Strategic Account Manager - Flow Control

About the job

Hayward Holdings Inc. (NYSE "HAYW") is one of the leading manufacturers of residential swimming pool equipment in the world, with a significant presence in the commercial pool market that is continuously growing. Hayward designs, manufactures, and markets a full line of residential and commercial pool and spa equipment including pumps, filters, heating, cleaners, salt chlorinators, automation, lighting, safety, flow control and energy solutions at our company owned facilities. Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, Hayward also has facilities in Tennessee, Arizona, and Rhode Island, Georgia, as well as Canada, Spain, France, Australia, and China.

Hayward Flow Control, a division of Hayward Industries (NYSE "HAYW"), is a leading manufacturer of industrial thermoplastic valves, actuators, filters, strainers, pumps, bulkhead fittings and controllers for use in water & wastewater treatment, chemical processing, aquatics, and many other industrial process applications. Hayward Flow Control is an ISO 9001:2008 Certified manufacturer.

With a rich history in thermoplastics manufacturing, Hayward Flow Control has been a leader in the industrial flow control sector for over 100 years, renowned for our commitment to quality, innovation, and customer success. We are looking for a passionate and driven individual to join our sales team and contribute to our continued growth.

Overview
We are seeking a driven and technically skilled OEM Account Manager to join our team. In this pivotal role, you will be responsible for identifying, developing, and managing key Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) accounts. You'll leverage your deep technical expertise and solution-oriented sales approach to expand our market presence and drive significant revenue growth. If you are a proactive problem-solver with a passion for building lasting customer relationships, we encourage you to apply.

• Major Tasks and Responsibilities:
• Account Development and Sales Growth:
• Strategically identify and target new OEM customers across a range of high-growth sectors, including industrial, water/wastewater, chemical processing, and life sciences.
• Develop and execute comprehensive sales strategies and business plans to achieve and exceed sales targets and expand Hayward Flow Control’s market share.
• Manage the entire sales cycle from initial contact to contract negotiation and closing, ensuring a seamless experience for the customer.
• Proactively seek opportunities for upselling and cross-selling within your existing portfolio to maximize account revenue.
• Technical Expertise and Solution Selling:
• Serve as a primary technical consultant to customers, providing expert guidance on the application and performance of our thermoplastic valves, piping systems, actuation, and related flow control products.
• Collaborate with customer engineering teams to understand their system requirements, identify specific fluid handling challenges, and recommend tailored solutions.
• Prepare and deliver technical presentations and product demonstrations that showcase our products' advantages.
• Customer Engagement and Collaboration:
• Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with key stakeholders across customer organizations, including engineers, purchasing managers, and senior operations teams.
• Partner closely with internal teams, including engineering, product management, and customer service, to ensure successful product specification, order fulfillment, and a high level of customer satisfaction.
• Serve as the voice of the customer, effectively communicating market trends and customer feedback to influence product strategy.
• Innovation and Market Intelligence:
• Identify new product development opportunities at key OEM accounts and collaborate with product management teams to influence and drive new product initiatives.
• Actively monitor competitor activity, industry regulations, and emerging applications to uncover new OEM opportunities and inform our strategic planning.
• CRM, Reporting, and Travel:
• Maintain accurate and up-to-date records of all account activity, sales opportunities, and customer interactions using CRM tools.
• Provide regular, data-driven sales forecasts and performance reports to management.
• Travel approximately 30–50% of the time to visit key OEM accounts, attend industry trade shows, and support field sales activities.

• Requirements:
• Education: Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Business, or a related technical field is preferred, with a strong emphasis on materials science or fluid dynamics.
• Experience: 5+ years of successful technical sales or account management experience, specifically within the flow control, fluid handling, piping systems, or industrial equipment sectors.
• Technical Knowledge: Strong working knowledge of thermoplastic materials and their applications in various OEM systems.
• Sales Skills: A proven track record of developing new OEM accounts and achieving sales targets through a consultative, solution-oriented selling approach.
• Innovation Mindset: A proactive ability to identify gaps in current product offerings and work collaboratively with product teams to advance new product development.
• Communication: Excellent interpersonal, presentation, and negotiation skills with the ability to engage technical and non-technical stakeholders at all levels.
• Self-Starter: Highly motivated, results-driven, and able to work independently while consistently collaborating with cross-functional teams to achieve shared goals.

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