Account Executive – Industrial Coatings (Southeast / Hunter)

Role Overview We are looking for a high-energy, technically-minded Account Executive to drive new business acquisition across the Southeast. This is a "hunter" role focused on identifying and winning new accounts in the general industrial market. The successful candidate won't just be a "relationship manager"—you will be a technical closer. You are someone who can walk onto a prospect’s paint line, identify exactly why their current coating system is failing or inefficient, and present a superior technical solution. You win by being more knowledgeable and more present than the competition. Key Responsibilities New Business Development: Proactively identify, qualify, and close new industrial accounts (OEMs and Tier suppliers) across the Southeast territory. Process Auditing & Displacement: Use your deep knowledge of paint line operations to conduct "discovery audits," identifying pain points in a prospect's current liquid or powder process to facilitate a competitive switch. Technical Value Selling: Move beyond price-per-gallon conversations by demonstrating total cost-in-use improvements, throughput increases, and defect reduction. Strategic Networking: Build a robust pipeline through cold calling, industry networking, and leveraging relationships with equipment manufacturers and chemical pretreatment partners. Trial Management: Lead the coordination of product trials on-site, ensuring our coatings perform flawlessly under the prospect’s specific line conditions. Required Experience & Qualifications The "Hunter" Mentality: 5+ years of proven success in industrial outside sales, specifically focused on new business acquisition (vs. account maintenance). Deep Production Knowledge: You must have significant experience on or around industrial paint lines. You should be able to discuss oven curves, transfer efficiency, and titration levels with authority. Broad Coating Fluency: Experience selling or managing a wide range of technologies, including liquid (solvent and waterborne), powder coatings, and high-solids primers/topcoats. Regional Expertise: A strong understanding of the Southeast industrial landscape and a willingness to travel ~50% to cover the territory effectively. Autonomy: A self-starter who can manage a large geographic territory with minimal supervision and a high degree of accountability. The Ideal Candidate Profile You are likely currently a top-performing sales rep or a technically-savvy plant manager looking to move into a high-upside commercial role. You understand that in industrial coatings, the sale is won or lost in the "mix room" and on the "line," not just in the procurement office. You have a track record of "stealing" business from larger, slow-moving competitors by providing better technical service and faster response times. Competitive base salary plus an aggressive, uncapped commission structure tailored for new business growth. Comprehensive benefits package including 401(k) with company match and profit-sharing. Vehicle allowance and full travel expense reimbursement. #J-18808-Ljbffr