Founding Growth Manager - Chicago

The Founding Growth Manager at Maneva is pivotal in scaling our early customer acquisition efforts in the manufacturing sector. This dynamic position involves building client relationships, identifying opportunities for AI solutions, and executing a comprehensive sales strategy. As you lead the charge in establishing partnerships, you'll work closely with our leadership team to drive innovation in operational efficiency and workplace safety.

For the Founding Growth Manager position at Maneva, candidates should have over five years of successful SaaS sales experience, preferably in the manufacturing industry. A proven track record in business development, excellent analytical skills for ROI analysis, and an understanding of manufacturing processes are essential. Strong relationship-building skills and the ability to translate technical benefits into actionable solutions are also highly valued.

As the Founding Growth Manager at Maneva, you'll guide clients through their onboarding process meticulously. This includes assessing their specific needs, providing tailored solutions, and offering training on deploying our AI technologies. Your expertise will ensure a smooth transition and adoption of our AI-powered visual cognitive solutions, resulting in significant operational improvements and satisfaction for our clients.

Maneva’s AI technology provides significant benefits to the manufacturing sector by enhancing operational efficiency, improving quality control, and bolstering workplace safety. Our solutions leverage existing hardware and vision systems to deliver actionable insights that drive productivity and minimize waste across manufacturing processes, ultimately leading to better financial performance for our clients.

At Maneva, the Founding Growth Manager role offers extensive opportunities for professional growth. As we scale, you will play an instrumental role in shaping the company’s sales strategies and tactics. This position comes with a competitive commission structure, the chance to lead innovative projects, and the ability to pioneer initiatives that will elevate your career while making a significant impact on the manufacturing industry.

The Founding Growth Manager at Maneva will primarily work with local manufacturing clients, engaging with plant managers and technical teams to discuss their operational challenges. By understanding their specific needs, you’ll be able to tailor AI-driven solutions that address quality control, efficiency, and safety, helping clients realize the benefits of adopting advanced technological solutions in their operations.

The Founding Growth Manager position at Maneva requires a willingness to travel to client sites as needed. While much of the work can be conducted remotely, some travel will be necessary to engage directly with manufacturing clients, conduct assessments, and build strong relationships that drive the adoption of our AI solutions.

In introducing Maneva's AI solutions to a skeptical client, it’s crucial to first empathize with their concerns and establish credibility. Begin by discussing the specific operational challenges they face and then share relevant case studies or success stories that demonstrate proven results. Highlight the measurable impacts of AI technology on efficiency, safety, and quality control, and be prepared to clearly articulate the ROI they can expect from adopting our solutions.

When discussing your experience in sales within the manufacturing sector, focus on highlighting specific achievements and metrics that showcase your success. Share anecdotes that illustrate your relationship-building skills, your ability to understand client needs, and how you successfully aligned solutions that enhanced operational outcomes. Emphasize any unique challenges you overcame and the strategies you developed to address them.

Effective client engagement and relationship building strategies include active listening, regular communication, and delivering consistent value. Explain how you tailor your approach for each client, whether it's through personalized follow-ups, providing insights that can help them improve processes, or simply being available to discuss pain points and challenges. Mention any tools or techniques you use to keep track of interactions and manage relationships effectively.

In discussing a challenging sales situation, outline the context clearly—what made it difficult, who the stakeholders were, and why the client hesitated. Share your method for addressing concerns—whether it was building trust, providing in-depth product information, or offering tailored demonstrations—and highlight the positive outcome that resulted from your efforts, reinforcing your problem-solving skills and resilience.

Staying updated on trends in the manufacturing industry involves a proactive approach. Mention specific strategies like attending industry conferences, participating in webinars, subscribing to relevant journals or newsletters, and engaging with professional networks. Discuss how you leverage this information to inform your sales strategies and align Maneva’s offerings with emerging needs within the manufacturing sector.

When gauging the success of sales efforts, key metrics include sales targets achieved, customer acquisition rates, client retention, and the average deal size. Additionally, tracking the number of client engagements, conversion rates from lead to sale, and customer satisfaction scores can provide valuable insights. Highlight the importance of continuously analyzing these metrics to refine your approach and drive better results.

To assess the ROI of AI solutions for a manufacturing client, start with a comprehensive analysis of their current operational costs, bottlenecks, and inefficiencies. Estimate potential improvements in productivity, quality control, and safety that could be achieved with our solutions. Present clear data-driven projections, using case studies or industry benchmarks to support your findings, and illustrate how these improvements translate into financial benefits over time.

Skills that make you a good fit for the Founding Growth Manager role include strong communication and interpersonal abilities, a deep understanding of the manufacturing landscape, and analytical proficiency for ROI calculations. Highlight your sales expertise and track record in building lasting relationships, your adaptability in a fast-paced environment, and your passion for driving innovation through AI solutions.

When approaching solution consultation with manufacturing clients, it’s important to first understand their specific needs and pain points through thorough discussions and assessments. Then, collaboratively design tailored solutions that align with their operational goals, clearly articulating how these AI applications will deliver measurable benefits. Emphasize the importance of ongoing communication and support throughout the implementation process to ensure client satisfaction.

In sharing an example of successfully closing a deal, provide context on the client’s needs and any challenges faced. Discuss the steps you took to build trust, demonstrate value, and address objections. Use concrete numbers to illustrate the outcome, such as how long the sales process took or the specific benefits the client realized shortly after implementation, reinforcing your skills in negotiation and closing.