Assistant Sales Manager

POSITION SUMMARY

· Manage and develop sales activities within the assigned territory, working closely with manufacturers’ sales representatives, utility customers, distributors, and internal departments.

· Promote NGK-LOCKE products, identify business opportunities, maintain customer relationships, and coordinate commercial and technical matters from inquiry through delivery.

· This is a customer-facing sales role based at the Virginia Beach office, requiring independent judgment, strong organization, and frequent business travel by car and air, including overnight trips as needed. Business travel is an essential function of this position. Escalate significant commercial, contractual, or technical matters to the Director of Sales and Administrations and appropriate internal specialists.

· Serve as a communication link between the field sales organization, Marketing, and other internal departments by exchanging market intelligence, coordinating customer-related activities, and actively following up on agreed actions.

· The role requires a high degree of autonomy in planning, prioritizing, and executing sales activities with limited day-to-day supervision.

PRODUCTS HANDLED

· Polymer Insulators manufactured in Virginia Beach; Porcelain Post Insulators stocked in Virginia Beach; and Porcelain Bells manufactured in Japan.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

· Independently develop, prioritize, and execute territory- and account-specific sales plans, set actionable goals, manage time and travel schedules, and monitor progress toward sales objectives; proactively pursue existing and prospective customers, identify projects and demand forecasts, and contribute to annual sales budgets and forecasts.

· Collect, analyze, and regularly share market intelligence with the Marketing Manager, including customer demand trends, project outlooks, NGK-LOCKE sales performance and customer feedback, competitive products and pricing, and competitor activities in the assigned territory.

· Proactively follow up with inside sales staff in the Marketing team on customer inquiries, quotations, open orders, delivery commitments, and other customer-related action items; confirm progress, communicate priorities, and help resolve delays or outstanding issues.

· Maintain proactive, two-way communication among customers, manufacturers’ sales representatives, Marketing, Sales, Product Engineering, Quality Assurance, Production, and other relevant departments to share customer requirements and market feedback, coordinate timely responses, and follow through on customer commitments and action items.

· Travel regularly throughout the assigned territory for in-person visits with customers and manufacturers’ sales representatives, including overnight travel as required; maintain approved-supplier status and strong customer relationships, and conduct periodic performance reviews of representatives.

· Coordinate customer inquiries with Marketing, Product Engineering, and other teams to select suitable products and prepare timely quotations with appropriate lead times.

· Follow up quotations and projects with sales representatives; obtain customer feedback, support negotiations, and seek opportunities to improve sales and margins.

· Negotiate prices, delivery schedules, and commercial terms within delegated authority; refer complex agreements and exceptions for management review.

· Coordinate order entry, acknowledgements, production and delivery follow-up with internal teams to help meet customer commitments.

· Identify and coordinate resolution of product design, technical, quality, delivery, and order-related issues; communicate effectively with customers and internal specialists.

· Develop sufficient product and application knowledge to discuss general technical matters and route detailed questions to qualified personnel.

· Coordinate customer inspections, factory visits, and technical workshops with Engineering, Quality, Marketing, Production, and other departments, including practical visit arrangements.

· Support timely collection of accounts receivable by reviewing open invoices and accounts receivable aging reports, following up with customers and manufacturers’ sales representatives on outstanding payments, and coordinating with Accounting to negotiate and resolve billing discrepancies, payment disputes, and related issues within delegated authority.

· Review and validate monthly sales commission reports for manufacturers’ sales representatives, verify proper commission allocation, and investigate and resolve split-commission disputes involving overlapping sales territories, customer accounts, or projects, escalating exceptions to management as appropriate.

· For Porcelain Bells manufactured by NGK Japan, proactively serve as the primary liaison between customers and NGK Japan. Coordinate requests for quotations, confirm lead times and availability, establish customer selling prices in accordance with company pricing policies, prepare and submit bids, arrange the shipment and follow through on commercial and technical inquiries to support timely and effective customer responses.

· Take ownership of additional projects, cross-functional initiatives, and other responsibilities assigned by management to support sales objectives and broader business needs.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS AND DECISION-MAKING

· Exercise a high degree of self-direction and accountability in day-to-day territory management, making sound decisions and following through on planned actions without continuous supervision. Coordinate closely with Sales, Marketing, Product Engineering, Quality Assurance, Production, and other departments. Escalate major commercial, contractual, or technical decisions to appropriate management.

QUALIFICATIONS

· Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Engineering, or a related field preferred; equivalent education and experience will be considered.

· One to three years of B2B sales experience preferred, particularly in electrical equipment, industrial products, or related industries; neither specific industry experience nor a fixed number of years is required.

· Recent college graduates with strong communication skills, initiative, and interest in technical sales are welcome to apply.

· Strong interpersonal, organizational, problem-solving, and written and verbal communication skills; demonstrated initiative, self-motivation, and ability to independently plan and execute activities, manage competing priorities, and take ownership of results.

· Proficiency with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and business communication tools.

· Ability and willingness to travel frequently by car and air throughout the assigned territory, including overnight travel as required; business travel is an essential requirement of the position.

WORK ENVIRONMENT AND PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

· The primary work location is the NGK-LOCKE office in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Regular on-site attendance is required when not traveling on company business; this is not a remote-work position. The role includes substantial computer and email use, in-person customer visits, and required business travel. Occasional visits to production or warehouse areas may require appropriate personal protective equipment. The role may involve standing, walking, sitting, and occasional lifting or moving of items up to 20 pounds.

Pay: Up to $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Health savings account
• Life insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Vision insurance

People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply

Work Location: In person