Lead Generation Specialist - Manufacturing Full-Time | On-Site | North Metro, MN About the Opportunity Our client is a well-established and growing Minnesota-based manufacturer with more than 55 years of experience designing and manufacturing high-quality hydraulic components and custom solutions for customers across North America and internationally. The company serves OEMs, distributors, and industrial equipment manufacturers across a variety of industries, including aerospace, oil & gas, heavy equipment, trailers, and industrial hydraulics. This organization offers the best of both worlds—the close-knit, collaborative culture of a smaller company combined with the resources and stability of a larger global manufacturing organization. With significant growth underway, they are looking for a motivated Lead Generation Specialist to help identify and develop new business opportunities. This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys researching companies, connecting with people, uncovering opportunities, and opening doors for a Sales team. Position Summary The Lead Generation Specialist is responsible for identifying, researching, and qualifying prospective OEM, distributor, and industrial customers. This role is focused on outbound prospecting and lead generation—not closing sales. Working closely with Sales, Applications, Engineering, and Marketing, you will introduce the company's capabilities to prospective customers, identify potential applications, qualify opportunities, and schedule meetings for the Sales team. Key Responsibilities

• Research target industries, OEMs, distributors, and equipment manufacturers that utilize hydraulic or related industrial components.
• Identify key decision-makers within Engineering, Purchasing, Supply Chain, Operations, and Product Management.
• Conduct outbound prospecting through phone calls, email, LinkedIn, and other professional networking tools.
• Generate and qualify leads based on customer applications and business needs.
• Schedule introductory meetings and product discussions for the Sales team.
• Maintain consistent follow-up with prospective customers throughout the qualification process.
• Research new markets, industries, competitors, and potential growth opportunities.
• Build targeted account and prospect lists aligned with strategic growth initiatives.
• Support trade show follow-up, marketing campaigns, and other customer outreach initiatives.
• Maintain accurate prospect information, activities, and follow-up within the CRM.
• Provide regular pipeline and activity updates.
• Partner with Sales to ensure a smooth transition of qualified opportunities.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Applications teams when additional technical expertise is needed.
• Participate in sales meetings to review activity, opportunities, and pipeline progress. Experience
• 2+ years of experience in lead generation, business development, inside sales, customer service, or a related area preferred.
• B2B product or industrial sales experience is a plus.
• Manufacturing, hydraulics, or industrial experience strongly preferred.
• Associate's or Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, or a related field preferred; equivalent experience will also be considered.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Comfortable making outbound calls and initiating conversations with prospective customers.
• Strong research and prospecting abilities.
• Ability to build rapport and ask effective questions to uncover customer needs.
• Self-motivated, organized, persistent, and comfortable working independently.
• Strong follow-up skills and attention to detail.
• Ability and interest in learning technical products and understanding how they apply to customer needs.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and experience working with CRM and/or ERP systems.

Why Join? This is an opportunity to join a stable, growing manufacturer with a strong reputation, long-tenured employees, and a collaborative culture. You'll have the opportunity to play an important role in the company's continued growth while working alongside an experienced Sales and Engineering team.

The company offers:

• Competitive compensation
• Great benefits
• A stable, established organization with more than five decades of success
• Significant company growth and opportunity
• Supportive, team-oriented culture
• Long-tenured employees and experienced leadership
• Exposure to a variety of industries and technical applications
• Opportunity to make a visible impact on new business growth If you are curious, self-motivated, persistent, and enjoy connecting with people and uncovering new opportunities, we'd love to hear from you.

Pay:

$26.00 - $32.00 per hour Expected hours: 40.0 per week

Benefits:

401(k) Dental insurance Disability insurance Health insurance Paid time off Vision insurance

Education:

Associate (Required)

Experience:

Lead generation: 2 years (Required)

Manufacturing or Industrial :

2 years (Preferred)

Work Location:

In person