Sales Manager - Northern Germany & The Netherlands

Position Summary

The Sales Manager for Northern Germany and The Netherlands is responsible for driving all direct sales activities for the Gatan and EDAX product portfolios within the assigned territory. This role focuses on achieving revenue and growth objectives, developing new business opportunities, strengthening customer relationships, and supporting strategic sales channel partners. The Sales Manager serves as a trusted advisor to customers while working closely with internal stakeholders to align market needs with company objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Direct Sales Leadership

• Drive all direct sales activities across the assigned territory to achieve bookings, revenue, and profitability targets.
• Develop and execute territory sales plans aligned with regional and corporate objectives.
• Identify, qualify, and pursue new business opportunities, with particular emphasis on the retrofit and upgrade market.
• Maintain a robust sales pipeline and ensure accurate forecasting of bookings and revenue.
• Provide timely and accurate updates of sales opportunities and customer interactions within the CRM system.
• Ensure compliance with established sales processes and actively support process improvements and best-practice adoption.

Customer and Market Development

• Build and maintain strong relationships with key customers, prospects, opinion leaders, and research institutions.
• Understand customer requirements and translate market needs into actionable feedback for Product Management and senior leadership.
• Support customers through complex technical and commercial sales cycles.
• Negotiate contracts and manage high-value, technically sophisticated sales opportunities.

Sales Channel Management

• Support and coordinate sales activities with Electron Microscope Manufacturer (EMM) partners and associated sales channels.
• Strengthen channel relationships and identify opportunities for joint business development and growth.

Marketing and Business Development

• Collaborate with marketing and regional teams on territory development initiatives.
• Plan and participate in conferences, exhibitions, workshops, and customer events.
• Represent Gatan and EDAX professionally within the scientific and industrial microscopy communities.

Qualifications

• Proven technical and commercial experience within the electron microscopy industry, including TEM, SEM, or related analytical instrumentation.
• Demonstrated success in generating new business opportunities and growing market share.
• Strong consultative selling skills with the ability to engage effectively with customers, prospects, and strategic partners.
• Excellent communication skills, including the ability to communicate customer needs to Product Management and executive leadership.
• Strong commercial acumen with experience negotiating contracts and managing complex sales projects.
• Solid technical aptitude and the ability to understand and communicate the value of highly sophisticated scientific instrumentation.
• Strategic thinker with a proactive and creative approach to problem-solving.
• Excellent presentation and interpersonal skills.
• Willingness and ability to travel extensively throughout the assigned territory and internationally as required.

Education & Experience

• Master's degree or PhD in Physics, Materials Science, Engineering, Life Sciences, Chemistry or a related scientific discipline preferred.
• Minimum of 3 -5 years of successful sales experience within scientific instrumentation, electron microscopy, or a related high-technology market.
• Fluency in both English and German is required; Dutch language skills are considered a plus.

Physical Demands / Work Environment

The physical demands and work environment characteristics described here are representative of those required to successfully perform the essential functions of this position. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.

This position requires frequent travel, participation in customer visits, conferences, trade shows, and occasional handling of product demonstrations and equipment installations.