Position Overview

Position: Vice President of Sales
Department: Sales & Marketing
Reports To: Managing Director
Employment Type: Full-Time
Location: India (with extensive travel requirements)

Company Mission

Ultramet Welds is an emerging manufacturer of premium flux cored welding consumables, specializing in high-performance FCAW solutions for heavy industry. As relatively new company, we are rapidly establishing ourselves as a technical authority in welding consumables, serving fabricators, heavy engineering companies, shipbuilding, structural steel, oil & gas, and infrastructure sectors across India with plans for global expansion.

Position Summary

The VP of Sales will serve as the foundational sales leader for Ultramet Welds during this critical early-stage growth phase. This executive-level position demands a experienced sales leader with deep understanding of B2B industrial markets, particularly welding equipment and consumables, who can build revenue generation systems from the ground up. The role requires expertise in flux cored wire applications, welding processes, and the ability to articulate complex technical benefits to diverse industrial stakeholders while establishing market presence in a competitive landscape.

Key Responsibilities

Revenue Foundation & Early-Stage Growth

• Develop and execute foundational sales strategies to achieve revenue targets
• Establish market presence and brand recognition in heavy industry verticals, including fabrication, shipbuilding, structural steel, oil & gas, and infrastructure
• Build sustainable sales processes, CRM systems, and pipeline management from startup phase
• Drive customer acquisition focusing on securing 25–40 key accounts in the first 18 months

Team Building & Startup Leadership

• Build a lean, high-performing sales team starting with 3–5 core sales professionals, scaling to 8–12 by end of Year 2
• Recruit sales talent with welding industry expertise and proven track records in startup or early-stage B2B industrial environments
• Develop comprehensive onboarding and training programs focusing on FCAW technical knowledge and consultative selling methodologies
• Establish performance-driven culture with clear KPIs and growth-stage appropriate incentive structures

Market Development & Customer Relations

• Identify and penetrate key market segments, establishing Ultramet as a credible alternative to established welding consumable suppliers
• Lead customer education initiatives positioning Ultramet as the technical authority in flux cored wire applications
• Cultivate strategic relationships with early adopters and reference customers in heavy engineering and fabrication sectors
• Spearhead participation in industry trade shows and technical conferences to build brand visibility and generate leads

Startup Operations & Strategic Execution

• Work closely with MD and founding team to refine go-to-market strategy and product positioning based on market feedback
• Establish distributor and channel partner relationships to accelerate market penetration
• Drive product-market fit validation through direct customer engagement and feedback loops
• Implement data-driven sales analytics to optimize conversion rates and customer acquisition costs

Required Qualifications

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Business Administration, or related field; MBA preferred
• Minimum 12+ years of progressive B2B sales experience with at least 5–7 years in senior sales roles
• Proven startup or early-stage company experience, preferably in manufacturing, industrial equipment, or welding consumables
• Track record of building sales organizations from early stages and achieving first ₹50+ million revenue milestones

Technical & Industry Expertise

• Deep understanding of welding processes, particularly FCAW, GMAW, SMAW, and related consumables
• Knowledge of AWS welding standards, certifications, and industry best practices
• Familiarity with heavy industry applications including structural steel, shipbuilding, oil & gas, and infrastructure projects
• Understanding of metallurgy, weld quality parameters, and performance metrics relevant to industrial applications

Startup Leadership & Business Acumen

• Demonstrated success in building sales functions from ground zero in competitive B2B markets
• Experience managing early-stage sales cycles with 3–12 month decision timeframes in industrial sectors
• Proven ability to develop and execute go-to-market strategies for technical products in startup environments
• Strong financial acumen including revenue modeling, budget management, and pricing strategy development appropriate for early-stage companies

Essential Skills & Competencies

Entrepreneurial Sales Leadership

• Exceptional ability to build and motivate small, agile sales teams in resource-constrained environments
• Advanced relationship-building skills with ability to establish credibility quickly with industrial customers
• Strategic thinking combined with hands-on execution capabilities essential for startup environments
• Data-driven decision making using sales metrics, customer feedback, and market intelligence

Communication & Market Development

• Outstanding verbal and written communication skills in English and Hindi; regional language proficiency advantageous
• Executive-level presentation skills for technical audiences, industry forums, and potential investors
• Ability to translate complex technical benefits into compelling business value propositions for early adopters
• Strong networking capabilities to quickly establish presence in welding and heavy engineering communities

Market Knowledge

• Understanding of Indian manufacturing landscape and heavy industry growth patterns
• Awareness of welding consumables market dynamics, competitive positioning, and emerging opportunities
• Knowledge of startup funding cycles, investor expectations, and scalable business model development

Performance Metrics & Success Criteria

Year 1 Revenue Targets (Startup Phase)

• Establish 25–40 active customer accounts across target industry verticals
• Build sales pipeline worth 2.5× revenue target with 75%+ forecast accuracy
• Secure 3–5 flagship reference customers for case study development

Year 2 Growth Targets (Scale Phase)

• Expand to 80–120 active accounts with average order values increasing 40–50%
• Achieve market penetration in 4–5 key geographic regions across India
• Establish initial export presence in 2–3 international markets

Team & Operational Excellence

• Build and retain high-performing sales team with 85%+ employee retention
• Maintain customer retention rate above 88% for key accounts
• Develop 2–3 internal sales leaders for future management roles

This role represents a unique ground-floor opportunity to build Ultramet Welds’ sales organization during the critical early growth phase in India’s expanding welding consumables market, projected to grow at 6–8% CAGR through 2030. The ideal candidate will combine deep technical knowledge with proven startup sales leadership capabilities to establish Ultramet as a formidable competitor in the flux cored wire segment while building scalable systems for future growth phases.