External Sales Engineer

*This international Group is the leading supplier of low and medium voltage electric motors, variable speed drives, soft starters, switchgear, transformers, MCCs, containerized substations, diesel gensets, and co-generation and energy solutions, as well as electrical and instrumentation engineering and project management services in Africa* *MAIN PURPOSE* The main purpose of this position is to develop strong relationships with customers and to bring in enquiries, follow-up on quotations and successfully negotiate orders as well as maintain existing customer relationships and to develop new ones.   *DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES* Reporting to the Service Manager, the successful candidate will generate VSD (Variable Speed Drives) business from new and existing customers: * * The primary function of this position is to aggressively penetrate the market and generate VSD business. * Cold calling on new customers. * Establish and maintain strong customer relationships with existing and new customers. * Provide high levels of service ensuring customer satisfaction. * Coordinate activities within the company to ensure commitments to customers are kept. * Grow and develop drives, switchgear and panel sales including group company products and services. * Assist with product launches, technical presentations, trade shows and client entertainment events. * Increase the Group of companies’ exposure and secure group company business throughout KZN * To bring in enquiries, follow-up quotations and successfully negotiate orders for the complete range of products and services offered by the Group. * Other reasonable tasks as requested by management. * Attend regular sales and project meetings. * Administration coupled to sales activities: * Call plans * Call reports * Budgets forecasts * Monthly reports * CRM Maintenance and use   Internal and external technical support of the drives business: * Answering customer queries. * Supporting the company representatives, internal sales and projects in preparing quotes and information for customers. * Periodically preparing quotes and tenders.   Customer liaison and visits: * * Meeting with customers to clarify enquiry specifications. * Dealing with customer queries on technical issues.   Commissioning and basic repairs: * * This position is essentially not a service technician but will be an advantage if the successful applicant can do both commissioning and basic repairs.     *REPORTS* * Submit a comprehensive monthly sales report. * Maintain an updated customer data base. * Maintain an updated sales and invoicing pipeline. * Obtain information on competitors’ products, pricing policies and business strategies. *QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE* * Matric * Electrical background – preferably an electrical trade or equivalent experience