Director of Customer Sales Support
Description
The Director of Customer Sales Support provides strategic and operational leadership for customer‑facing technical support functions that directly enable sales success. This role oversees the Technical Product Specialist, Application Specialist, and Innovation Center teams, ensuring technical excellence, consistent customer engagement, and strong alignment with Sales, Marketing, Engineering, and Operations. This position is responsible for building scalable support structures, defining clear ownership across teams, and ensuring that customers and the sales organization receive timely, accurate, and value‑driven technical and application support throughout the sales and pre‑delivery lifecycle.
Time Utilization:
This position will travel up to 35% of the time, with some international travel.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities:
- Establish a clear vision for Customer Sales Support teams that aligns with company growth objectives and sales strategy. Ensure teams are structured, resourced, and positioned to deliver consistent, high‑value technical and application support to the sales organization and customers.
- Develop and lead teams through clear expectations, coaching, and professional development. Manage staffing levels, skill mix, and capacity planning to ensure support resources are aligned with business demand and sales priorities. Build leadership depth and technical expertise within the organization.
- Provide strategic oversight of Innovation Center operations, including customer visits, demonstrations, trials, and testing activities. Ensure the Innovation Center delivers a professional, consistent, and value‑focused customer experience that supports sales objectives, product validation, and solution development. Oversee the alignment of the Innovation Center priorities with sales demand, product strategy, and resource availability.
- Collaborate with Sales leadership to ensure sales regions are effectively supported throughout the opportunity lifecycle by confirming teams are delivering timely, accurate, and technically sound product and application expertise. Improve overall opportunity quality by reducing technical risk, clarifying assumptions, and strengthening solution credibility. Serve as a key partner to Sales leadership in driving improved win rates and customer confidence.
- Define, implement, and maintain clear processes, standards, and ownership across all Customer Sales Support functions. Drive consistency in how teams engage with Sales, customers, and internal stakeholders.
- Support new product introductions and portfolio changes by ensuring Customer Sales Support teams are technically prepared and commercially aligned. Coordinate readiness activities such as training, documentation, application guidance, and customer engagement strategies to enable confident sales execution at launch.
- Define and track key performance indicators related to responsiveness, effectiveness, customer impact, and sales enablement. Regularly assess team performance and operational effectiveness, identifying risks and improvement opportunities. Drive continuous improvement initiatives that enhance quality, speed, and consistency of customer sales support.
Qualifications:To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
Education/Experience:
Bachelor’s degree in engineering or related field and ten years of experience in capital equipment sales, application engineering, product management, or related technical field; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
Language Ability:
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively convey information in written form to a broad audience. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or associates of organization.
Ability to read and interpret documents such as safety rules, operating and maintenance instructions, and procedure manuals. Ability to effectively convey information in written form to a broad audience. Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or associates of organization.
Math Ability:
Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Ability to work with mathematical concepts such as probability and statistical inference, and fundamentals of plane and solid geometry. Ability to apply concepts such as fractions, percentages, ratios, and proportions to practical situations.
Computer Skills:
To perform this job successfully, an individual should be proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel, and Power Point. Working knowledge of SAP CRM preferred.
To perform this job successfully, an individual should be proficient in Microsoft Office, particularly Word, Excel, and Power Point. Working knowledge of SAP CRM preferred.
Certificates and Licenses:
Current valid driver’s license and the ability to obtain a passport for travel as required by position.
Current valid driver’s license and the ability to obtain a passport for travel as required by position.
Supervisory Responsibilities:
Directly supervises a team. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training employees; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining employees; addressing complaints and resolving problems.