Background

Tait Communications is a global leader in designing and delivering critical communications solutions which are the right fit for a variety of industries including public safety agencies, government services, utilities, extractive industries and urban transport providers. Across the world, users of Tait products and services are better able to protect themselves and the public, be more responsive and more productive.

While several corporate functions are based in Christchurch, New Zealand, the company prides itself on its international customer base and global support network. The company works with a network of sales offices, dealers, system integrators and consultants that spans the globe.

Customers the world over turn to Tait for developing products, migrating systems, customising features, configuring networks, training users, supporting engineers and deploying a full suite of installation services. Customers commit to Tait because its people have a proven track record of taking the time to listen, understand and act upon customer requirements.

Scope of Role

This role is based in the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region of Tait and is accountable for developing strong customer relationships within our Eastern Europe market for the purpose of creating new business opportunities for Tait. Together with the Sales Director you will be responsible for identifying prospective customers and working with them to co-create business plans for the benefit of the customer and Tait.

As the lead sales interface for your customers, you will require an in-depth knowledge of their environment and organisational needs to ensure that the requirements of the customer are met and that their experience is aligned to our values: commitment to listen, courage to act and integrity to deliver what we promise.

You will be responsible for assisting with the preparation of relevant documentation regarding Tait policies, procedures, quotations, technical deployment and upgrades and for ensuring the information contained within the documents is properly communicated to stakeholders.

You will be responsible for managing the customer relationships and ensuring that an effective strategic alliance is developed and maintained with the customer, and to achieve optimal value for Tait and to ensure a high level of assistance to stakeholders is provided and that Service Levels are met at all times.

You will be responsible for developing and maintaining the relationship with the strategic account, working hand in hand with the delivery arm of the organisation to develop and execute sales strategies to increase sales to these customers.

You will assist the Development teams as a subject matter expert in the enhancements to, and release of technical solutions. You will ensure that an appropriate service and support capability is in place to address customer and end user needs.

The position will involve travel to maintain relationships where customers are located outside of your city of residence.

Functional Outcomes

Sales & Business Development

Work with existing customer (key accounts) to achieve the maximum results of sales
Build a business development plan targeting new verticals and customers
Achieve annual sales target
Build funnel and pipeline of new opportunities for future years

Relationship Management

Build long term relationships with key stakeholders.
Maintain industry knowledge through communication and research.
Understand your customer's strategic direction, profit and loss (P&L) and other financial measurements to ensure that Tait solutions expand beyond their communication needs and satisfy many business needs.
Facilitate communications among parties internal to Tait, internal to the customer and between the customer and Tait.
Ensure that customer requests are responded to in an accurate and timely manner.
Work with production support to ensure that future demands can be accommodated.
Help to ensure that solutions are delivered within agreed timeframes.
Breakdown organisational barriers to meet customer needs.
Use personal and professional networks to gain access to influential contacts within the customer's organisation
Ensure that all parties have the technical, legal and project information they need or want.

Ongoing Support

Provide advice to the customer on the options, upsides and downsides of each and recommendations going forward.
Provide internal resources with subject matter expertise in the application.
Assess and review the provision of customer and end user support.
Identify, and propose methods for the resolution of customer and end user issues to enhance customer and end user experience and decrease support requirements.
Train internal and external parties as required to ensure efficient operations.
Work with the development team and production support team to identify and implement value adds to the solution.
Develop and assist with the implementation of internal policies and procedures for supporting the solution in an efficient manner.
Strategic Direction: Together with the Sales Director:
- Develop sales forecasts for the customer.
- Develop a market strategy to identify target companies and critical issues that the key customer confronts on a daily basis.
- Effectively discuss business and industry issues with customers and internal sales management.
- Utilise customer, industry and market knowledge to develop sales plans which meet customer and Tait needs

Reporting Relationships

Reports to: Sales Director – Europe, Middle East & Africa.
Reporting Roles: No direct reports
Peers: BDM's and Sales Team

Occupational Safety and Health

All staff have an obligation to follow Tait policy and procedures. It is imperative that all employees actively participate in managing risks and hazards, reporting accidents, incidents and near accidents, and avoiding any action which may cause harm to yourself or others. This includes:

Working in a safe manner to protect yourself, your fellow workers and all plant, property and equipment.
Only operating equipment for which you have been trained and / or instructed in and hold appropriate authorisations for, or with specific supervision.
Cooperating with all displayed rules, safety regulations, instructions, policies and procedures.
Keeping your work area or equipment clean and tidy and maintaining a high level of housekeeping.
Wearing appropriate personal protective equipment.
Ensuring no acts or omissions while at work causes harm to yourself or any other person.
Being familiar with all emergency equipment in your work area and all work-site emergency procedures.
Not wilfully interfering with or misusing items or facilities provided in the interest of safety.
Reporting all workplace illnesses, injuries and incidents as soon as possible using the reporting form and taking all reasonable action to eliminate their recurrence.
Reporting any hazardous condition, situation or event.

Person Specification

Electrical/Electronics Engineering : Experience in radio communications systems design.
Experience in Sales and Commercial roles : Expert in sales methodology, contractual documentation and negotiation processes.
Relationship Management : Strong skills in building and maintaining customer relationships.
Presentation : Confidently and consistently deliver presentations that are adapted to the audience.
Industry : Significant industry experience in the area in which the customer operates.
Self Starter : Self driven and motivated to achieve personal and professional objectives with minimal supervision.

Relevant competencies

Strategic Awareness

Understands Tait's strategic direction, prioritising projects and allocating resources to support this
Contributes to the development of the HR and functional vision
Breaks the vision up into manageable projects and works with managers to develop plans to implement these
Builds sound business cases, assuring short term profitability whilst building long term capability in line with future company direction

Planning

Plans approach and systematically implements process
daily priorities are clearly in line with the overall plan
prepares in advance and produces schedules which ensure the maximum use of time
accurately forecasts future activity and opportunities
follows through to ensure things are completed.

Customer Focus

Understands and forecasts customers' needs
Ensures that Customers feel included and involved in the process, being proactive in keeping them up to date with the progress of their projects
Responds positively to customers suggestions
Emphasises the importance of customers

Problem Solving

Uses past experience to solve problems
Searches for relevant information, questioning people about problems
Investigates issues to establish the cause, using observation and structured techniques to solve problems
Uses data to keep things on an objective basis
Calculates costs and evaluates profitability
Present a range of solutions and evaluates alternatives
Takes time out to think about problems and possible solutions
Comes up with, and is open to others suggestions for, new ways of doing and looking at things

Gathers the Facts

Clarifies (internal and external) customers' objectives, ensuring that any action is based on a thorough understanding of their needs
Gathers relevant information to assist in the development of customers' businesses
Is aware of how information may be useful to other people within Tait and takes time to feed it back
Seeks clarification where things are not clear
Uses networks to gather information

Decision Making

Communicates decision making processes to be used
Bases decisions on a sound understanding of the issues, making decisions in a timely and effective manner
Considers and addresses the critical issues
Assesses the feasibility and risk associated with various options and seeks to maximise profitability
Makes trade-offs
Will listen to other people's views but prepared to make the final decision when necessary

Responsiveness

Is open to others' suggestions, changing their views when justified
Is positive when faced with problems, initiating the seeking of a solution
Gives confidence that they will deal with issues
Initiates action and pushes things through to completion
Suggests improvements to processes
Has sustained energy, applying consistent effort to achieve the objectives

Open Communication

Makes time for people to discuss issues
Is easily approachable and makes people feel welcome
Listen to others' viewpoints, reflecting back what they have said
Focuses on the key issues
Communicates confidently and builds rapport with the audience
Keeps relevant parties appraised of progress
Prepares papers outlining the costs and benefits of various options

Interpersonal Skills

Able to establish and maintain rapport with individuals and team
Adaptable and receptive to new ideas
Willing and able to adjust to changing demands and circumstances
Remains calm, objective and in control in stressful situations
Maintains a stable performance under pressure
Accepts criticism without becoming over defensive

Self-Development

Demonstrates ability to be self-directed and motivated
Takes responsibility for own development
Actively pursues learning and career development opportunities
Seeks out and acts upon feedback on own performance
Has a stable temperament and never allows work to get on top of their performance

Process Improvement

Continually monitors and reviews efficiency of business processes in own area
identifies any problems and proposes workable solutions

Confidentiality of Information

During and after your period of employment you have an obligation to not disclose Tait technological or business information to any persons or organisations if it is not directly relevant to the tasks you are performing for Tait. If you are ever in doubt about any confidentiality issue, first get permission from your manager before you act.

You are also obliged to not use or allow the use of Tait proprietary information in original or adapted form for work in a field that competes with or prejudices the interests of Tait.

Tait retains the rights to the intellectual property that you develop. (These aspects are more fully described in Appendix Two of the Tait Core Conditions of Employment.)

Non‑Limitation Clause

This job description is not intended to be a complete or limiting description of the functions that the employee may reasonably be requested to undertake.

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