Director of Marine Sales in Houston, Texas at ERL Inc.

About ERL:
ERL Inc. designs, manufactures and services safety equipment that keeps liquid tank barges running, from cargo pumps and pressure-vacuum relief valves to gauging, overfill protection, and venting. With manufacturing in New Albany, Indiana, and a repair shop in Houston, we support barge operators, fleets and shipyards across the Gulf Coast and inland rivers.

The Role:
The Director of Marine Sales leads ERL’s outside sales in Houston and owns our customer relationships from start to finish, from crews and port engineers to executives. About 80% of the role is growing existing accounts and 20% is bringing in new customers, including selling New Albany products. This role is fully focused on customers while the Houston shop team runs operations.

What You’ll Do:
1. Own and Grow Accounts:

• Own key accounts from quote through delivery, close-out and follow-up.
• Grow ERL’s share of work at existing customers and win new customers and fleets.
• Ask directly for renewals, repairs and new product work.
• Be the customer’s first call when something goes wrong and own the resolution.

2. Sell the Full ERL Line:

• Sell brown water pump and valve repair and ERL marine products.
• Sell New Albany manufactured products to new and existing customers.
• Meet with customers at every level, from the field to the executive office.
• Represent ERL at trade shows, AWO* and industry events.

3. Price and Quote with Confidence:

• Write quotes and sales orders.
• Explain ERL pricing in terms of scope and value rather than discounts.
• Work with technicians in the field and the shop to scope repairs correctly.

4. Lead the Houston Sales Effort:

• Set the Houston sales plan and account coverage with the Houston sales team.
• Coordinate with the shop on capacity and dates before committing to customers.
• Track competitors and market trends and recommend sales strategies.

5. Keep the Pipeline Accurate:

• Enter opportunities daily in the CRM system.
• Prepare and present sales forecasts to senior management.

What Success Looks Like:

• First 90 days: meet every key account, learn our shop, products and pricing, and take full ownership of assigned accounts.
• First 12 months: a higher COI renewal win rate, revenue and margin growth in owned accounts, new accounts won, and faster quote turnaround.

Who You’ll Work With:
The President, the Houston shop and field technicians, the Houston sales team, and the New Albany sales and pricing team.

What You Bring:
Must have

• A proven track record of owning and growing accounts in outside sales for marine, pump, valve or rotating equipment.
• Relationships built and preserved at every level of a customer, from the field to executives.
• Comfort asking for work and explaining pricing in terms of scope and value.
• Ownership of the work from start to finish, with disciplined CRM habits.

Preferred

• A service mindset: proactive, responsive, and follows through.
• A technical background in pumps, valves and rotating equipment, with the ability to follow a diagnosis on a barge.
• Existing relationships with Gulf Coast and inland barge operators.
• Inland or offshore marine experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering or a related field.

Work Environment and Physical Requirements:

• Field-based role with frequent travel to customer sites, barges, shipyards and fleeting areas, plus time in the Houston office and shop. Periodic travel to New Albany, IN.
• Able to board and walk barges and work sites safely and wear required PPE.
• Valid driver’s license and holds or can obtain a TWIC card.