Sales Engineer (Africa)

Make your mark on the future.

Accelerate your career with Trelleborg and start shaping industry from the inside.

About us

Trelleborg Industrial Solutions (TIS) is a global leader in innovative polymer-based solutions for key industries and critical infrastructure.

We are one of three Business Areas within the Trelleborg Group, with a total of about 6 200 employees around the world.

About the Role

As a Sales Engineer- Marine Systems, you will play a key role in bridging the gap between engineering solutions and customer requirements by developing both new and existing business opportunities across the region. Supporting the Regional Manager, you will drive the sales and marketing of Trelleborg Marine Systems' marine fender solutions, working closely with customers to understand their technical and commercial needs and providing tailored, value-driven engineered solutions that align with the company's strategic objectives.

Leveraging your technical expertise, you will collaborate with both the Sales and Engineering teams to assess customer requirements, recommend the most suitable solutions, and build long-term customer relationships while contributing to regional sales growth. This role requires a self-motivated, results-oriented professional who demonstrates strong professionalism, adaptability, problem-solving skills, and a customer-centric approach. You will communicate effectively with customers and internal stakeholders, think strategically to identify growth opportunities, and work collaboratively across functions to deliver innovative solutions, achieve regional business goals, and uphold Trelleborg's values of quality, innovation, and customer focus.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic
  • Coordinate, and attend the following strategic objectives:
    • Conferences
    • Seminars (including Lunch and Learn sessions)
    • Local Advertising
  • Develop and maintain collaborative relationships with regional
    • Partners
    • Consultants
    • Agents
    • Industry bodies (PIANC etc.)
    • End-User
  • Provide manager feedback with regional market political, economic, and related industry trends
  • Provide manager with feedback on Competitor status, activities, and products
• Business Development
  • Convert leads and inquiries into opportunities for quotation
  • Convert Opportunities to Sales Orders to meet regional sales targets
  • Ensure CRM data entry is complete and accurate (updated weekly as a minimum)
  • Ensure that voice of the client is captured (complaints and praise) in the quality system
  • Participate in aftersales site visits and inspections and support the regional growth initiatives.
• Sales Procedures
  • Understanding customer needs and providing technical expertise to recommend suitable products or services.
  • Demonstrating the technical features and functionalities of products to potential clients.
  • Collaborating with technical team to develop tailored solutions and proposals for customers.
  • Preparing costing sheets, quotations, prequalification documents and technical submissions matching with customers requirements.
  • Participating in product presentations, demonstrations, and technical discussions with customers.
  • Negotiating contracts, pricing, and terms to close sales deals.
  • Ensure that project handover from sales to the project team is seamless, efficient, and clear.
  • Providing post-sales support and maintaining relationships with clients to ensure customer satisfaction.
  • Keeping up-to-date with industry trends, product developments, and competitor offerings.
  • Collaborating with internal teams to address technical issues and improve product offerings.
  • Attending industry events, conferences, and trade shows to promote products and services.
  • Ensure that all sales and marketing data is captured centrally in a secure location according to company policies
  • Ensure engagement and accurate data/interfacing with other departments (where required)
• Reporting
  • Generation of the monthly reports detailing:
  • Client visit plan and objectives
  • Tactical Sales Opportunities (Won, Lost, Leads, Quoted, Pipeline & Hot
  • List Status
  • Client Feedback
• Marketing
  • Support manager in the production and review of marketing materials for the region including any translation requirements
  • Assist manager in rolling out global and regional marketing strategies, including campaigns, whitepapers, electronic and social media, etc.
• Innovation
  • Capture innovative ideas and concepts from the internal company and external sources
  • Contribute to increasing any business process that can improve sales and marketing efficiency and throughout

What you bring

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Mechanical or Electrical Engineering)
• 3-5 years proven experience in sales, project engineering roles or equivalent, ideally in the marine (or related) sector.
• Salesperson with a minimum of 3 years of sales, project, commercial, or management experience in the Marine (or related) industry., a related engineering discipline preferred.
• French speaking language desirable
• Technical Knowledge: Understanding of the product or service being sold, including its features, functionality, and technical specifications.
• Problem-Solving Skills: Ability to identify customer needs, analyze complex technical issues, and provide effective solutions.
• Sales Skills: Proficiency in sales techniques, negotiation, and closing deals to meet sales targets.
• Communication Skills: Clear and concise communication with customers, colleagues, and stakeholders, both verbally and in writing.
• Customer Focus: Putting the customer first, understanding their requirements, and providing personalized solutions to meet their needs.
• Relationship Building: Building and maintaining strong relationships with customers, colleagues, and partners to drive long-term business success.
• Presentation Skills: Ability to deliver engaging and persuasive presentations to showcase products and services to potential customers.
• Team Collaboration: Working collaboratively with internal teams, such as sales, marketing, and product development, to achieve common goals.
• Adaptability: Flexibility to adapt to changing market conditions, customer needs, and new technologies in the sales process.

Our offer and Benefits

• A responsible and results-oriented task in an internationally active industrial company
• We provide an encouraging environment offering growth within the company while investing in your training/education
• Family and congenial working atmosphere with modern equipment
• Very attractive competitive compensation package
• Generous annual leave
• Social and charity events participation
• Flexible working environment with hybrid structure
• Significant domestic and international travel of approximately 110 to 180 of 365 (~30 to 50%) calendar days per year. Travel will include a range of locations, including client offices, client sites, conferences/seminars, institutes, etc

Application process

Are you the person we're looking for?

Apply now and become part of our team!

Don't delay, send us your application to explore a career at Trelleborg.

Trelleborg is an Equal Opportunity Employer, and we take pride in the diversity of our employees, valuing the special experience and expertise that people from different backgrounds bring to our business. The ability to develop ground-breaking technologies is one of our key assets and our people make it happen.

We provide an encouraging environment which offers growth within the company while investing in employee training/education. Our facility is a close and friendly community which allows you to brainstorm your ideas with other colleagues.

We encourage applications from people of all nationalities, religions, genders, sexual identities, different ages and people with disabilities.

At Trelleborg our people are #shapingindustryfromtheinside