Role Overview
Our client is a growth-stage environmental technology company commercializing an innovative biological treatment platform for municipal and industrial wastewater applications. The company partners with utilities, consulting engineers, and industrial facilities to deploy nutrient management, water quality improvement, and resource-recovery solutions. They are seeking a Commercial Lead / Lead Sales Engineer to drive commercial strategy, customer engagement, and revenue growth. This role bridges technical expertise and commercial execution, owning the full sales lifecycle from early technical discussions through contract negotiation and long-term account development. The ideal candidate is comfortable translating complex technical solutions into clear customer value propositions.
Reports to: Executive Leadership / Head of Commercial
Key Responsibilities
- Own and drive the end-to-end commercial and sales process, from lead qualification to contract close, with a focus on the North American market.
- Implement, optimize, and continuously improve the commercial strategies identified in the business plan to find new customers, grants, and pilot opportunities for the Company.
- Drive the company’s marketing plan in order to raise company profile, drive customer and stakeholder engagement and outreach.
- Develop, track, and report on revenue targets, profit targets, customer acquisition targets, and other related business metrics to help inform Company leadership about the health of the business.
- Manage and develop the company’s CRM platform in order to maintain visible metrics on the growth of the company’s sales pipeline and revenue projections.
- Act as the technical-commercial interface for customers, translating the firm's technology into compelling business cases.
- Develop tools to help manage the Company’s customer experience, including ensuring a positive and seamless customer journey from first contact to ongoing support.
- Lead technical sales discussions, pilot demonstrations, site visits, and feasibility assessments with prospective customers.
- Build and maintain strong relationships with key decision-makers, engineers, and commercial stakeholders throughout North America.
- Collaborate closely with R&D, operations, and leadership to align customer requirements with product roadmaps.
- Support pricing strategy, contract structuring, and negotiation in coordination with leadership.
- Represent the company at industry events, conferences, and customer meetings.
- Stay abreast of industry trends and best practices, including competitive landscape, intellectual property, technology development, customer trends, etc. and report on these to Company leadership.
- Capture customer feedback and market insights to inform product development and strategic direction.
- Maintain knowledge of our competitive landscape in order to best position the company’s pricing strategy and market positioning.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Chemistry, Materials Science, or a related technical field.
- Proven experience in a commercial, sales engineering, or business development role within a technical or industrial environment, preferably with experience selling in the water/wastewater utility sector.
- Strong ability to communicate complex technical concepts to non-technical stakeholders.
- Experience managing long sales cycles and utility or industrial customers.
- Demonstrated success in negotiating contracts and closing commercial agreements.
- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, early-stage or growth-oriented company environment.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience in sustainable materials, advanced manufacturing, coatings, films, or related sectors.
- Background with growing pilot-scale, pre-commercial, or first-of-kind technologies through commercial growth stages.
- Experience with strategic partnerships, joint development agreements, or licensing models.
- Experience in working with partners in the European market for project delivery.
- MBA or advanced technical degree.
Key Competencies
- Strong commercial and financial acumen.
- Customer-focused mindset with a consultative sales approach.
- Ability to work cross-functionally and influence without authority.
- Excellent written, verbal, and presentation skills.
- Self-starter with a high degree of ownership and accountability.
Why Join
This is an opportunity to play a critical role in scaling a breakthrough technology with real-world impact. You will work closely with leadership and technical teams, help shape commercial strategy, and directly influence the company’s growth trajectory.
