The Commercial & Defense Sales Manager is a customer-facing, orders-driven role responsible for generating growth across both commercial and defense markets through new business acquisition, strategic account expansion, and complex opportunity capture. This position requires a disciplined hunter who can create demand, shape opportunities, and consistently convert customer engagement into booked orders across a diversified customer base.
Operating at the intersection of technical credibility and commercial execution, the role focuses on selling high-reliability power electronics solutions, including power conversion, high-voltage systems, RF power technologies, and mission-critical subsystems supporting industrial, energy, communications, aerospace, and defense applications.
Approximately 50% of the role will focus on commercial market development and strategic account growth, while 50% will support defense-related pursuits involving Tier 1 integrators, prime contractors, and mission-critical platforms.
Success in this role is defined by customer engagement, opportunity creation, capture execution, and order intake-not internal activity.
U.S. Citizenship is required.
YOU WILL BE ACCOUNTABLE FORCustomer Engagement & Order Generation (50%)- Develop and execute territory and account strategies focused on creating customer demand and securing orders across both commercial and defense markets
- Identify, pursue, and close new business opportunities aligned with CPI Power Electronics' portfolio
- Engage directly with customers to influence requirements, specifications, and design-in decisions early in the buying cycle
- Build and expand relationships with engineering teams, supply chain organizations, program stakeholders, and executive leadership
- Position technical solutions aligned to customer applications, driving adoption, platform integration, and repeat business
- Consistently meet or exceed orders targets through by acquiring new clients, strategic account penetration, and capture execution
- Lead commercial negotiations, pricing strategy, and deal closure activities to maximize order intake
Strategic Account Growth & Capture Management (25%)- Manage and expand strategic commercial accounts and Tier 1 defense relationships
- Lead pursuit and capture activities for complex, multi-phase opportunities and long-cycle programs
- Develop and execute win strategies, including competitive positioning, pricing alignment, and proposal coordination
- Navigate customer procurement environments, including commercial sourcing processes and defense acquisition pathways
- Coordinate with engineering, operations, and leadership teams to deliver customer-aligned solutions and proposals
- Support resolution of critical customer escalations to protect and expand account value
Market Expansion & Business Development (15%)- Identify adjacent markets and emerging applications for CPI power electronics technologies
- Expand market presence through channel partners, distributors, VARs, and industry relationships
- Represent the company at customer sites, trade shows, conferences, and industry events
- Monitor competitive positioning, pricing dynamics, and price-to-win targets across commercial and defense sectors
- Gather customer and market intelligence to support growth strategy and product direction
Pipeline Development & Opportunity Management (10%)- Maintain accurate pipeline visibility and opportunity progression within CRM systems
- Qualify opportunities based on strategic alignment, win probability, and order potential
- Drive momentum throughout the sales lifecycle to ensure timely conversion from pipeline to booked orders
- Provide leadership with reliable visibility into major pursuits, capture status, and forecasted order activity
YOU ARE THE RIGHT PERSON FOR THIS ROLE IF YOU HAVE- Must be a U.S. Citizen
- Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Business, or a related technical field
- Proven success in orders-driven sales with a strong track record of new business acquisition and complex deal closure
- Demonstrated experience selling power electronics solutions such as power supplies, converters, inverters, RF power systems, high-voltage systems, or related technologies
- Experience supporting both commercial customers and defense-related accounts, programs, or integrators
- Ability to engage credibly with engineering teams, supply chain leaders, program stakeholders, and executive decision-makers
- Demonstrated success managing long-cycle opportunities and multi-stakeholder pursuits from identification through order closure
- Strong commercial acumen in pricing, negotiation, competitive positioning, and capture strategy
- Familiarity with CRM systems and disciplined pipeline management practices
- Ability to manage multiple complex opportunities simultaneously while maintaining focus on order conversion
- Willingness and ability to travel up to 50%-75% domestically
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS- Active Secret clearance or ability to obtain and maintain clearance
- Experience supporting radar, electronic warfare (EW), communications, aerospace, or mission-critical power systems
- Familiarity with DoD acquisition processes, FAR/DFARS, and defense program lifecycles
- Established relationships with Tier 1 defense primes, integrators, industrial OEMs, or strategic commercial customers
- Background in high-reliability, harsh-environment, or mission-critical electronics markets
