Outside Sales – selling lighting & architectural lighting to developers, owners and designers!

Outside Sales – selling lighting & architectural lighting to developers, owners and designers!

EL Design | Hybrid | Chicagoland

EL Design is seeking a highly driven, relationship-oriented, technical-minded lighting business development expert to grow our business in the developer, hospitality, and luxury end user market. This role combines outside sales, technical and architectural lighting expertise, client relationship management, and business development.

This position is designed to complement our showroom sales team by focusing on new business development with developers, hospitality and luxury markets. To enhance our value on these projects, we are looking for someone with technical lighting expertise, a design eye, and field-based relationship building. Our luxury and hospitality driven showroom can serve as a home base to outreach and sales meetings. EL Design carries lines such as Herman Miller, Visual Comfort and Flos.

The ideal candidate is highly social, organized, and comfortable spending the majority of their time on the road visiting developers, small to medium size hospitality firms, builders, interior design, and luxury high-end clients throughout the city and surrounding suburbs. They should be passionate about design, knowledgeable in decorative and architectural lighting, and able to speak confidently about both aesthetics and technical requirements.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong relationships with interior designers, architects, builders, developers, and other trade professionals throughout the Chicagoland market
• Spend the majority of the week visiting firms, studios, job sites, and clients in person
• Prospect new business opportunities while nurturing existing relationships from initial introduction through close
• Maintain an active calendar of meetings, lunches, happy hours, CEUs, industry events, showroom visits, and networking opportunities
• Represent EL Design at trade events, openings, panels, and industry gatherings to grow awareness and strengthen relationships within the A&D community
• Lead showroom tours, product presentations, and project meetings for clients and prospects
• Assist clients with lighting layouts, recessed can plans, fixture placement, photometrics, color temperatures, lumen outputs, and other technical lighting considerations
• Support projects with reflected ceiling plans, decorative fixture selections, landscape lighting, and layered lighting strategies
• Coordinate with internal teams to support quoting, order management, logistics, and project execution
• Track all opportunities, communications, meetings, and project activity within HubSpot or other CRM systems
• Manage deals through the full sales cycle, from prospecting and specification to proposal, close, and follow-up
• Stay current on industry trends, key manufacturers, new product launches, and developments within the local design community

Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in lighting, furniture, interior design, architecture, construction sales, or a related industry
• Strong understanding of decorative lighting, architectural lighting, and lighting terminology
• Ability to create or review lighting layouts, recessed can plans, photometrics, and fixture schedules
• Comfortable discussing lumen outputs, beam spreads, color temperatures, foot-candle levels, and other technical lighting considerations
• Strong presentation, networking, and relationship-building skills
• Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects, relationships, and follow-ups at once
• Experience using HubSpot, Salesforce, or another CRM platform preferred
• Self-motivated and comfortable working independently in a field-based sales role
• Strong written and verbal communication skills
• Valid driver’s license, reliable transportation, and willingness to travel throughout Chicago and surrounding suburbs on a daily basis

Preferred Traits

• Well-connected within the local architecture and design community
• Comfortable speaking in front of groups and hosting client-facing events
• Naturally outgoing, polished, and professional
• Passion for design, furniture, lighting, and interiors
• Able to balance relationship-building with technical project support
• Excited to be part of a growing showroom and brand

About EL Design

EL Design is a two-story luxury lighting, furniture, and home showroom located in Elk Grove Village. We work closely with interior designers, architects, builders, and homeowners to support projects with decorative lighting, furniture, home décor, architectural lighting, custom solutions, technical planning, and white-glove service. Our team is passionate about design, hospitality, and building long-term relationships throughout the Chicagoland market.

Pay: $65,000.00 - $85,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• Dental insurance
• Parental leave
• Retirement plan

Work Location: Hybrid remote in Elk Grove Village, IL 60007