Business Development Manager - Kohler Stores & ShowroomsWork Mode: Remote
Location:Remote - California
OpportunityThe Business Development Manager - California Market Development will lead Kohler's direct market-growth strategy across California, with responsibility for expanding profitable sales and market share through Kohler Store development, targeted dealer growth, showroom activation, and pull-through engagement with residential designers, remodelers, and design/build firms. The role will identify and convert high-potential, non-quoted business, strengthen the performance and market presence of Kohler Stores, and establish direct relationships with priority dealers and trade influencers while coordinating Kohler Field Sales, distribution partners, Marketing, Kohler Stores Operations, and internal resources around a unified market plan. Success will be measured by incremental revenue, gross margin, Store and dealer productivity, showroom presence, specification activity, and sustained growth in targeted accounts and customer segments.
Specific Responsibilities- Develop, articulate, and execute a comprehensive California market-development strategy that identifies priority geographies, dealer targets, showroom opportunities, and trade-influencer segments where direct Kohler engagement can produce profitable incremental growth and increased market share.
- Lead business development with priority independent dealers, Store and showroom operators, residential designers, remodelers, and design/build firms, while coordinating with Branch Sales Managers, Field Sales, distributor leadership, and vertical teams to maintain clear account ownership and convert opportunities that are not being captured through the existing quoted-project model.
- Translate the California market-development strategy into an annual operating plan with defined revenue, Store-performance, account-acquisition, showroom-expansion, specification, conversion, and customer-engagement goals. Use market potential, Store and dealer performance, competitive presence, product mix, and pipeline data to establish priorities, allocate activity, and track progress by market, Store, and account.
- Own the profitable-growth plan for the California market, including incremental sales, gross margin, product and channel mix, pricing discipline, customer-development investments, and return on market activation. Evaluate opportunities using transparent financial assumptions and recommend where Kohler should deploy direct resources, dealer support, displays, inventory, training, or promotional funding.
- Build and maintain a prioritized California opportunity pipeline covering high-potential independent dealers, showroom groups, and trade-influencer networks. Qualify each opportunity based on current brand mix, customer reach, showroom capability, growth potential, and strategic fit, then advance qualified targets through commercial plans with defined milestones, ownership, and expected financial return.
- Establish a consistent operating cadence for priority California accounts and opportunities, including pipeline reviews, joint business planning, market visits, conversion plans, performance scorecards, and corrective actions. Coach dealer and showroom teams on the behaviors required to improve Kohler share, customer conversion, complete-bath selling, and profitable product mix.
- Build the capabilities required to execute the California growth plan through targeted in-market and online training for dealer, Store, and showroom teams. Programs will strengthen product knowledge, design-trend awareness, complete-bath selling, service standards, systems adoption, software proficiency, and effective use of Kohler's digital tools and online resources.
- Collaborate with distributors, dealer owners, Store and showroom teams, Kohler Field Sales, and Marketing to develop account-specific demand-creation plans for existing priority locations. Plans will align displays, inventory, pricing, merchandising, training, trade outreach, events, digital lead generation, and local campaigns to a defined target customer, expected demand, investment level, accountable owners, and measures of conversion and return.
- Serve as the California market expert for Kohler leadership by communicating competitive intelligence, dealer and designer feedback, pricing and margin barriers, product and inventory needs, emerging opportunities, and risks to execution. Translate field insights into clear recommendations and action plans that improve speed to market, customer experience, and competitive advantage.
- Lead the evaluation and execution of new Kohler Store opportunities, existing Store optimization, showroom expansions, new dealer locations, display investments, and market-entry opportunities across California. Partner with Kohler Stores Operations, dealer owners, Wholesale Channel Marketing, Field Sales, and corporate teams to validate market potential and Store economics, build the business case, secure commitments, and coordinate operational readiness, training, merchandising, trade outreach, and launch timing.
- Drive consistent execution across the California market by aligning distributor leadership, Field Sales, Store and showroom teams, and corporate functions around common operating standards, documented best practices, clear escalation paths, and accountability for Kohler brand, visual, and service requirements.
Skills/Requirements- Bachelor's degree from a four-year college or university required; master's degree or advanced professional accreditation preferred.
- Minimum of 5+ years of successful sales, business development, channel development, or plumbing-industry experience required.
- The successful candidate will demonstrate experience building new markets or customer segments, developing dealer and trade relationships, managing a qualified opportunity pipeline, and using market and financial analysis to allocate resources and deliver profitable growth. A strong understanding of two-step distribution, direct account development, pull-through selling, pricing, gross margin, and showroom economics is required.
- Must possess strong written and oral communication skills, executive presence, commercial judgment, negotiation capability, and a demonstrated record of cross-functional leadership and sales achievement.
- Knowledge of the California kitchen and bath market and an established network among dealers, showrooms, residential designers, remodelers, or design/build firms is preferred.
- Ability to travel as required by the role, up to 40% of the time.
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Applicants must be authorized to work in the US without requiring sponsorship now or in the future.We believe in supporting you from the moment you join us, which is why Kohler offers day 1 benefits. This means you'll have access to your applicable benefit programs from your first day on the job, with no waiting period. The salary range for this position is $118,650 - $183,650. The specific salary offered to a candidate may be influenced by a variety of factors including the candidate's experience, their education, and the work location. In addition, this position is eligible for a performance bonus/variable incentive compensation.
