Sales Director

Medical & Life Sciences | Metals Fabrication Open to residents of Minnesota, Iowa, or Wisconsin. National sales territory.Gradel Pro Search (GPS) is an Industrial Search and Recruiting Services firm partnering with manufacturing, aerospace & defense, engineered products, chemicals, and industrial organizations to identify and align talent with critical business objectives.We work with Fortune 500 companies, global enterprises, private equity-backed organizations, and growth-oriented manufacturers, navigating hiring across complex operational and technical environments.Our client is seeking a Director of Business Development to drive strategic growth within the Medical & Life Sciences market for a precision metals fabrication organization supporting highly regulated manufacturing environments. This role will focus on building new OEM relationships, developing market strategy, and leading commercial growth initiatives tied to precision fabrication, stamping, welding, and complex assemblies.The position requires a true hunter mentality with responsibility for identifying, developing, and securing new business opportunities while partnering cross-functionally with engineering, operations, and quality teams to support manufacturable solutions and successful program launches.Generous base salary plus commissions.ResponsibilitiesDevelop and execute strategic business development plans focused on Medical & Life Sciences OEM growth opportunities Build and manage a robust pipeline through prospecting, networking, and targeted outreach to engineering, sourcing, and operational stakeholders Lead customer engagements from initial contact through quotation, negotiation, and commercial award Partner with engineering, operations, and quality teams to align manufacturable solutions with customer requirements Drive project proposals, cost estimates, account strategy development, and long-term commercial growth initiatives Serve as the primary customer contact through new product introduction (NPI) and production launch transition Support strategic market analysis including customer demand, competitor activity, emerging technologies, and growth opportunities Represent the organization at trade shows, networking events, and customer-facing industry engagements RequirementsBachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Life Sciences, or related field preferred 7+ years of business development, strategic sales, or technical sales experience within contract manufacturing environments Proven experience selling into Medical Device, Life Sciences, or other highly regulated manufacturing sectors Existing network within Medical OEMs, Life Sciences manufacturers, or healthcare technology organizations preferred Strong understanding of regulated manufacturing environments including precision sheet metal fabrication, metal stamping, quality systems, validation, and traceability Experience leading customer strategy from prospecting through production launch and account growth Demonstrated success in a hunter-style business development environment Strong presentation, negotiation, relationship-building, and executive communication skills Experience working cross-functionally with engineering, operations, quality, and sourcing teams throughout the sales cycle