Technical Sales Engineer - Unipart Dorman

Location: Southport, Merseyside

Unipart Dorman is a leading UK Original Equipment Manufacturer of LED solutions for rail and traffic signalling and hazard warning lights and its name is recognised globally for quality and innovation. The organisation is part of Unipart Rail. Unipart Dorman is undergoing significant growth in new markets developing and innovating products using new and emerging technologies.

We are looking for a Technical Sales Engineer to join our team. Reporting to the Technical Development Manager Rail, with a dotted line to the Commercial Director the Technical Sales Engineer is responsible for the identification and development of new product solutions for existing customers and for identifying the needs, in new/adjacent markets, where Unipart Dorman can provide innovative product and service solutions.

The main duties of the role include:-

• Identify key customer contacts and build / maintain relationships to ensure customers understand how we can assist them.
• Interface with customers (engineers), identify the customers’ needs and produce an outline scope, to show how our skills/design partners’ skills can provide technical solutions to help remove or reduce the customers’ ‘problems’.
• Work with the customers to ensure that we fully understand their needs and provide backup data to assist our design team with problem statements and outline acceptable solutions. (Ensure that the problem statement covers the full range of customers that interface with our products/solutions)
• Develop cost benefit models, from the customers’ perspective, to assess the potential income/margin available through developing the solution.
• Identifying the ‘non-specified’ needs of the customer, to ensure that we understand the full scope of user requirements, including, design/specify, install, test, use and maintenance.
• Developing concept and prototypes ‘packs’ for promoting the solution (internal and to customers) during its development cycle.
• Development of technical scoping documents and outline specifications, to gain the technical and financial support, for new product/service developments and provide support with the technical customer relationship.
• Production of technical documentation and data packs to facilitate approval of products by customers/approval bodies.
• Providing technical data that can be used by the marketing and sales teams for promotion of the products during the development, launch and selling phases of the product cycle.
• Develop detailed timing plans to cover the development cycle (engineering and commercial) and to identify the cost and income models for approval and sign off.
• Ensure that the customers are regularly informed of the planned activities and progress against the plan.
• Manage the escalation of concerns with the project delivery plans where required.
• Provide accurate sales information and reports (sales, trend analysis and pipeline tracking) to the Commercial Director.
• Liaise with the Production Engineering team to facilitate a smooth transition from design to production.
• Develop understanding and awareness of PSTR Systems for Customer Engagement and Innovation.
• Accurately update and maintain the in-house CRM system with all sales opportunities to reflect an accurate status at each stage of the projects.
• Develop Cross functional capability and Product knowledge to ensure essential cover within the department.
• Gain experience on the export process and dealing with Export customers (as and when required) for rail and traffic customers, as we drive for export growth.
• Build strong internal relationships with the engineering and technical sales team
• Work in a safe manner, taking reasonable care for the health and safety of yourself and other people at work, following appropriate Health and Safety guidance, training and company rules and procedures as appropriate.
• Report any accidents, hazards or dangerous / unsafe behaviour to your line manager immediately.

We are looking for an individual who has the following:

• Educated to degree level (or equivalent experience) in Engineering or Business Management
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to influence and negotiate with both internal and external stakeholders
• Customer focused, with experience of delivering results in a business development role
• Experience of selling into engineering based markets and engineering managers
• Ability to interpret customer problems and helping them to suggest potential solutions in conjunction with our engineering team
• Experience of managing projects for immediate and future resolution to maintain a healthy pipeline of opportunities
• Experience of marketing and promotion in new sectors
• Ability to develop meaningful business relationships and secure informal and formal commitment to share ideas and initiatives to the partners mutual benefit
• Self-motivated with the ability to manage own time and prioritise workload
• Pro-active, positive attitude with a flexible approach to working
• Excellent attention to detail and research skills; ability to review and assimilate data and present information

Please click the ‘Apply’ button to submit your application.