About this role
Overview
For over 100 years CBT has been one of the most innovative Industrial Distribution companies in Cincinnati and the tristate region. Our mission is to be recognized by our customers and our suppliers as their best business partner. Our success comes from recruiting, hiring, and training the best people in the industry. We invest in our people and our business.
CBT is seeking a Smart Manufacturing Solution Consultant to help grow our Smart Manufacturing business by creating new opportunities, supporting strategic customer engagements, and partnering with account managers to drive growth. This role is ideal for someone who understands manufacturing operations, industrial technology, and consultative sales. The successful candidate will work directly with customers to identify challenges, develop solution concepts, and communicate the value of Smart Manufacturing technologies that improve productivity, visibility, quality, and operational performance.
Position Summary
The Smart Manufacturing Solution Consultant is responsible for driving growth for the Smart Manufacturing business by partnering with customers, account managers, and internal technical teams to identify, develop, and close solution-based opportunities. This role combines manufacturing domain knowledge, consultative selling, and technical solution expertise to help customers improve operational performance through smart manufacturing technologies.
Key Responsibilities
Opportunity Creation and Sales Support
- Partner with account managers to identify target accounts and develop Smart Manufacturing opportunities.
- Engage directly with customers to understand business challenges, operational goals, and manufacturing pain points.
- Lead discovery conversations to uncover opportunities related to automation, industrial data, analytics, connectivity, visualization, controls, and operational improvement.
- Develop and qualify sales opportunities that align with the companys Smart Manufacturing offerings.
- Support account planning activities by identifying strategic growth areas within existing and prospective customers.
- Build and maintain a strong opportunity funnel to support revenue and booking targets.
Customer Consultation and Solution Development
- Act as a trusted advisor to customers on Smart Manufacturing strategies, technologies, and best practices.
- Translate customer operational needs into practical solution concepts and business value propositions.
- Present solution recommendations, roadmaps, and business outcomes to customer stakeholders.
- Help customers understand the value of technologies such as IIoT, MES, industrial networking, data collection, analytics, edge computing, cloud connectivity, dashboards, and automation modernization.
Sales Enablement and Proposal Support
- Assist account managers in positioning Smart Manufacturing solutions during the sales process.
- Participate in customer meetings, workshops, site assessments, and executive presentations.
- Provide technical and business input to help differentiate the companys offerings from competitors.
- Work with internal teams to ensure proposed solutions are feasible, scalable, and aligned with customer expectations.
Market and Business Development
- Identify market trends, customer needs, and emerging technologies relevant to Smart Manufacturing.
- Help define repeatable solution offerings, playbooks, and sales strategies.
- Support marketing campaigns, seminars, lunch-and-learns, webinars, and industry events.
- Develop relationships with key technology partners and vendors where applicable.
- Provide feedback to leadership on customer demand, competitive activity, and potential new service offerings.
Qualifications
Required Qualifications
- Experience in manufacturing, industrial automation, controls, software, or digital transformation.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing operations and common production challenges.
- Ability to consult with customers and connect business needs to technical solutions.
- Experience supporting sales teams or working in a customer-facing technical sales role.
- Strong communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills.
- Ability to work collaboratively with account managers, engineers, project managers, and vendor partners.
- Strong business acumen and ability to articulate value, ROI, and operational impact.
- Self-motivated with the ability to manage multiple opportunities and priorities.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience with Smart Manufacturing, Industry 4.0, IIoT, MES, SCADA, industrial networking, data analytics, or connected worker technologies.
- Knowledge of manufacturing sectors such as food and beverage, automotive, life sciences, consumer products, metals, chemicals, or discrete manufacturing.
- Experience with platforms or vendors such as Rockwell Automation, Siemens, Ignition, AVEVA, PTC, Microsoft Azure, AWS, or similar technologies.
- Familiarity with consultative selling methodologies.
- Experience developing solution roadmaps, digital transformation strategies, or manufacturing assessments.
- Bachelors degree in Engineering, Manufacturing Technology, Industrial Technology, Computer Science, Business, or a related field preferred.
Core Competencies
- Consultative selling
- Customer discovery and needs analysis
- Manufacturing process knowledge
- Technical solution positioning
- Business value communication
- Opportunity development
- Strategic account support
- Collaboration and influence
- Problem solving
- Executive-level communication
CBT is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to creating an inclusive workplace where all employees and applicants are treated with respect and provided equal employment opportunities consistent with applicable law.
CBT provides reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process. If you require assistance or accommodation, please notify our Human Resources team.
This job posting and description is intended to describe the general nature and level of work performed and is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, or qualifications required. CBT reserves the right to modify responsibilities and requirements as business needs evolve.