ABOUT PADHOLDER
Padholder is a U.S.-based manufacturing company that develops hardware solutions to support software adoption, AI-driven services, and patient engagement across healthcare and enterprise environments. With a focused, growth-oriented team, the company operates in a hands-on environment where speed, accountability, and follow-through matter. Padholder is building a stronger commercial engine and is investing in sellers who can create opportunity, move deals forward, and contribute to long-term growth.
ROLE OVERVIEW
The Business Development Executive, Software and AI Manufacturing is a builder-seller role responsible for creating new revenue with software companies, AI companies, and adjacent technology businesses that need rapid U.S.-based prototyping, short-run production, device enclosures, kiosks, tablet mounts, and related hardware solutions.
This is an OEM-style sales motion. Padholder is not selling to end users. We are selling to the software and AI companies that need a U.S.-based hardware partner to support their product, which then gets deployed into their customers' environments. The software company is our buyer. Their customer is not. Successful candidates in this seat will instinctively think about the software company's product roadmap, deployment scale, and customer commitments, rather than going directly to end users with a catalog and a price sheet.
This is not a pure lead-generation role and it is not a passive account-management role. The person in this seat will be expected to prospect, open doors, qualify opportunities, coordinate internally on scope and quoting, and drive deals through close. The role is ideal for a commercially aggressive seller who is comfortable building a newer market motion while also producing real pipeline and revenue.
The primary emphasis of this role is new-logo acquisition. The person hired may also pursue expansion opportunities within assigned accounts, as directed by management, and will remain the commercial owner of assigned opportunities through close and handoff.
WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE
• Within the first 30 days, learn Padholder's manufacturing capabilities, ideal customer profiles, quoting process, CRM expectations, and internal handoff workflow while building target-account lists and outreach plans.
• Within the first 60 days, generate qualified meetings, validate messaging with target buyers, and build visible pipeline in the software and AI manufacturing lane.
• Within the first 90 days, advance multiple qualified opportunities, contribute to proposal and quote development, and show measurable traction toward closed revenue.
• Within the first 6 to 12 months, create a repeatable outbound motion, produce new-logo wins, establish Padholder as a credible domestic manufacturing partner in this market, and deliver toward a $1M annual new revenue target.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
• Target-Account Development: Build target-account lists and prospect into software, AI, and technology-enabled companies that need physical hardware support.
• Pipeline Creation: Create pipeline through outbound outreach, strategic follow-up, referrals, and account-based selling.
• Discovery and Qualification: Run discovery conversations, qualify opportunities, and identify the strongest use cases for Padholder's capabilities.
• Scoping and Quoting: Partner with internal teams to shape feasible scopes of work, gather costing inputs, and support quote and proposal development.
• Commercial Ownership: Own the commercial process from first outreach through negotiation, close, and clean handoff to order processing.
• Expansion Revenue: Pursue expansion opportunities within assigned accounts when there is clear new revenue potential and management approval.
• CRM Discipline: Maintain disciplined CRM activity, stage management, next steps, and forecast updates.
• Team Contribution: Participate in weekly sales meetings and one-on-ones with the Director of Sales and contribute lessons learned to strengthen the broader sales team.
• Account Continuity: Serve as the primary commercial point of continuity for assigned opportunities and growth conversations after close, as needed.
QUALIFICATIONS
Required
• 5+ years of B2B sales or business development experience in manufacturing, industrial products, hardware-enabled solutions, OEM relationships, prototyping, product development services, or a highly relevant adjacent market.
• Demonstrated experience selling in an OEM, partner-driven, or indirect motion where the buyer is a company that resells or deploys your product as part of their own offering.
• Demonstrated success opening new accounts and creating pipeline through proactive outbound effort.
• Experience carrying opportunities from first conversation through scope, proposal, and close.
• Ability to sell a custom or semi-custom solution rather than only a simple catalog item.
• Comfort working independently in a fast-moving environment with modern sales tools and technology.
• Strong CRM discipline, follow-up habits, and comfort working cross-functionally with operations, technical, and financial stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to translate technical or operational value into customer-facing language.
Preferred
• Background as an OEM Account Executive, OEM Regional Sales Manager, or similar role selling to product companies that deploy hardware as part of their offering.
• Experience selling rapid prototyping, low-volume production, domestic manufacturing, industrial design support, enclosure solutions, or related services.
• Familiarity with software companies, AI startups, product teams, kiosks, device deployments, or technology companies that need a physical hardware component.
• Experience in an entrepreneurial or growth-stage environment where messaging and process are still evolving.
• Strong strategic account planning and market-development skills.
CORE COMPETENCIES
• Builder mindset
• Hunter mentality
• Commercial ownership
• Curiosity and adaptability
• Internal coordination
• Team orientation
• Follow-through and accountability
WHAT THIS ROLE IS NOT
• A pure BDR or SDR role. The person must do more than set meetings.
• A passive account-management role. The company needs new-market creation and revenue growth.
• An old-school catalog seller seat. Padholder does not hand over a fixed catalog and price sheet. The seller is expected to scope custom solutions and develop the market.
• A seat that requires heavy hand-holding. The person hired is expected to take ownership and run with minimal supervision.
WORKING CONDITIONS
This is a fully remote role open to candidates located anywhere in the United States. Some travel to St. Petersburg, Florida and customer meetings may be required. The role may involve time in production or warehouse settings when supporting customer visits, internal scoping, or solution development.