Sales Manager

Sales Manager – Raleigh, NC / Norwalk, CT (Remote within the US also considered; Burnaby, BC available on an in-office basis)

Permanent | Hybrid or Remote (US) / On-site (Canada)

$140,000 – $150,000 base + variable

ABOUT US

STRIVE is a specialist recruitment firm offering proactive recruitment solutions in the areas of Technology, Accounting & Finance, Corporate Administration, and Manufacturing Operations. STRIVE supports various clients, from small to medium-sized enterprises to Fortune 500 organizations, for their permanent, contract, and temporary recruitment needs.

THE ROLE

STRIVE Recruitment is proud to partner with a technology company that helps utilities modernize their distribution grids through smart grid data and analytics solutions to recruit for a Sales Manager (titled: Senior Manager, Customer Success). This is a "player/coach" role, carrying a quota and leading a team. The preferred base is Raleigh, NC or Norwalk, CT, with remote work elsewhere in the US considered; candidates based in the Metro Vancouver/Burnaby, BC area would work on-site.

They offer a collaborative, cross-functional environment where this role blends people leadership, business development, and sales execution, with regular travel for corporate meetings, industry conferences, and customer visits.

The client is seeking a sales manager to lead a team of salespeople while also managing their own pipeline of prospects, winning with full commercial responsibility. Reporting to the Chief Revenue Officer, this role combines team leadership with hands-on sales, driving revenue, forecasting, and customer satisfaction across won accounts and the client's existing customer base.

Key Responsibilities

• Forecast, qualify, and close revenue opportunities, meeting assigned sales targets
• Act as the voice of the customer, sharing insights with internal teams to inform product and service improvements
• Coordinate cross-functional resources to resolve escalations and ensure customer satisfaction
• Lead account planning and sales strategy execution, aligning internal stakeholders on goals and deliverables
• Lead and mentor the sales team through coaching, one-on-ones, and performance reviews
• Set, track, and communicate team goals, KPIs, and revenue targets aligned with company objectives
• Develop and execute sales and pursuit strategies, including programs to drive orders and grow revenue
• Optimize processes for customer onboarding, engagement, retention, and overall success delivery
• Analyze team and customer data to identify trends and drive improvements
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Customer Operations, Product Management, and Marketing to enhance the customer experience
• Act as the escalation point for complex customer issues and support project execution
• Own executive relationships for strategic accounts, managing the full lifecycle from onboarding through renewal and expansion

Qualifications

• 5+ years of team leadership and sales strategy management experience, with a demonstrated ability to inspire and drive results
• 10+ years of sales or related commercial experience
• Experience in or solid knowledge of smart grid, electric, water, or gas utility industries
• Proven track record of new business development ("hunting") in addition to account growth and retention
• Proven success engaging a high-tech customer base, driving revenue growth and high customer satisfaction
• Experience delivering client-focused solutions based on customer needs
• Exceptional interpersonal and relationship-building skills with customers, teams, and stakeholders at all levels, including executive and C-suite

Preferred Skills

• Experience using Salesforce or a similar CRM for forecasting, pipeline management, and account planning
• Experience leading or mentoring a geographically distributed team
• Familiarity with quota-carrying or MBO-based compensation structures

What Success Looks Like

• Clear, confident, and persuasive communication across diverse audiences, including senior stakeholders
• Strong accountability for both team performance and individual strategic outcomes
• Effective management of multiple projects simultaneously, with strong attention to detail and prioritization
• Sound, decisive problem-solving in complex customer scenarios, with the adaptability to thrive in a deadline-driven, self-directed environment
• Increased client base, increased revenue, and increased wallet share