Manager Commercial Operations Jobs in Waterloo, IA

Description

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Sales Manager - Wind Aftermarket (Wind AM) is an individual contributor role responsible for driving UEA's sales activities across the global Wind Aftermarket, with full ownership of all Wind AM accounts and revenue. The role covers domestic (U.S.) and international Wind AM customers, including Independent Service Providers (ISPs), Operations & Maintenance (O&M) providers, wind farm owners and operators, authorized distributors, and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEMs) supplying the wind market. The Sales Manager - Wind AM cultivates existing accounts and develops new business opportunities by establishing sales volume goals, executing customer-focused sales plans, and consistently meeting Sales, Revenue and Margin objectives for the Wind AM segment.

Actively promote UEA's Wind AM product value (slip ring assemblies, brush kits, repair cores, FORJ sub-assemblies, and repair/refurbishment services), gather market intelligence on installed base, replacement cycles and competitive activity, develop leads and qualify opportunities; communicate business opportunities and collaborate with a cross-functional team that includes customer service, marketing, engineering, innovation, supply chain and manufacturing to determine direction and assure realization of customer requests and margin requirements.

Lead execution of UEA's Wind AM growth playbook: (1) deepen the ISP / O&M channel, (2) drive parts and brush-kit attach rates, (3) expand mid-tail wind farm owner penetration, (4) build coverage of the largest installed utility-scale turbine platforms (including the dominant 1.5-1.6 MW class) and other major OEM platforms, and (5) productize and scale UEA's slip ring repair / refurbishment revenue stream. Target outcome is a 4-5x lift in Wind AM net sales over a 5-year plan window (from approximately $1.8M to $7.7-9.2M annualized run rate by FY2031), with the first 6-12 months focused on ramp-up, account activation, repair-program launch, attach-rate improvement, and repeatable pipeline/dashboard discipline. The $4-5M+ Wind AM annualized run-rate should be treated as a 24-month growth target rather than a first-year revenue expectation.

Represent UEA in annual and ongoing allocation, forecasting, and pricing discussions with key Wind OEMs and OEM-affiliated customers at the corporate level, working closely with the Director of Engineering and Commercial Operations and the Head of Sales to shape supply commitments, pricing, and multi-year agreements consistent with UEA's Wind AM strategy and margin objectives.

Work in parallel with the Sales Representatives and the National Sales Director, sharing market knowledge, account intelligence, and best practices to collectively achieve UEA Sales, Revenue, and Margin objectives. Provide input into department budget development and Wind AM account-level forecasts in collaboration with the Head of Sales and Controller; recommend prioritization of sales resources across Wind AM customers, geographies and channels in alignment with strategic priorities. Other tasks, projects and duties as assigned by the Head of Sales.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIPS:

This position reports and is fully accountable to the Head of Sales. The Sales Manager - Wind AM is an individual contributor role with no direct reports. The position has end-to-end ownership of UEA's Wind Aftermarket customer portfolio (U.S. and global) and works in parallel and collaboratively with the Sales Representatives and the National Sales Director to ensure unified coverage of UEA's products, markets, and regions. The position partners closely with the Director of Engineering and Commercial Operations, the Head of Sales, and functional

leaders across Engineering, Innovation, Customer Service, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Manufacturing to execute the Wind AM growth playbook and to lead annual and ongoing OEM allocation and pricing discussions.

REQUIREMENTS:

EDUCATION - Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Marketing, Business, or a related field is preferred or a combination of desired experience and continuing education. MBA or technical post-graduate qualification is a plus.

EXPERIENCE - Minimum five (5) to seven (7) years in technical sales for a manufacturing company or related environment is required, with a meaningful portion in the wind energy aftermarket. Demonstrated experience selling into the wind value chain - ISPs (e.g., Integrated Power Services, Generation Repair & Service), O&M providers, wind farm owners/operators (e.g., Invenergy, NextEra, EDF, Terra-Gen), authorized distributors, and major turbine OEMs - is strongly preferred. Direct experience negotiating annual allocation, forecasting, and pricing agreements with major Wind OEMs at the corporate level is highly preferred. Track record of managing both domestic (U.S.) and international Wind AM customer relationships, including in Europe, Latin America and APAC, is required. Familiarity with recurring-revenue and service-based sales models (blanket POs, long-term agreements, VMI, repair/exchange programs) is required. Professionalism, sales planning experience, and the ability to work well with others and effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and peers is also required.

SKILLS - Exceptional listening, written, oral communication and professional selling skills are essential to effectively communicate and work with internal and external entities at technical, commercial and executive levels. Strong commercial acumen - ability to construct, negotiate and close blanket POs, supplier agreements, long-term agreements (LTAs), and OEM allocation / pricing agreements - is required. Demonstrated ability to read installed-base data, replacement-cycle economics, and TAM models, and translate them into account-level growth plans is essential. Technology proficient with electronic communication, MS Office Suite, and CRM/ERP software (HubSpot/Syteline or equivalent) along with the ability to operate general office equipment (printer, computer, etc.) is essential. Must be a goal-oriented, self-starter with the ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical details, process and deal with several abstract and concrete variables. Adaptable with a strategic and tactical mindset is crucial to effectively prioritize and manage multiple concurrent assignments across customers, geographies and channels in addition to meeting time and budgetary constraints. Demonstrated ability to operate independently while collaborating effectively with peers is required.

PHYSICAL - Regularly required to sit, stand, walk, operate vehicles, talk, and hear (with mechanical assistance if necessary) sufficiently to understand and comprehend individual one-on-one conversations. Possess specific vision abilities including near vision, distance vision and ability to adjust focus (with corrective lenses if necessary). A current and valid driver's license and maintaining insurability for operation of company vehicles, and a valid passport for international travel, is required to perform the essential duties of this position. Must be able to access wind farm sites, ISP repair facilities and OEM manufacturing locations, which may include climbing stairs and navigating active service environments.

MENTAL - Must be able to read, write and speak English fluently and possess the ability to communicate clearly on technical and business levels while maintaining professional conduct. Additional language capability (Spanish, German, Mandarin, or Portuguese) is a plus given the global Wind AM scope. The ability to handle high pressure, high demand situations, and manage projects with significant financial impact (including multi-million-dollar pursuits, long-term agreements, and OEM allocation / pricing negotiations) is also critical.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

The role of Sales Manager - Wind AM requires extensive travel (>50%) for tradeshows (e.g., ACP CLEANPOWER, WindEnergy Hamburg, AWEA O&M), exhibits, customer visits to wind farms, ISP/O&M repair facilities, OEM accounts, and other necessary events, both domestic and international. The balance of this position's time will be divided between a home office and UEA's corporate headquarters located in Waverly, IA. This position will

spend a significant amount of time visiting or working on active wind farm sites, which present a distinct set of environmental and safety conditions:

Remote and often rural locations with limited nearby services; extended drive times and multi-day site visits are common.

Outdoor exposure to variable weather conditions, including extreme heat, cold, high winds, precipitation, and elevated UV exposure.

Uneven terrain, gravel access roads, and construction / maintenance activity around turbine bases.

High-noise areas near operating turbines, cranes, and heavy equipment; hearing protection may be required.

Presence of high-voltage electrical equipment (transformers, switchgear, generators, slip ring assemblies) and rotating machinery.

Working around elevated structures; while tower climbs are not routinely required, comfort with tall structures and access to nacelle-height platforms may be needed on select visits.

Compliance with customer- and site-specific safety, PPE (hard hat, safety glasses, hi-vis, steel-toe boots, harness where applicable), training and site-access requirements is expected.

United Equipment Accessories, Inc. functions in a real market environment that changes at various times of the year which occasionally may create high output or greater time pressure demands. This is an exempt position and completion of duties regardless of the number of hours or number of days worked per week is expected. Office hours will vary according to travel schedules and business demands.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES, RESPONSIBILITIES, AND MEASUREMENTS OF PERFORMANCE:

Follow rules and processes as outlined in the Employee Handbook and Safety and Quality Manuals as to conduct and performance standards expected of all employees.

Maintain a positive work attitude that reflects the UEA Core Values (Care, Hardworking/Dedicated, Creative Problem Solver, Knowledge Seeker, and Accountability).

Own UEA's entire Wind Aftermarket business globally: establish individual sales volume, revenue and margin goals; execute customer-focused sales plans; and personally own all Wind AM accounts and opportunities across U.S. and international geographies, including ISPs, O&M providers, owners/operators, authorized distributors, and Wind OEMs.

Lead and execute the UEA Wind AM Growth Playbook: (1) deepen the ISP / O&M channel (including Integrated Power Services and Generation Repair & Service); (2) drive brush kit and repair core attach rates; (3) penetrate mid-tail wind farm owner/operator accounts; (4) build coverage of the largest installed utility-scale turbine platforms (including the dominant 1.5-1.6 MW class) and other major OEM platforms; (5) productize and scale UEA's slip ring repair / refurbishment revenue stream.

Actively lead UEA's annual and ongoing allocation, forecasting and pricing discussions with key Wind OEMs and OEM-affiliated customers, working closely with the Director of Engineering and Commercial Operations and the Head of Sales to align supply commitments, pricing structures, multi-year agreements, and margin objectives.

Build, foster and maintain lasting relationships with Wind AM customers at functional, commercial and executive levels through exceptional professional selling abilities; deliver sales presentations, provide expert product knowledge on slip ring assemblies, brush kits, repair cores and FORJ sub-assemblies, and demonstrate in-depth mechanical understanding of UEA Wind AM product and service options.

Promote product value at a variety of venues including but not limited to ACP CLEANPOWER, WindEnergy Hamburg, AWEA O&M, OEM technology days, customer visits and manufacturing representative training.

Work in parallel with the Sales Representatives and the National Sales Director; share account intelligence, market insights, and best practices to ensure unified, coordinated coverage of UEA's products, markets, and customers.

Develop and execute Wind AM market expansion strategies across U.S. and international geographies; identify and qualify Wind OEM opportunities as appropriate.

Negotiate and close blanket POs, supplier agreements, long-term agreements (LTAs), and vendor-managed inventory (VMI) programs with top ISPs, O&M providers, and OEM accounts to convert transactional buyers into programmatic, repeat customers.

Gather Wind AM market intelligence - installed base by OEM platform, fleet age distribution, replacement-cycle behavior, competitive pricing - and translate it into TAM penetration plans, attach-rate targets, and account-level growth strategies.

Collaborate with multiple functional areas including customer service, marketing, engineering, innovation, supply chain and manufacturing; communicate Wind AM sales opportunities, customer feedback and suggestions on product enhancements (e.g., service-cycle bundle SKUs, repair/exchange programs) to help determine direction and assure realization of customer requests.

Follow up on sales quotes, close deals on Wind AM product orders, and collaborate with customer service to satisfy customer needs and meet UEA Sales, Revenue and Margin objectives.

Schedule all travel arrangements, hotel and car rentals (as applicable), and publish travel schedule and UEA office visits via Outlook Calendar.

Provide input into the department budget and Wind AM account-level forecasts with the Head of Sales and Controller; recommend allocation of sales resources according to sales volume goals and business strategy and within policy guidelines.

Make every effort to use the most cost-effective methods in travel and customer entertainment expenditures; ensure accurate and timely submission and approval of department or personal expense reports and vehicle mileage logs.

Monitor personal sales activities and progress on Wind AM growth initiatives; provide regular pipeline, forecast, and performance reporting to the Head of Sales - including a Wind AM dashboard view (TAM penetration, attach rate, top-account share, run-rate vs. plan).

Identify and pursue individual training opportunities to enhance product knowledge, sales and technology skills, and overall customer satisfaction in collaboration with Human Resources and other functional areas as appropriate.

Maintain current and prospective Wind AM customer database, ensuring up-to-date and accurate utilization of the CRM/ERP system and sales portals.

Maintain confidentiality of private information a...