Sales engineer - lubrication systems

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Those who came before us helped land a man on the moon, create the world's infrastructure, and introduce renewable energy alternatives. Now you can join the Timken team to write your own unique story and help drive what's next.

A career at Timken means you can have an immediate impact doing Work That Matters to the world— improving the efficiency of today's industrial equipment and preparing for the future of motion on our planet and beyond. New employees can start contributing right away, and there are many opportunities to advance your career at your own pace. Join our global team of 19,000 people in 45 countries, and start helping our customers push the limits of what's possible in their world of motion.

We are looking for a high-energy, results-driven Sales Engineer to drive business growth across South Africa, with a focus on the industrial sector. Based in or around Johannesburg, the successful candidate will be responsible for achieving sales targets, building strong customer relationships, and identifying opportunities for Timken’s innovative product solutions.

Role Summary:

Groeneveld, BEKA, Bijur Delimon and AFEX, part of The Timken Company, are global leaders in lubrication, fluid management, safety and fire suppression solutions. Together, these brands provide automatic lubrication systems, fluid management technologies, industrial lubrication solutions and fire suppression systems that help improve equipment reliability, extend asset life, enhance safety and reduce total cost of ownership.

Timken's lubrication and safety solutions are supplied to leading manufacturers across a wide range of industries, including mining, construction, transportation, agriculture, industrial manufacturing, energy and mobile equipment. In addition to original equipment installations, these systems are widely used in aftermarket applications around the world.

Through the combined expertise of Groeneveld, BEKA, Bijur Delimon and AFEX, Timken delivers innovative, high-quality solutions designed to optimize performance, increase uptime and support safe, efficient operations. The company is committed to engineering excellence and manufactures its products according to world-class quality and operational standards.

 Purpose and scope:

Deliver sales and profit objectives by implementing business plans across Timken's Lubrication and Safety Solutions portfolio, including Groeneveld, BEKA, Bijur Delimon and AFEX. Build and manage strategic customer relationships across Engineering, Purchasing, Quality and Manufacturing functions while identifying opportunities for profitable growth.

Execute sales strategies aligned with business objectives, using a consultative approach to position Timken as a trusted provider of lubrication and fire suppression solutions. Leverage customer relationships to increase market penetration, grow revenue and expand adoption of the full product portfolio.

Maintain strong customer engagement through regular interaction, technical support and commercial negotiations. Apply product and industry knowledge to communicate value, maximize profitability and protect and grow existing business.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Achieve Business Plan objectives for the region.
• Identify key market opportunities for Groeneveld-Beka products and evaluate market potential for the region.
• Sales Plan Execution: Collaborates with manager to develop customer-based sales plan including sales, won/lost business, pricing plans, new business attainment.
• Build and maintain robust relationships with all authorized distributors and customer personnel. These relationships are critical in defending existing business and gaining access to competitor business.
• Manage Distributors and Direct Customers as directed by manager including:

• • Analyzing and setting annual distributor purchase targets;
  • Set objectives and strategy with distributors and direct customers to committing to specific action plans;
  • Document all accounts, business potential, buying habits and define strategy for profit growth;
  • Provide training support to all customers in areas of basic technical product knowledge, general good maintenance practices and product installation, commercial information on applications, target industries, value selling, etc
  • Annual Measurement /evaluation of customer partner performance.

• Extends range of product or service relationships with major customers to grow revenue.
• Develops plans and proposals to meet customer needs and achieve revenue objectives.
• Development and maintenance of records pertaining to distributor relationships, business plans, tracking and measurement of agreed objectives, incentives and supporting action plans.
• Provide monthly sales figures.
• Communicate effectively to Groeneveld-Beka organization regarding internal requirements to meet agreed targets.
• Evaluates competitors’ products and selling/market strategy.
• Through an understanding of customer drivers, builds ability to influence customer decisions pertaining to new solutions, products and prototype applications. Promotes and presents ideas and proposals to major Customers.
• Builds sales competencies in discovering hidden customer needs, representing customer needs, handling objections, etc.
• Facilitate customer interaction and coordinate with Marketing, Customer Service, Customer Engineering, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and other functional areas.
• Works with Customer Engineering on complex system analyses, including lubrication type/system delivery selection.
• Obtains application details from customers (including new or a typical designs).
• Gather and submit customer and market knowledge.
• Project Assignments: Responsible for projects as assigned and directed by direct manager.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s Degree / National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering, Business, Sales and or Marketing preferred.
• At least 4 years’ experience in a related Technical Sales/Engineering function within a lubrication & hydraulic / industrial industry, heavy equipment and/or transportation environment selling equipment, accessories, and/or services.
• Proven history of sales results / , successful problem solving and the generation of new opportunities.
• Project / contract management experience will be advantageous.
• Proficiency in MS Office.
• SAP/CRM or BAAN & Salesforce system experience will be advantageous.
• Proficiency in business English, speaking and written communication.
• Fluent in English: ability to compose own correspondence in English. (e.g. letters, reports, proposals, quotations).
• Experience in a multinational company will be helpful.
• Flexibility - willingness to travel to 50-75% of the time.
• The incumbent must be a citizen of South Africa
• Unendorsed driver’s license
• Office is based in Pomona, Kempton Park (East Rand)

The ideal candidate will also demonstrate the following attributes and skills:

• Ability to engage with customers commercial & technical matters.
• Ability to deliver presentations to customers at all levels in the organization.
• Ability to engage with customers commercial & technical matters.
• Understand & speaks segment technical language.
• Decision making and mechanical problem-solving techniques.
• A strong personality, balanced with excellent diplomacy and influencing skills.
• Ability to adapt to different countries cultures in the region.
• Perseverance and positive attitude.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Maintain the corporate image.
• Self-motivated and initiative to achieve objectives, with minimal supervision.
• Work well with a team environment.

Candidates must be willing to undergo psychometric testing and will be evaluated against the same criteria.  When selecting the successful applicants, the Company will be guided by its past practices relating to appointments and also by the requirements of the Employment Equity Act.

Interested?
Please apply and let’s grow together—your next step could be right here!

All qualified applicants shall be treated equally according to their individual qualifications, abilities, experiences and other employment standards. There will be no discrimination due to gender or gender identity, race, religion, color, national origin, ancestry, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran/military status or any other basis protected by applicable law.