Head of Sales - North America
Motion Control
Job Description
Mindtrace Inc
Description
Mindtrace is transforming industrial manufacturing through agentic intelligence and edge-deployed software. Our core platform, NeuroForge™, moves industrial facilities from passive process monitoring to active, closed-loop autonomous orchestration (such as real-time laser welding optimization and advanced defect inspection). Building on established technological foundations and significant venture backing, Mindtrace is scaling its commercial engine to capture the massive industrial automation market.
Location: North America with preference for Detroit area.
Major Duties & Responsibilities
- Scale and Lead the Commercial Function: Build, mentor, and manage a high-performing sales team, establishing clear processes, targets, and accountability metrics.
- Drive Direct Enterprise Sales: Act as a player/coach to secure high-value direct contracts with major manufacturers, while laying the groundwork for scalable channel and integrator enablement.
- Target High-Impact Verticals: Focus on B2B enterprise sales within automotive/EV, aerospace, defense, and heavy industries manufacturing.
- Consultative Value Selling: Navigate complex enterprise buying cycles, educating the market on the shift from monitoring to autonomous orchestration and solving critical shop-floor pain points.
- Ecosystem Partnership Alignment: Collaborate closely with hardware and software integrators to position Mindtrace as the universal intelligence layer for next-generation production lines.
Minimum Skills & Abilities
- Proven Commercial Leadership: Experience scaling a young, high-growth sales team in a B2B technology environment.
- Industrial Sector Expertise: Deep domain understanding of manufacturing environments, quality inspection, factory automation, or industrial IoT.
- Player/Coach Mentality: Willingness to lead from the front—generating pipelines, negotiating complex licensing deals, and closing enterprise contracts alongside executive leadership.
- Complex Solution Selling: Experience selling disruptive, high-value software/AI platforms rather than off-the-shelf products.
- Technical & Commercial Bridge: Strong foundational understanding of AI/ML, edge computing constraints, and on-premise industrial software deployments.
Ideal Background & Experience
- Start-up/Scale-up Experience: Proven track record in an early-stage, high-growth business scaling from early traction to repeatable revenue.
- Direct Sales & Partner Enablement: Strong history of direct enterprise selling with a strategic vision for enabling channel partners and integrators over time.
- Licensing & Complex Contracts: Experience structuring and negotiating enterprise software licensing agreements, pilot-to-production contracts, or value-based/performance-as-a-service models.
- Industry Networks: Existing relationships or deep familiarity with key players in automotive, aerospace, defense, or heavy manufacturing sectors.
Personal Attributes
- High Energy & Drive: Thrives in a fast-paced, results-focused scale-up environment with a high degree of autonomy.
- Strategic Thinker & Hunter: Balances long-term market building with short-term pipeline execution and deal closing.
- Strong Emotional Intelligence: Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills to navigate complex corporate hierarchies and factory-floor realities.
- Adaptability: Comfortable with ambiguity and evolving product-market dynamics.
Minimum Education & Experience
Education Requirements- Bachelor's Degree: Required in Business Administration, Engineering, Computer Science, Supply Chain Management, or a related discipline.
- Preferred: An MBA or technical Master\'s degree is a strong plus, particularly for bridging conversations with engineering-led manufacturing clients and technical integrators.
Experience Requirements
- Total Professional Experience: 8–12+ years of B2B enterprise software or complex industrial technology sales experience.
- Leadership Experience: Minimum of 3–5 years building, leading, and scaling a high-performing sales or business development team in a startup or high-growth scale-up environment.