Product Specialist (Sales Engineer)

Job Title:

Product Specialist (Sales Engineer)

Basic Function of the Job: A sales engineer who actively supports field sales team to develop and close consultative opportunities. Communication is required with global sales offices, customers, and distributor through direct visits, telephone and email. Duties include preparation of quotations, project management, sales/product analysis reports and development of market strategies.

Location: Champaign, Illinois

Job Requirements

Education:

• A BA/BS degree in Electrical Engineering, Physics or Chemistry referred or equivalent work experience.

Experience:

• 0-3 years of sales/pre-sales experience required.

Special Skills:

• Demonstrated problem solving and work prioritization skills.
• Ability to achieve results independently or working with others.
• Handle special assignments promptly and professionally.
• Demonstrates high service or product knowledge and professionalism in presenting product information with account teams and customers.
• Ability to handle multiple priorities involving external and internal priorities.
• Ability to adapt to change and new technologies.
• Ability to coordinate with cross-functional teams to provide product-engineering, development, management and sales solutions.
• Ability to excel in cross-organizational, cross-cultural, global team environment.
• Work with divisions and sales offices to develop business plans to achieve segment revenue goals.
• A proven and consistent record of accomplishment in enabling and supporting technical sales.
• Possess superior client facing skills, strong ability to articulate, and ability to deliver compelling presentations.
• Obtain customer feedback and suggest appropriate pricing or product revisions to product line managers or global sales offices.
• Understands the industry and market segment in which key accounts are situated, and integrates this knowledge into consultative selling.
• Ability to recommend and implement improvements.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Set a high standard of ethics, professionalism, leadership, and competency.
• Ability to travel up to 10% of time.
• Demonstrates and promotes the II-VI Worldwide values: Customer First, Honesty and Integrity, Open Communications, Teamwork, Continuous Improvement and Learning, Manage by the ‘facts’, A Safe, Clean and Orderly workplace.

Job Competencies:

Adaptability, Customer Focus, Innovation, Planning and Organizing, Problem Solving, Decision Making, and Continuous Improvement, Professional and Technical Knowledge and Skills, Reliable and Dependable, Results Oriented, Teamwork and Positive Relationships, Work Standards/Quality/Details.

Product Expertise = 40%

• Provide technical quotations promptly and accurately to global sales offices and distributors.
• Provide responses to requests for technical product information and provide customers with solution based answers. Conduct training with global sales offices and distributors and demonstrate a high level of product knowledge.
• Address customer issues in a timely manner to ensure customer satisfaction.
• Maintain complete documentation for product line and assist in promotional activity and the creation of marketing material.

Project Management = 30%

• Provide project management for prototype orders and critical orders from start to finish ensuring error free and timely completion.
• Work with QA, engineering, and manufacturing groups to establish clear customer expectations as well as project timelines for completion of each manufacturing process.
• Organize kick-off meetings to ensure all departments have the current drawings, documents, and specifications so the orders are processed in a timely manner.

Strategic Management = 15%

• Analyze competitive marketplace and industry trends to accordingly anticipate future product placement and market needs.
• Work with global sales offices and product line managers to develop a strategy for each market based on competitive analysis.
• Stay up-to-date with product knowledge, business flow, future developments, and market dynamics.
• Recommend product enhancements and updates to identify new business opportunities.

Administrative = 15%

• Required customer specific order information is conveyed to Customer Service Team clearly so order can be processed and shipped correctly.
• Help establish delivery credibility and ensure smooth transition from Sales to Customer Service Team.
• Work with manufacturing to create quoting tools and quoting databases to improve quote turnaround times and reduce the dependence on engineering for quotations.
• Export control regulations are understood and adhered to for all quotes, orders, and any other technical correspondence.
• Support special projects as required.
• Maintain a positive attitude and is cooperative in working with others.
• A high standard of ethics, professionalism, competency, and quality is established and maintained.
• Adapts readily to changes in work caused by new requirements and/or situations.
• Company policy is followed regarding all safety, environmental and ergonomic requirements.

II-VI Incorporated, a global leader in engineered materials and optoelectronic components, is a vertically integrated manufacturing company that develops innovative products for diversified applications in the industrial, optical communications, military, life sciences, semiconductor equipment, and consumer markets. Headquartered in Saxonburg, Pennsylvania, the Company has research and development, manufacturing, sales, service, and distribution facilities worldwide. The Company produces a wide variety of application-specific photonic and electronic materials and components, and deploys them in various forms, including integrated with advanced software to enable our customers.