Solar Account Manager Jobs in Illinois (NOW HIRING)

Description

ABOUT ACME INDUSTRIES

ACME Industries is a 70+ year aerospace and defense manufacturer headquartered in Elk Grove Village, IL. We own and solve complex problems - manufacturing precision solutions for mission-critical, long-life applications across aerospace, defense, power generation, rail, industrial, and heavy equipment markets. We are ISO 9001:2015 and AS9100:D certified, financially healthy and growing.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

ACME is hiring two Strategic Sales Account Managers simultaneously - one focused on the Industrial lane and one focused on the Aerospace and Defense lane. Both roles share the same title, the same expectations, and the same JD - the lane is the only material difference.

These are senior, strategic seats. This is not a hunting role in the traditional sense - ACME already has relationships with the customers who drive most of its revenue. What the company needs is someone who can deepen those relationships, identify and close expansion within existing accounts, open new accounts within the lane, and serve as the commercial face of ACME at the OEM and prime level.

The right candidate brings technical credibility - they can talk about machining, tolerances, materials, and manufacturing process with the same fluency as the engineers they sell to and buy from. This is a consultative, relationship-driven, technically sophisticated sales role.

ACCOUNT PORTFOLIO

Industrial Lane (Seat 1)

• Primary targets: Progress Rail, Allison Transmission, Cummins, Komatsu, CAT, and associated Tier 1 suppliers
• Secondary development: heavy equipment, power generation, mining, and rail adjacencies within ACME's manufacturing capability profile

Aerospace & Defense Lane (Seat 2)

• Primary targets: BAE Systems, GDLS, Northstar Aerospace, Solar Turbine, Lockheed Martin, Woodward, and associated primes and Tier 1s
• Secondary development: additional A&D programs where ACME's AS9100:D certification and precision machining capability creates a competitive advantage

Note: Both seats report directly to the VP Sales. Lane ownership is defined at hiring. Cross-lane collaboration is expected - not siloed.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES

Account Development & Revenue Growth

• Own the commercial relationship with assigned accounts - primary point of contact at the buyer, program manager, and engineering levels
• Develop and execute account-level growth plans, identifying expansion opportunities across new programs, part families, and product lines
• Drive net new logo development within the lane - identify, qualify, and open new OEM or Tier 1 relationships
• Negotiate pricing, lead times, and contract terms in collaboration with Philip and ACME's Operations team
• Own and grow a named account book toward annual revenue and margin targets

Pipeline & Forecasting

• Maintain a live, accurate pipeline in CRM - customer, opportunity, stage, value, close probability, and expected award date
• Contribute to the Sales Team's 1-year and 3-year rolling revenue forecast through account-level intelligence
• Track RFQ activity, quote status, win/loss outcomes, and lessons learned for every assigned opportunity
• Participate in pre-quote risk reviews and post-award debrief conversations with Advanced Planning and Engineering

Technical Selling & Customer Engagement

• Translate customer requirements into ACME's manufacturing capability - match part complexity, material, tolerance, and volume to ACME's production envelope
• Accompany customers on facility tours, capability reviews, and engineering walkthroughs
• Serve as the voice of the customer internally - communicate program urgency, customer priorities, and quality expectations to Operations, Engineering, and Quality
• Support customer audits and AS9100 / ITAR compliance reviews as the Sales-side point of contact

Long-Term Program Development

• Plan and execute multi-year OEM account strategies, including long-term agreement (LTA) and blanket order development
• Identify ACME's capability gaps relative to account requirements and bring those back as inputs to the capital and workforce planning process
• Represent ACME at trade shows, industry events, and customer-hosted supplier development programs within the lane

Requirements

QUALIFICATIONS

Required

• 7+ years of technical sales experience in precision manufacturing, machining, or contract manufacturing - OEM or Tier 1 account focus
• Demonstrated track record of growing named accounts and closing new business in a technical, consultative selling environment
• Strong mechanical aptitude - ability to read drawings, understand GD&T, and discuss manufacturing process at a credible technical level
• Experience managing complex, multi-stakeholder account relationships (buyer, engineer, program manager, executive)
• Proficiency with CRM tools and disciplined pipeline management
• Ability to travel within the lane (estimated 25-40% travel depending on account geography)
• U.S. Person status required (U.S. Citizen or Permanent Resident) - ITAR regulated environment

Preferred

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or equivalent technical background
• 7+ years of OEM sales experience in precision machined components, aerospace structures, or defense supply chain
• Working knowledge of AS9100, ITAR, DFARS, and NADCAP requirements
• Experience with ERP/MRP-integrated quoting and program management systems
• Existing relationships within the target account base for the assigned lane
• Experience selling into multi-year programs and long-term agreements

WHAT WE OFFER

• Competitive base salary commensurate with experience
• Annual bonus program tied to company EBITDA performance and individual revenue goal achievement
• Comprehensive benefits - medical (BCBS), dental, vision, and 401(k) with company match (Fidelity)
• A stable, 70+ year manufacturer with private equity backing and aggressive growth ambitions
• A genuine seat at a growing commercial team - real accounts, real relationships, real influence on ACME's next chapter
• Named account ownership from day one - these are real, revenue-generating relationships, not a cold list

CORE VALUES

At ACME, we are Dedicated, Persistent, Creative, and Supportive. We get the job done, think through problems, find better ways, and help the team win.