Commercial Technical Specialist Other - John Crane - Slough

Smiths Group plc; Slough; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

John Crane, a business of Smiths Group, is seeking a Digital Commercial Specialist to drive data-driven commercial operations for Dry Gas Seals in Slough, Berkshire. This hybrid role combines digital innovation with commercial ownership from enquiry through order fulfilment.

You will partner with Sales, Engineering and Operations to design KPI dashboards, automate workflows and optimise pricing while protecting margins and enabling faster decision-making.

Qualifications

• Ideally hold a Mechanical Degree.
• Expertise in data analysis (Excel, Power BI) and translating insights into commercial value.
• Experience with CRM/ERP systems and digital workflows.
• Process mapping and automation mindset.
• Exposure to digital transformation or continuous improvement (Lean, Six Sigma).
• Understanding of data governance and system integration.

Responsibilities

• Lead data capture, validation and governance activities, improving quality of installed base and customer datasets.
• Design, develop and maintain KPI dashboards and reporting tools, enabling automated and real-time performance visibility.
• Identify and implement automation and process digitisation opportunities to reduce manual effort and improve cycle times.
• Analyse commercial and operational data to generate actionable insights that support decision-making.
• Drive adoption and effective utilisation of digital tools (SAP, C4C and related systems) across Sales and cross-functional teams.
• Continuously optimise digital workflows in collaboration with Sales, Engineering and Operations.
• Own the preparation, delivery and quality of quotations across all Dry Gas Seal products and services (first fit, spares, upgrades, refurbishments).
• Manage and execute the full enquiry-to-order process, including quotation issuance, negotiation support and order acceptance.
• Drive proactive quote follow-up and conversion, working closely with Sales to secure order intake.
• Review and process purchase orders, ensuring alignment with quoted scope, pricing, and contractual requirements.
• Own pricing application and commercial compliance, ensuring adherence to agreements while protecting and optimising margins.
• Act as the primary commercial interface between Sales, Engineering and Operations to ensure accurate and efficient order execution.
• Support pipeline management and forecasting activities, contributing to order intake visibility and predictability.

Skills

Data analysis

Excel

Power BI

CRM/ERP

Automation mindset

Education

Mechanical Degree

Tools

SAP

C4C

Job description

John Crane, a business of Smiths Group, is a global leader in mission-critical flow control solutions for energy and process industries that enable efficient and sustainable operations. Our products include mechanical seals and systems, couplings, bearings, filtration systems, and predictive digital monitoring technologies.

We have a global network of more than 200 sites in over 50 countries and employ more than 6,000 people worldwide. We partner with our customers to help them keep their operations safe, reduce downtime, improve efficiency, and meet the latest environmental standards.

John Crane is part of Smiths Group. For over 170 years, Smiths has been pioneering progress by engineering for a better future. We serve millions of people every year, helping to create a safer, more efficient, productive, and better-connected world across four global markets: energy, security & defence, space & aerospace, and general industrial. Listed on the London Stock Exchange, Smiths employs approximately 16,000 colleagues in over 50 countries.

Job Description

Digital Commercial Specialist – Dry Gas Seals
Location: Slough, Berkshire

Are you passionate about using data, digital tools and commercial expertise to drive business performance? We are looking for a Digital Commercial Specialist to play a pivotal role in transforming our Turbomachinery commercial operations. Based in Slough, this unique hybrid role combines digital innovation with commercial ownership, creating a seamless "single source of truth" from customer enquiry through to order fulfilment. Working closely with Sales, Engineering and Operations teams, you will leverage data analytics, automation and process optimisation to enhance customer experience, improve decision-making and drive profitable growth across our Dry Gas Seals product and service portfolio. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who thrives on continuous improvement, enjoys turning data into actionable insights and wants to make a measurable impact on business performance.

Responsibilities

Digital & Data Responsibilities (50%)

• Lead data capture, validation and governance activities, improving quality of installed base and customer datasets
• Design, develop and maintain KPI dashboards and reporting tools, enabling automated and real-time performance visibility
• Identify and implement automation and process digitisation opportunities to reduce manual effort and improve cycle times
• Analyse commercial and operational data to generate actionable insights that support decision-making
• Drive adoption and effective utilisation of digital tools (SAP, C4C and related systems) across Sales and cross-functional teams
• Continuously optimise digital workflows in collaboration with Sales, Engineering and Operations

Commercial Responsibilities (50%)

• Own the preparation, delivery and quality of quotations across all Dry Gas Seal products and services (first fit, spares, upgrades, refurbishments)
• Manage and execute the full enquiry-to-order process, including quotation issuance, negotiation support and order acceptance
• Drive proactive quote follow-up and conversion, working closely with Sales to secure order intake
• Review and process purchase orders, ensuring alignment with quoted scope, pricing, and contractual requirements
• Own pricing application and commercial compliance, ensuring adherence to agreements while protecting and optimising margins
• Act as the primary commercial interface between Sales, Engineering and Operations to ensure accurate and efficient order execution
• Support pipeline management and forecasting activities, contributing to order intake visibility and predictability

Qualifications

• Ideally hold a Mechanical Degree
• Expertise in data analysis (Excel, Power BI) and translating insights into commercial value
• Experience with CRM/ERP systems and digital workflows
• Process mapping and automation mindset
• Exposure to digital transformation or continuous improvement (Lean, Six Sigma)
• Understanding of data governance and system integration

Additional Information

With colleagues stretching across the globe, we are proud of our diversity. To foster inclusivity, we run employee resource groups (ERGs) to provide a safe space for employees to connect and support each other. Our cross-business ERGs include Veterans, Pride Network, Black Employee Network, Women@Work Network, and Neurodiversity.

Across our company, we recognize excellence, culminating in the Smiths Excellence Awards, our annual celebration of the most extraordinary activities, people, and projects that best showcase our strengths and help drive our business forward. We announce these on our annual Smiths Day, a global celebration of Smiths around our network.

Join us for a great career with competitive compensation and benefits, while helping engineer a better future.

We believe that different perspectives and backgrounds are what make a company flourish. All qualified applicants will receive equal consideration for employment regardless of color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, economic status, disability, age, or any other legally protected characteristics. We are proud to be an inclusive company with values grounded in equality and ethics, where we celebrate, support, and embrace diversity.

At no time during the hiring process will Smiths Group, nor any of our recruitment partners ever request payment to enable participation – including, but not limited to, interviews or testing. Avoid fraudulent requests by applying jobs directly through our career’s website (Careers - Smiths Group plc )