We have an exciting opportunity for an
Area Channel Manager - Distributor Development, supporting a national distribution sales role with preference for candidates based in the Midwest (preferably Wixom/Detroit area; significant travel required).
This role is responsible for identifying, qualifying, and developing new distributor partners by applying a structured, milestone-driven sales process. Success in this position requires the ability to lead professional, business-level conversations, uncover alignment and misalignment early, and advance only those distributor opportunities that represent mutual long-term value.
Primary Objectives- Expand Mahr's distributor footprint by consistently converting qualified prospects into committed channel partners.
- Protect sales resources by ensuring only well-aligned distributors progress through the development process.
- Build a predictable, measurable pipeline of distributor opportunities aligned with Mahr's national growth strategy.
Key Responsibilities- Develop and execute a disciplined prospecting plan to identify new distributor opportunities aligned with Mahr's strategic, geographic, and market priorities.
- Initiate professional, peer-level conversations with prospective distributors to establish expectations, process, and next steps early in the engagement.
- Lead structured discovery discussions to understand distributor business drivers, challenges, capabilities, customer access, decision criteria, and commitment level.
- Qualify or disqualify distributor prospects based on objective criteria including strategic fit, growth potential, commercial alignment, and execution capability.
- Maintain control of the distributor development process by setting clear milestones, timelines, and mutual commitments.
- Advance qualified prospects through defined stages of engagement rather than informal or relationship-only selling.
- Coordinate internal resources, including sales leadership, technical teams, and marketing, only after qualification criteria are met.
- Support onboarding and launch planning for new distributors to ensure early alignment on expectations, responsibilities, focus products, and success metrics.
- Maintain accurate pipeline data, activity tracking, and forecasting in CRM systems.
- Provide regular, fact-based updates to Sales Leadership on pipeline health, risks, next steps, and conversion probability.
- Represent Mahr with professionalism, confidence, and commercial credibility at distributor meetings, field visits, and industry events.
Requirements- Minimum 5 years of experience in industrial sales, channel sales, distributor development, or business development.
- Proven ability to prospect, qualify, and open new accounts or partners, not just manage existing relationships.
- Experience leading discovery-based sales conversations with decision-makers and business owners.
- Demonstrated comfort disqualifying opportunities that do not meet strategic or commercial criteria.
- Experience working with industrial distributors, channel partners, or technical sales organizations.
- Technical degree required or equivalent military and on-the-job training; 4-year degree in Engineering, Business, Marketing, or related field preferred.
- Experience in metrology, measurement, instrumentation, precision tools, or industrial manufacturing markets preferred.
- Strong planning, organization, and follow-up skills with a process-driven mindset.
- Proficiency with CRM systems, Microsoft Office, and activity-based reporting.
- Willingness and ability to travel extensively.
The ideal candidate is a confident, disciplined business developer who enjoys controlling the sales process rather than reacting to it. This individual is comfortable asking direct questions, uncovering real business issues, and determining early whether a distributor opportunity should move forward. They operate with equal business stature, value structure over improvisation, and measure success by qualified outcomes, not activity alone.
We want you to succeed. If you are motivated by creating new opportunities, value structured selling, and thrive in a high-tech, performance-driven environment, we invite you to apply.
