Founding Sales Leader - CPQ & Industrial Manufacturing

<div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Company Description:</strong></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">SpecSync is an AI-powered CPQ (Configure, Price, Quote) platform purpose-built for industrial OEMs, the manufacturers of commercial vehicles, trailers, heavy equipment, truck bodies, and specialty vehicles. We're solving one of the most persistent problems in industrial manufacturing: the quoting process is broken.</span></div><div><br></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Today, sales reps spend 1–2 weeks navigating complex configurations, compatibility reviews, and manual pricing workflows just to deliver a quote, and 8 out of 10 deals stall because of it. Meanwhile, 80% of orders are repeat configurations with minimal changes. SpecSync eliminates the bottleneck by using AI to generate accurate, fully configured quotes in minutes, guiding buyers to standard configurations in real time, and surfacing product intelligence that OEMs have never had visibility into before.</span></div><div><br></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">SpecSync bridges the gap between ERP, CRM, and CPQ, connecting data that normally stays siloed, without heavy integrations or custom development. The result: faster quotes, fewer errors, and more deals won.</span></div><div><br></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We are backed by UP.Labs, a venture studio that partners with leading industrial enterprises including Wabash, JB Hunt, Alaska Airlines, and Porsche to build technology companies from the ground up.</span></div><div><br></div><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">The Role:</strong></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">We are hiring a Founding Sales Leader to join as one of the first commercial hires at SpecSync. You will work directly with the CEO to open doors, land early enterprise customers, and help define the company's go-to-market motion from the ground up. This is not a traditional, plug-and-play sales role - it is a high-impact position where you will shape how the product is sold, who it is sold to, and how deals are structured.</span></div><div><br></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">This role is ideal for a senior, hands-on seller who comes from the CPQ or industrial manufacturing space, has real relationships they can activate, and wants to build something from 0>1. You will own the full revenue cycle - from top-of-funnel to close - working alongside a contract SDR and directly with the CEO on strategy and execution.</span></div><div><br></div><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">What You'll Do:</strong></div><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Enterprise Sales & Deal Ownership</strong></div><ul><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Own the full sales cycle from first outreach through close for early enterprise customers</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Lead complex, multi-stakeholder deals across sales, operations, and engineering teams at industrial OEMs</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Structure and negotiate strategic agreements in ambiguous, early-stage environments</span></li></ul><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Pipeline Creation & Customer Access</strong></div><ul><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Source your own opportunities through outbound, relationships, and creative deal-making</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Leverage an existing network within the CPQ and industrial manufacturing space to open doors</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Build pipeline from scratch alongside a contract SDR — there is no pre-built engine</span></li></ul><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Early Customer Engagement</strong></div><ul><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Act as a strategic partner to early customers navigating complex configuration and quoting challenges</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Work closely with prospects to understand workflows, pain points, and buying dynamics</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Drive successful onboarding and early adoption alongside the product and engineering team</span></li></ul><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Go-To-Market Development</strong></div><ul><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Partner with the CEO to define ICP, messaging, and early sales playbooks</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Help refine positioning based on real customer conversations and market feedback</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Contribute to pricing, packaging, and deal structure in the early stages</span></li></ul><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Voice of the Customer</strong></div><ul><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Translate customer insights into actionable feedback for product and engineering</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Help shape the roadmap by identifying patterns in customer needs and objections</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Serve as a bridge between the market and the product</span></li></ul><div><br></div><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Who You Are:</strong></div><ul><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">A high-performing enterprise seller who has operated in complex, ambiguous environments</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Comfortable owning the entire sales process — from sourcing to closing</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Entrepreneurial, resourceful, and excited by building something from scratch</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Able to build credibility quickly with both technical and executive stakeholders at industrial manufacturers</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Competitive, driven, and motivated by high ownership and long-cycle, high-value deals</span></li></ul><div><br></div><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">What You Bring:</strong></div><ul><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">5–10+ years of experience in enterprise sales, strategic accounts, or similar roles</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Background in the CPQ space — you understand the problem and have sold into or alongside engineering-heavy OEM environments</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Experience selling into industrial manufacturing (trailers, commercial vehicles, heavy equipment, or adjacent verticals strongly preferred)</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Proven ability to source and close complex, multi-stakeholder deals (often 6–12+ month cycles)</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">An existing book of relationships you can activate — you're not starting from zero</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Track record of building pipeline independently in early-stage or undefined environments</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Strong communication, negotiation, and executive presence</span></li></ul><div><br></div><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Nice to Have:</strong></div><ul><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Experience in a "first seller" or founding sales role at an early-stage startup</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Familiarity with ERP/CRM ecosystems (SAP, Salesforce, etc.) and how they interact with CPQ platforms</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Background building a sales playbook from scratch</span></li></ul><div><br></div><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Why Join:</strong></div><ul><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Be the foundational commercial hire at a category-defining AI platform for industrial manufacturing</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Work directly with an experienced CEO and the broader UP.Labs ecosystem of founders and operators</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Own early customer relationships and have a direct hand in shaping company trajectory</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">High upside through equity ownership in a venture with enterprise-scale potential</span></li><li class=""><span style="background-color: transparent;">Uncapped commission — if you're driving revenue, we want you to share in it</span></li></ul><div><br></div><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">About UP.Labs:</strong></div><div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">UP.Labs builds high-growth technology startups that enable faster, cleaner, and safer movement of people and goods. Our platform is unique in three ways:</span></div><div><br></div><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Risk:</strong><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> We reward our team and partners with meaningful equity. </span></div><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Technology:</strong><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> We build and launch scalable technology products from day one. </span></div><div><strong style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">Industry Focus:</strong><span style="background-color: transparent; color: rgb(0, 0, 0);"> We stay deeply focused on the underlying fabric of mobility and logistics.</span></div>

Back to blog

Common Interview Questions And Answers

1. HOW DO YOU PLAN YOUR DAY?

This is what this question poses: When do you focus and start working seriously? What are the hours you work optimally? Are you a night owl? A morning bird? Remote teams can be made up of people working on different shifts and around the world, so you won't necessarily be stuck in the 9-5 schedule if it's not for you...

2. HOW DO YOU USE THE DIFFERENT COMMUNICATION TOOLS IN DIFFERENT SITUATIONS?

When you're working on a remote team, there's no way to chat in the hallway between meetings or catch up on the latest project during an office carpool. Therefore, virtual communication will be absolutely essential to get your work done...

3. WHAT IS "WORKING REMOTE" REALLY FOR YOU?

Many people want to work remotely because of the flexibility it allows. You can work anywhere and at any time of the day...

4. WHAT DO YOU NEED IN YOUR PHYSICAL WORKSPACE TO SUCCEED IN YOUR WORK?

With this question, companies are looking to see what equipment they may need to provide you with and to verify how aware you are of what remote working could mean for you physically and logistically...

5. HOW DO YOU PROCESS INFORMATION?

Several years ago, I was working in a team to plan a big event. My supervisor made us all work as a team before the big day. One of our activities has been to find out how each of us processes information...

6. HOW DO YOU MANAGE THE CALENDAR AND THE PROGRAM? WHICH APPLICATIONS / SYSTEM DO YOU USE?

Or you may receive even more specific questions, such as: What's on your calendar? Do you plan blocks of time to do certain types of work? Do you have an open calendar that everyone can see?...

7. HOW DO YOU ORGANIZE FILES, LINKS, AND TABS ON YOUR COMPUTER?

Just like your schedule, how you track files and other information is very important. After all, everything is digital!...

8. HOW TO PRIORITIZE WORK?

The day I watched Marie Forleo's film separating the important from the urgent, my life changed. Not all remote jobs start fast, but most of them are...

9. HOW DO YOU PREPARE FOR A MEETING AND PREPARE A MEETING? WHAT DO YOU SEE HAPPENING DURING THE MEETING?

Just as communication is essential when working remotely, so is organization. Because you won't have those opportunities in the elevator or a casual conversation in the lunchroom, you should take advantage of the little time you have in a video or phone conference...

10. HOW DO YOU USE TECHNOLOGY ON A DAILY BASIS, IN YOUR WORK AND FOR YOUR PLEASURE?

This is a great question because it shows your comfort level with technology, which is very important for a remote worker because you will be working with technology over time...