreements and support more complex strategic transactions.
• Partner with Finance, Legal, Executive Leadership, and other stakeholders on pricing, credit, contract terms, deal structure, and risk.
• Evaluate opportunities with a disciplined focus on revenue, gross profit, cash flow, inventory exposure, risk, and long-term value.
• Obtain required internal approvals before committing Pioneer to material commercial terms.
• Communicate significant opportunities, risks, customer concerns, and competitive threats to leadership.

Inventory, Asset Acquisition & Market Intelligence

• Maintain a strong understanding of market demand, material shortages, fleet activity, pricing trends, repair capacity, and customer requirements across the Americas.
• Identify high-demand material and strategic inventory opportunities.
• Generate acquisition leads through relationships with airlines, MROs, lessors, suppliers, and other industry partners.
• Identify opportunities involving surplus packages, excess inventory, teardown material, consignments, asset purchases, inventory exchanges, and other material transactions.
• Partner with Procurement and Asset Management to evaluate pricing, marketability, repair exposure, projected return, and inventory risk.
• Source and develop new vendors and commercial partners where appropriate.
• Share relevant market intelligence and emerging opportunities across the organization.

Pipeline, CRM & Performance Accountability

• Maintain accurate and timely CRM records for accounts, opportunities, customer activity, acquisition leads, and follow-up actions.
• Ensure opportunities reflect realistic values, stages, timing, ownership, and next steps.
• Track and report key commercial outcomes, including new accounts, approved supplier progress, customer activity, pipeline value, conversion, revenue, gross margin, strategic account growth, and acquisition opportunities.
• Provide leadership with clear visibility into regional performance, risks, priorities, and opportunities.
• Take ownership of regional results and adjust activity and strategy when performance is not meeting expectations.

Cross-Functional Partnership & Leadership

• Work closely with Sales, Procurement, Asset Management, Finance, Operations, Quality, and Executive Leadership to ensure opportunities are evaluated and executed effectively.
• Communicate customer requirements and market intelligence clearly across departments.
• Help identify and remove internal barriers affecting customer experience or commercial execution.
• Model professionalism, urgency, accountability, collaboration, and sound judgment.
• Support and mentor colleagues by sharing market knowledge, industry relationships, and commercial expertise.
• Contribute to broader commercial strategy and organizational growth initiatives.

Qualifications

• Minimum 10 years of aviation aftermarket experience, with significant experience in sales, business development, trading, asset management, or a related commercial function.
• Established relationships with airlines, MROs, OEMs, lessors, and/or other aviation end users across the Americas.
• Proven ability to generate new business and convert industry relationships into measurable revenue opportunities.
• Demonstrated success obtaining approved supplier status or opening new strategic customer accounts.
• Strong understanding of aviation aftermarket sales, trading, inventory, repair, and supply-chain dynamics.
• Ability to identify both sales and inventory or asset-acquisition opportunities.
• Strong commercial negotiation skills and experience with strategic or complex transactions.
• Strong financial and commercial judgment, including understanding of margin, pricing, inventory risk, cash considerations, and deal economics.
• Ability to independently manage a regional business-development pipeline from prospecting through closure.
• Strong relationship-management, communication, organizational, and follow-through skills.
• Comfortable remaining hands-on with customer activity, RFQs, issue resolution, and commercial execution when needed.
• Ability to operate independently while collaborating effectively across a growing international organization.
• Professional proficiency in Spanish or Portuguese strongly preferred.
• Experience with AvSight or a similar aviation ERP/CRM platform preferred.
• Bachelor's degree preferred but not required.
• Willingness and ability to travel frequently throughout the Americas, generally every two to three weeks, with additional travel based on business needs.

Success in This Role

Success will be demonstrated by measurable growth in regional revenue and gross profit; development of new airline and end-user relationships; expansion of approved customer accounts and strategic account business; a healthy and accurate commercial pipeline; consistent market engagement; successful closure of strategic programs, contracts, consignments, and acquisition opportunities; strong CRM discipline; profitable commercial decision-making; effective customer support; and strong cross-functional execution.

Why Join Pioneer Aero Supply

Join a respected and growing aviation aftermarket organization where you will have meaningful ownership over regional strategy, customer relationships, and business development. This role offers autonomy to build relationships, pursue opportunities, influence commercial strategy, and help shape Pioneer's continued growth throughout the Americas.

The position includes a competitive base salary plus performance-based commissions and bonuses, with meaningful opportunity to benefit from individual and company success. Pioneer offers an entrepreneurial environment where relationships, urgency, accountability, collaboration, sound commercial judgment, and profitable growth are valued.

Pioneer Aero Supply, LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer and considers qualified applicants without regard to any characteristic protected by applicable law.