Business Development Manager - Southeast Region

Build the future of independent retail.

As a Business Development Manager at Emery Jensen, you’ll play a critical role in expanding our footprint across the Northeast by winning and converting high‑value Pro Lumber, Paint, and Hardware customers. This is a true hunter role for a relationship‑driven sales professional who thrives on opening doors, closing full conversions, and building long‑term, profitable partnerships.  You’ll focus on full‑conversion opportunities, positioning Emery Jensen as the primary distributor and shaping the customer’s long‑term success from day one.

We currently have (1) opening and ideally, we are targeting candidates who live in close proximity to Georgia or Florida.

The Job

As the Business Development Manager (BDM) for North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia, and Atlanta, you will be responsible for finding and signing new high-value customers for Emery Jensen across our key customer channels: Pro Lumber, Pro Paint and Hardware Stores/Home Centers. This position identifies prospects, develops a pipeline, determines the needs of specific prospects and shares the Emery Jensen value proposition to meet those needs. 

The Business Development Manager is an ambassador for Emery Jensen, developing relationships with industry organizations, vendor partners, and prospective customers.  This position will also work closely with the Emery Jensen sales team, helping new customers transition to their Territory Managers during the early months after signing customers.

What you will do…

The BDM will have responsibilities for the account throughout the full 12 month sales cycle and will need to communicate effectively with the local Territory Manager to insure the growth of the account to its full potential over this period.  The focus of the BDM will be on full-conversion opportunities in which Emery-Jensen will become the primary distributor of hardware, paint and/or fastener products to the prospective retailer.

• Increase top-line sales for Emery-Jensen Distribution but will also be required to target prospective customers and develop a sales approach with company profitability in mind as well.  Understanding the return on investment, customer life time value and the basic fundamentals of Emery-Jensen’s financial model will be critical in successfully targeting and signing new business
• Demonstrate a basic understanding of the ‘levers’ that create a profitable customer relationship and develop sales approach around optimizing these ‘levers’.
• Actively research, pursue and open prospective customers within defined sales channels by clearly articulating and executing on the Emery-Jensen value proposition.
• Maintain a weekly prospect pipeline with measurable results.
• Present Pre/Post Call plan showing measurable and manageable improvement towards conversion of customer:
• Pre-Call: Decision Maker, Business focus, competition, what needs to be accomplished
• Post-Call:  Opportunity, plan for solution, ROI on customer conversion, customer life time value
• Utilize EJD marketing and merchandising material/initiatives to strategically present solutions to prospective customers.
• Participate in national industry organizations; NRLA, NLBMDA, etc.; attend industry events (shows, roundtables, etc.) with an established approach/communication plan aimed at signing prospective customers; proactive build relationships with field sales teams from national partners: LMC, LBMA, Ben Moore.
• Actively communicate with Territory Managers and develop a plan for transition of newly opened accounts over to appropriate Territory Manager.
• Manage expenses relating to travel, meetings, membership to organizations and conversion resources in accordance with overall expense budgets set by Emery-Jensen
• Attend industry trade shows with a ‘show plan’ to further business development efforts

What you need to succeed…

• College degree or equivalent required.
• Minimum of 3 years in new business development or territory manager position.
• Comfortability with cold calling and a track record for success.
• Knowledge/experience in the hard-lines industry preferred.
• Existing book of business highly preferred.
• Intermediate experience with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Business Intelligence system, CRM tools
• This position requires driving a company vehicle and meeting company motor vehicle and insurance eligibility requirements. You must have a valid U.S. driver's license for at least three (3) continuous years immediately preceding today's date.
• Travel 60-75% of the time, and should reside in one of the following areas listed above.
• Preferred residence: Atlanta, GA, Charlotte, NC, within close proximity to a major airport.

WORK AUTHORIZATION: This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Compensation Details:

$100000 - $110000 base per year

Why should you join our team?

We live our values - W.E.L.I.G.H.T (Winning, Excellence, Love, Integrity, Gratitude, Humility, and Teamwork). Gratitude. Humility. Love. You don’t often see values like these in most corporate statements, but Emery Jensen is different. These things are important to us. They represent our commitment to the company, our employees, our retailers and our brand.

In addition to providing our employees a great culture, Emery Jensen also offers competitive benefits* that address life’s necessities and perks, many of which expand and improve year after year, including:

• Generous 401(k) retirement savings plan with a fully vested matching contribution the first year and annual discretionary contribution (once eligibility requirements have been met). Over the past 3 years, company contributions (matching & discretionary) for fully eligible employees have averaged 6.6% of total eligible compensation.
• Incentive opportunities, based on role/grade level (rapid company growth over the past 2 years resulted in incentives being paid out above 116% of your target opportunity!)

• Comprehensive health coverage (medical, dental, vision and disability – up to 26 weeks short-term disability and long-term disability) & life insurance benefits for you and your dependents
• 21 days of vacation immediately available (prorated in the first year) and up to 6 paid holidays depending on the month of hire
• Company Car, phone and fuel card are provided for field-based positions
• Your career at Emery Jensen is more than just a job. It’s a chance to be part of something meaningful. We help locally-owned businesses thrive and make an impact in their communities – and we support our employees in doing the same by offering an annual Cares Week, 20 hours off work per year to volunteer at an organization of your choice, opportunities to help Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals and the Ace Helpful Fund through the Ace Foundation
• Emery Jensen invests in every employee we hire, with a key focus on development and coaching. We offer on-site classes, facilitator-led courses, and a generous tuition assistance program, plus a performance management approach that goes beyond the typical annual review
• We know the work environment matters. That’s why we hold frequent campus events like Employee Appreciation Week, vendor demos, cookouts, and merchandise sales
• We bring them to you! Services such as mobile spas, auto maintenance, car wash and detailing, dry cleaning, dentists, eye doctors, flu shots, recycling and more!
• Employee discounts on Ace merchandise (including top brands like Weber, Traeger, Yeti, Craftsman, DeWalt and more), travel, fitness, computers and thousands more
• Birth/Adoption bonding paid time off
• Adoption cost reimbursement
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) – access to free visits to therapists and lawyers, guidance on financial matters, elder and childcare, and assistance with tickets to entertainment events
• Identity theft protection

* Benefits are provided in compliance with applicable policies.

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We want to hear from you!
Emery Jensen delivers wholesale products and best-in-class service to independent retailers in the Pro Lumber Yards, Home Centers, Paint, Hardware Stores, Decorating Stores, and E-retailer space. Our goal is to support sustainable and profitable growth for our customers by offering the broadest assortments, best pricing, and most knowledgeable team. We have national scale, a regional focus and the commitment to serve our customers and support each other. Come find out why a career with Emery Jensen is right for you.

Equal Opportunity Employer
Emery Jensen is committed to a policy of promoting equal employment opportunities. The company recognizes the importance of diversity and leveraging the skills and talents of all people to the mutual advantage of each individual and the organization. The company is committed to the prevention of employment discrimination related to race, religion, color, sex (including sexual harassment), gender identity, national origin, age, marital status, disability and military or veteran status, sexual orientation or any other action covered by federal or applicable state/local laws.

Disclaimer

The pay range for this position starts as listed in the job posting, but could be higher based on education and experience. Please note, compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each opening. We take into consideration the minimum requirements outlined in the job description, such as an individual’s education, training and experience, the position’s work location, required travel (if any), and external market conditions when determining the final salary for potential new hires.

Be aware that salary estimates published via alternate online job boards may not be a true representation of the actual pay range offered for this position. Please refer to the Emery Jensen Distribution position description for the accurate starting pay range information and feel free to discuss this with a Talent Acquisition professional if you are chosen to move forward with an interview.

This written “Position Description” is not intended to cover all aspects of the position listed. It is meant to cover the basic/general essential job functions of a particular position. Emery Jensen Distribution reserves the right to change job duties, including essential job functions, according to business necessity.

It is unlawful in Massachusetts to require or administer a lie detector test as a condition of employment or continued employment. An employer who violates this law shall be subject to criminal penalties and civil liability.