Application Solution Sales Engineer III

Mission of the Role

This is a remote-based position. The ideal candidate will be based in the Detroit, MI area and may conduct business travel. This position has primary responsibility for supporting and growing profitable SICK sales and market share within SICK’s focus industries and business clusters across all SICK selling channels for a defined set of SICK digital solutions. Solutions in focus for this role include standard and/or custom serial products, systems, and services related to SICK’s digital offering. This position will be part of a defined digital solution selling team that will utilize collective experiences, knowledge, and expertise to drive efficient and effective responses to all SICK customers with a Customer Centric focus. This position will be required to work with all SICK selling channels to develop strategies and action plans for a defined complex set of SICK solutions.

Key Responsibilities & Duties

• Be the trusted advisor and solution expert to our customers for defined digital solution areas.
• Introduce and sell SICK solutions to both existing and new account prospects to achieve established goals and grow market share.
• Work strategically within the digital solution selling team to meet both individual goals as well as defined team goals.
• Responsible for business development and promotion of SICK’s digital solutions across targeted SICK selling teams for solution areas, with an expectation of sustaining a high-level of in-person customer engagement.
• Responsible for driving critical account activities for defined solution areas. This may involve coordinating activities within the solution selling team and across other functions. May lead large strategic initiatives.
• Responsible for support and/or ownership of opportunities associated with defined solution areas.
• Raise the overall solution knowledge across all SICK selling channels in defined solution areas via technical and commercial solution training with a specific focus on how to target customers.
• Establish, monitor, and report on associated KPIs to monitor success in defined solution areas.
• Have a deep expertise if the technology principles, advantages, and limitations associated with the defined solution areas as well as adjacent requirements such as but not limited to connectivity, interfaces, network architecture, and integration solutions.
• Use and accurately maintain the company’s CRM system for all customer and sales process data to ensure teamwork, collaboration, and global transparency towards providing an amazing customer experience.
• Develop direct customer relationships with a deep understanding of customers’ business needs, applications, and technical language utilized in their industry.
• Use consultative sales techniques based on SICK Sales Power (SSP) to uncover customer needs and solve difficult applications improving customer production quality control and efficiency. Leverage advanced commercial skills to navigate challenging customer dynamics.
• Provide an amazing customer experience and accurately manage customer communications and SICK customer relationships pertaining to defined solution areas.
• Identify and qualify business and customer opportunities and/or threats, competitors, market position, and requirements for doing business in defined solution areas.
• Be responsible for new leads and potential opportunities for new and diverse applications through continued solution, industry, and client research.
• Understand customer applications, challenges, processes, and environments.
• Introduce SICK new products, systems, and services related to defined solution areas with a sense of urgency and entrepreneurialism. Leverage expert level competence in defined solution areas to solve complex customer applications.
• Utilize the solution selling team for efficiency and effectiveness. Proactively share best practices across the solution selling team to increase efficiency, effectiveness, and customer centricity. As needed engage outside the solution selling team with other SICK selling teams, product managers, global colleagues, et cetera as appropriate to maximize our share of wallet.
• Develop strategic plans related to defined solution areas for target customers and opportunities.
• Pursue Sales Excellence, developing skills, knowledge, and competencies to continuously improve performance. Complete annual performance objectives and performance reviews with Supervisor.
• Capitalize on TSC development and training opportunities to position yourself for highest levels of performance recognition and continued career development.
• Keep abreast of market and competitive activity; recommend actions in areas where competitor activities are having a negative impact on SICK.
• Participate in trade shows, prepare and give marketing/sales presentations to technical audiences as a subject matter expert.
• Carry out other duties and responsibilities as may be assigned or required.

Qualifications, Skills & Competencies

• Experience: 5-8 years’ experience of prior technical and digital sales. In a high tech, industrial automation solution, sensor or instrumentation background. Preferably direct sales, including selling products, systems and digital services.
• Education: Four-year Engineering degree (or related field) or equivalent experience required (Industrial Engineering, Computer Science, Electrical Engineering, Etc.)
• Position-specific Qualifications:
• Able to manage consistently to a common plan, providing leadership in the implementation of corporate selling strategies.
• Fundamental knowledge of opportunity management and selling processes with a focus on creating strategic plans.
• Highly motivated to learn and solve technical customer challenges. Serving as a “Digital Consultant” for the customer.
• Building network architecture and integration.
• Strong knowledge of Digital Transformation IT/OT, Smart manufacturing process, Industry 4.0. Including Digital Analytics and Digital Architecture.
• Experience coordinating and engagement with a diverse background in technical or industry-based sales.
• Computer/Technological: Professional competence with Microsoft Office products. Versed in Digital Protocols. MQTT, OPC, UA, REST. Knowledge of scripting languages is a plus. (LUA preferred. Python and Java Script.)
• Knowledge of Industrial Controls, Automation and working PLC experience.
• Language: Excellent professional written and spoken fluency in English required.
• Schedule: Monday to Friday, full time; be on-call on some weekends (if required).
• Travel: Be able to travel up to 40% annually.
• Work Status: Legally permitted to work in the country you are applying and willing to undergo an employment background check. (*This position is not eligible for sponsorship now or in the future.)

Compensation

The base salary is one part of our Total Rewards package and is determined within a range. The starting base salary range for this position is listed below; the actual starting salary will be based on a variety of factors including experience, skill set, education, performance, licenses/certifications, business needs and other job-related factors, as permitted by law.

Starting Base Annual Salary Range: $101,820 - $154,000

Bonus Eligibility: This role is eligible for an annual bonus based on a combination of company and individual performance.

Equal Opportunity Employer

SICK is an equal opportunity employer that considers all qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

Key skills/competency

• Digital Solutions Sales
• Industrial Automation
• Sensor Technology
• Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
• Consultative Selling
• IT/OT Convergence
• Industry 4.0
• Network Architecture
• PLC Experience
• Technical Training