Technical Sales Manager

Technical Sales Manager

Hertha Metals is seeking a Technical Sales Manager to support the commercialization of our next-generation steelmaking technology. This role is ideal for someone who combines strong commercial instincts with deep technical understanding of steel, metallurgy, and industrial processes. He/She will play a key role in building relationships with OEMs, mines, scrap yards and strategic partners, helping customers understand the technical and economic value of our product, and driving early adoption within the steel and magnet ecosystems.

Key Responsibilities

To be successful in this role, the Technical Sales Manager must have a strong understanding of the steel and industrial markets, along with the ability to effectively communicate complex technical concepts to both technical and commercial audiences. This individual will work closely with leadership, R&D, and operations teams to position Hertha's technology with OEMs and strategic partners, translating technical capabilities into clear, compelling value propositions.

The Technical Sales Manager will play a key role in building and managing customer relationships, supporting the full sales cycle, and identifying new business opportunities within the steel and ferrous metals and high purity iron spaces. This includes conducting economic and cost-benefit analyses, understanding customer requirements, and helping guide opportunities from initial engagement through commercialization.

Given the dynamic nature of a growing startup, this role requires a high level of adaptability, strong business acumen, and the ability to operate in ambiguity. The ideal candidate is both technically credible and commercially driven, with the ability to manage competing priorities while helping shape and scale the company's go-to-market strategy.

Additional Skills

• Develop and execute sales strategies to introduce Hertha's technology to OEMs and industrial customers
• Build and manage relationships with key stakeholders across the steel and metals value chain
• Translate complex technical concepts into clear, compelling value propositions for customers
• Conduct economic and cost-benefit analyses to demonstrate the commercial impact of our solutions
• Partner closely with engineering, R&D, and operations teams to align technical capabilities with customer needs
• Identify and pursue new business opportunities within the steel, ferrous metals, and industrial sectors
• Represent Hertha Metals at industry events, conferences, and trade organizations
• Support contract negotiations and help move opportunities from early engagement through close

Your experience:

• 37+ years of experience in technical sales, business development, or commercial roles within steel, metals, or industrial sectors
• Experience selling technical products or solutions to OEMs, manufacturers, or industrial customers preferred
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Metallurgy, Materials Science, Business, or a related field (or equivalent experience)
• Experience working in fast-paced, startup, or industrial environments preferred
• Strong business judgment with the ability to operate effectively in evolving and ambiguous environments
• Ability to manage multiple opportunities across the sales cycle, from initial engagement through close
• Experience partnering with engineering, operations, and leadership teams to align technical capabilities with customer needs
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong customer relationships within the steel or ferrous metals industry
• Effective cross-functional collaborator with experience engaging internal teams, customers, and external partners

Personal Attributes

Highly organized and dependable, with a proactive, results-driven mindset and strong follow-through. Comfortable managing multiple sales opportunities and customer relationships while maintaining attention to detail. Collaborative and approachable, with the ability to build trust with both internal teams and external partners, and a strong sense of accountability in driving deals forward and delivering on commitments.

Level of Independence

Able to operate independently while managing day-to-day sales activities and customer engagements, while appropriately escalating to leadership when needed. Comfortable working with varying levels of guidance and partnering closely with engineering, operations, and executive teams to drive results.

Location

Hertha Metals' headquarters are in Conroe, TX, just outside of Houston. Hybrid or remote flexibility may be considered depending on experience.

Hertha Culture

Inspired by the work and character of the late Hertha Ayrton, we are pioneers, innovators, and risk-takers who are mission driven towards changing the world. We are:

• Mission-Obsessed We are deeply committed, driven, and passionate about achieving our mission of being the catalyst for decarbonizing metals production.
• Anti-Bloat We operate as a lean, efficient agile team to maximize impact.
• Leave the "I" at home - We face challenges together, knowing that collaboration and unity are the keys to our success.
• Safety First Safety is our top priority in everything we do! NO EXCEPTIONS.
• Aim High We achieve what others consider impossible.

What we offer:

• Competitive startup compensation package based on expertise. Compensation is increased based on achieved business development milestones.
• Stock: ownership in a funded company that is innovating in a trillion-dollar industry
• Paid + unpaid parental leave after 1 year at the company (12 weeks paid, with flexible working style to transition after parental leave such as part-time remote working)
• Growth: our team is comprised of people with a growth mindset, and we want to help you achieve your future career goals accordingly
• Time off: This is a fast-paced startup company working in one of the most exciting sectors and the last thing we want is our valuable team members to burn out.
• 401k plan for employees that have been employed with us for at least a year.

Herta Metals is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We firmly prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind. In fact, we uniquely hold our shareholders and board members to higher standards than the majority of companies. All employment decisions at Hertha Metals are based on the expertise that the position calls for, without regard to race, religion, sex, gender identity, disability, sexual orientation or age.