Sales and Application Engineer

Summary

Kennametal, an industrial technology leader delivering materials science, tooling, and wear-resistant solutions, is seeking a Sales and Application Engineer. The role drives metal-cutting tool sales growth across Virginia by managing customer relationships, providing technical support, developing territory plans, and delivering application solutions. It combines CNC machining expertise with consultative sales, demonstrations, customer events, and collaboration with internal sales teams.

Responsibilities

• Meet or exceed revenue targets by:
• Effectively providing metal cutting solutions, by understanding current and future market trends, to meet customers’ key needs and objectives in a professional manner
• Generating, qualifying, and managing all sales leads, prospects, and new customer accounts
• Proactively managing the complete sales process, including prospecting, qualification, consultative sales meetings, product demos, pricing, terms negotiations, and sourcing
• Developing and executing strategic territory plans to deliver revenue goals with a focus on new product sales
• Providing timely answers to pre-sales technical and commercial queries from customers
• Maintaining up-to-date customer and project records in CRM to ensure a clean and healthy pipeline
• Actively collaborating with internal sales and support professionals, such as Application Engineers, Channel Partner Reps, Inside Sales, and others to provide value and a positive end-to-end customer experience
• Performing online and/or onsite demonstrations of metal cutting products tailored to customers’ needs
• Conducting pre-sales workshops, webinars, and other online/onsite events within the territory
• Representing and promoting Kennametal at tradeshows, conferences, and other events within the territory
• Delivering cost savings through analysis of complex application needs and providing recommendations to support customer business need through tooling and application testing
• Preparing and presenting progress, status, and forecasting reports

Skills

• Proficient in product knowledge, including applications and troubleshooting; can tailor solutions to meet customer needs
• Solid grasp of industry dynamics; effectively aligns product solutions with customer needs and industry trends
• Competent in a range of sales techniques, including advanced objection handling and closing strategies; adapts approach to various customer types
• Independently executes strategic sales plans; contributes to the development of strategies and meets targets through insightful planning
• Possess solid critical thinking, presentation, and administrative skills
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Customer-focused mindset with a passion for problem-solving and delivering exceptional service
• Detail-oriented to manage contract review and discuss project specifications
• Creative and persuasive with the ability to think at both tactical and strategic levels
• Collaborative team player with the ability to work effectively across all departments
• Must be located in Virginia
• Role will require ability to travel throughout the state of Virginia with a company provided vehicle
• Technical degree or Degree in Business, Manufacturing and/or Engineering preferred
• 3+ years of related cnc machining industry experience,  1-2 years of technical sales and/or application experience preferred

Qualifications

Must Haves

• Proficient in product knowledge, including applications and troubleshooting; can tailor solutions to meet customer needs
• Solid grasp of industry dynamics; effectively aligns product solutions with customer needs and industry trends
• Competent in a range of sales techniques, including advanced objection handling and closing strategies; adapts approach to various customer types
• Independently executes strategic sales plans; contributes to the development of strategies and meets targets through insightful planning
• Possess solid critical thinking, presentation, and administrative skills
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences
• Customer-focused mindset with a passion for problem-solving and delivering exceptional service
• Detail-oriented to manage contract review and discuss project specifications
• Creative and persuasive with the ability to think at both tactical and strategic levels
• Collaborative team player with the ability to work effectively across all departments
• Must be located in Virginia
• Role will require ability to travel throughout the state of Virginia with a company provided vehicle

Nice to Haves

• Technical degree or Degree in Business, Manufacturing and/or Engineering preferred
• 3+ years of related cnc machining industry experience,  1-2 years of technical sales and/or application experience preferred

Benefits

• A company provided vehicle
• Benefits starting day 1
• Sales incentive bonus based on performance
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Referral program
• Tuition reimbursement