Business Development Manager

The Business Development Manager is an individual contributor outside sales role responsible for driving new revenue by identifying, developing, and closing opportunities for custom tube fabrication and precision metal manufacturing. This role focuses on building strategic relationships with OEMs and high-value industrial customers who require complex tube bending, welding, and fabricated assemblies. The Business Development Manager manages the full sales lifecycle—from prospecting and technical discovery through quoting support and contract award—while serving as a trusted advisor on manufacturing capabilities and best practices.

Major Responsibilities:

- Responsible for achieving revenue plan targets for new customer acquisition.

- Identify and engage OEMs and industrial manufacturers that require custom tube fabrication, welded tube assemblies, precision bends, and value-added metal fabrication.

- Develop and execute territory or market growth plans targeting high-opportunity sectors (ag/forestry, power generation, construction equipment, defense, transportation, fluid handling, etc.).

- Initiate outreach via on-site visits, industry events, referrals, and direct prospecting.

- Lead discovery discussions to understand customer requirements including material types (stainless, carbon, aluminum), tube diameters/thicknesses, tolerances, bending complexity, weld specifications, and finishing needs.

- Provide guidance on manufacturability, design-for-fabrication considerations, and cost drivers.

- Collaborate with engineering and operations to validate technical feasibility for new projects.

- Work with estimating to ensure complete RFQ packages and accurate pricing inputs.

- Partner with operations on production timelines, capacity planning, and customer expectations.

- Own the full sales cycle—qualification, quoting coordination, proposal delivery, negotiation, and close.

- Maintain accurate pipeline activity and forecasting within Salesforce.com.

- Support program onboarding and successful handoff to account management.

- Track trends in tube fabrication technologies, materials, weld standards, and OEM sourcing behaviors.

- Monitor competitive offerings and differentiate our capabilities through technical depth and service quality.

- Provide feedback to leadership on emerging opportunities and strategic growth areas.

- Develop and maintain knowledge of Bauer’s manufacturing capabilities and value proposition.

- Other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

- Bachelor's degree in engineering or business, or equivalent combination of education and experience.

- 4–7+ years of successful technical sales or account management experience in manufacturing, preferably metal fabrication or tube fabrication.

- Demonstrated success selling into OEM or environments.

- Excellent communication, negotiation, and relationship-building skills.

- Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, GD&T, and technical specifications.

- Ability to travel for customer meetings, trade shows, and facility tours.

- Knowledge of common Microsoft Office applications.

Desired Qualifications

- Experience with high-mix, low-to-medium volume contract manufacturing.

- Strong understanding of tube bending, mandrel bending, welding processes (MIG/TIG/robotic), and fabricated assembly production.

- Understanding of supporting processes including laser tube cutting, CNC bending, machining, fixturing, and finishing.

- Knowledge of quality standards (ISO, weld qualifications, PPAP, FAI, etc.).

- Existing OEM relationships within relevant markets.

- Experience working with an Epicor ERP system.

- Physical Requirements and Environment:

- Most of the time is spent sitting or driving, with occasional walking.

- Regular business travel (25% - 50%) is expected.

- May require occasional lifting up to 50 lbs.

- Indoor office, home office, customer office, and machine shop environments.

- Frequent noise.

- Eye and hearing protection are required in the production area (employer-provided).