Southern OH/KY/TN Regional Sales Manager
Remote
$80,000 - $100,000
CONFIDENTIAL OPPORTUNITY BRIEF
Regional Sales Manager
One Opening | One Territory | One Right Fit
Automation & Safety Technology | 60-Year Global Market Leader | Remote-Based
You probably weren't looking.
Most of the best candidates we call aren't. They're heads-down, closing business, collecting a check. But every once in a while, an opportunity shows up that makes even the most comfortable person stop and do the math.
This is that opportunity. And it's available right now — in one of the most active industrial corridors in the country.
THE ROLE AT A GLANCE
Title: Regional Sales Manager
Company: Confidential — 60-year global automation and safety technology leader
Industry: Optical sensors, safety light curtains, industrial automation
Reporting To: National Sales Director
Structure: Remote-based, individual contributor with full territory ownership
Travel: Approximately 50% — customer sites, distributor visits, trade shows
Training: Paid onboarding at company HQ in Atlanta, GA
THE TERRITORY
Southern Ohio Territory
States: Southern Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee | Preferred base: Cincinnati, Louisville, or Northern Tennessee
One of the most densely industrialized corridors in North America — your ICP is everywhere
Distributor network in place — you're activating and expanding, not building from scratch
Key Account, System Integrator, and End User relationships ready to be developed and grown
Territory revenue potential of $2.5M+ with less than 1% current market penetration in most regions
Remote-based, headquartered anywhere in territory
THE NUMBERS THAT MATTER
Base Salary: $80,000 – $110,000
Bonus (Uncapped): Up to 50% of base — no ceiling
Year 1 OTE: $135,000 – $165,000 (realistic W2: ~$152K)
Car Allowance: $800/month
Health Insurance: ~$260/month — full medical coverage
401k: Company match included
PTO: 3 weeks vacation + 2 sick days + 3 PTO days
Phone & Laptop: Provided — fully expensed
Travel Expenses: 100% covered — no out-of-pocket
The ceiling: Territory revenue potential is $2.5M+. The company is currently at less than 1% market penetration in most regions. This isn't a mature territory being handed off — it's a gold rush with a defined runway.
The reality check: The most recent RSM to hold a territory like this grew it significantly and left for a different opportunity on his own terms. He didn't fail. He succeeded, got recruited, and moved on. That's the type of player that thrives here.
THE REAL OPPORTUNITY
Most automation reps are locked inside a single product line, micromanaged on a daily dashboard, and selling to a narrow ICP with a script they didn't write.
This is the opposite.
Our client sells optical sensors and safety systems that sit at the intersection of every major industrial automation trend — collaborative robots, machine safety compliance, smart manufacturing. Their product portfolio touches almost every vertical in your territory. That's not a niche. That's an entire market.
And this corridor tells the story: Southern Ohio, Kentucky, and Tennessee sit at the center of American advanced manufacturing — automotive and EV assembly, tier-one suppliers, appliance and consumer goods plants, aerospace, food and beverage, plastics, and one of the densest logistics and distribution footprints in the country. Add the machine builders and system integrators that support all of it, and the whitespace is massive. The question is who gets to own where it goes from here.
Inherit an active account base — you're not starting at zero on day one
Full support infrastructure — applications engineering, inside sales, customer service, and a team that legitimately goes above and beyond for the field
Work with distributors and end-users — not one or the other. You control the full relationship
Global brand recognition behind you — 60 years of credibility opens doors before you dial
Non-solicitation only — no non-compete. You're not signing away your career if this isn't the right fit
THE CULTURE THAT MAKES IT REAL
Culture gets talked about in every recruiting pitch. Most of it is marketing.
Here's what we can tell you about how this company actually operates: they are not a product-first sales organization. They are a consultative team that sells outcomes. The national sales director's words were specific — they don't want product salespeople. They want business partners who think like an owner and solve like an engineer.
The three pillars are Respect, Ownership, and Growth. And they mean it literally. Your voice matters here. If you want to help shape where the business goes — in your territory, in your vertical, even at the national level — this is the type of company that listens.
"If you want to help be the reason we grow, you're the type of person we want here." — National Sales Director
CAREER PATH — THIS IS A LAUNCH PAD
This is not a terminal role. The career progression is defined, and it moves fast for performers.
RSM (where you start) → Key Account Manager (next step up) → Nat'l Sales Mgr / Director (leadership track)
WHO WE'RE LOOKING FOR
This is not a fit for everyone. The candidates who thrive in this role share a specific profile.
Background in industrial automation, sensors, safety technology, or adjacent capital equipment. You know how to sell to engineers and plant managers
Self-driven prospector. This territory has whitespace — a lot of it. You see that as opportunity, not work
Adaptable — what the team calls a "chameleon." You read the room at a distributor lunch the same way you read it in a plant-floor safety audit
Currently capped — whether by product line, geography, or a culture that doesn't reward initiative. You're producing, but you're not being paid what you're worth
Located in or willing to relocate to the Southern Ohio, Kentucky, or Tennessee territory. Preferably based in Cincinnati, Louisville, or Northern Tennessee. Remote-based — you live in your market
Engineering degree or equivalent experience. The ability to understand and communicate technical applications is essential
Sound familiar? If you're currently at a company known for micromanagement and a single-product mandate, you already know what we're pointing at. This is what the other side looks like.
THE INTERVIEW PROCESS
Fast, structured, and respectful of your time. No black holes. Here's how it runs:
Step 1: Intro call with both Sales Directors — they want to know who you are, not just what you've sold
Step 2: Conversations with 1–2 current RSMs — real talk, no script. They'll tell you what this job actually is
Step 3: HR alignment — comp structure, benefits walkthrough, timeline expectations
Step 4: Assessment — standard evaluation, no surprises
Close: Decision within 2–3 weeks of first conversation. They move fast when they find the right person
READY TO DO THE MATH?
If you're in automation sales and any of this landed, the next step is simple: a 20-minute confidential call. No pressure, no pitch — just the information you need to decide if this makes sense.
Contact: Jay Veniard, CEO, VenTech Search Group
Phone: (602) 888-8188 | Email: jay@ventechsearch.com | ventechsearch.com
July 24, 2026