Senior Sales Engineer

Smart4 Energy; Johannesburg; On-site; ZAR 800 000 - 1 200 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading energy solutions provider in Johannesburg is seeking a Senior Sales Engineer to drive revenue growth and customer satisfaction in Sub-Saharan Africa. The role demands strong experience in technical sales within heavy machinery and a proven ability to manage complex sales cycles. Ideal candidates will possess a bachelor's degree in engineering and demonstrate exceptional relationship-building skills across diverse markets.

Qualifications

• 5–10 years of technical sales experience in heavy machinery or rotating equipment.
• Proven track record managing complex sales cycles regionally.
• Strong fluency in English; proficiency in French or Portuguese is an advantage.

Responsibilities

• Achieve order intake targets and sales objectives.
• Act as primary contact for customers and maintain relationships.
• Gather market intelligence and report on activities.

Skills

Technical sales experience

Understanding of mechanical systems

Contract negotiation

Customer relationship management

Fluency in English

Education

Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering

Tools

CRM or ERP systems

Job description

Senior Sales Engineer (Sub-Saharan Africa)

Department: Sales & Projects

Reports To: Managing Director

Region: Sub‑Saharan Africa

Travel: Frequent regional and international travel required

Job Purpose

To drive order intake, revenue growth, and customer satisfaction across the assigned regional market. Responsible for full-cycle sales, technical/commercial support, customer relationship management, and execution of business development strategies for machinery/equipment and associated services.

Key Responsibilities

Sales & Business Development

• Achieve order‑intake targets, sales plans, and growth objectives across assigned territories.
• Identify, pursue, and convert new business opportunities across industrial machinery, rotating equipment, or heavy mechanical systems.
• Promote full product and service portfolio, ensuring strong market positioning and brand visibility.
• Support tendering, bid preparation, technical and commercial proposals, and contract negotiations.
• Drive cross‑selling opportunities across multiple product lines.

Customer Relationship Management

• Act as the primary point of contact for all customers, agents, and regional partners.
• Conduct regular site visits, consultations, and technical discussions with customers and end users.
• Build strong, long‑term customer relationships from prospecting through to closing.
• Manage key accounts and maintain strong after‑sales engagement.
• Handle customer support queries related to accidents, repairs, technical issues, and parts.

Market & Internal Coordination

• Gather and report market intelligence, competitor activity, and regional opportunities.
• Ensure alignment between customer expectations, internal departments, and headquarters.
• Lead quarterly business reviews and prepare accurate reporting and CRM updates.
• Coordinate with service teams and project teams for execution of repairs, field services, and parts delivery.
• Maintain up-to-date product, market, and technical knowledge.

Operational Excellence

• Ensure compliance with company policies, code of conduct, health & safety standards, and reporting procedures.
• Maintain high levels of professionalism, customer satisfaction, and brand representation.
• Support continuous improvement of sales processes and tools.
• Uphold high integrity, ethical behavior, and responsible commercial judgment.

Required Experience & Skills

Essential

• 5–10 years of technical sales experience within heavy machinery, rotating equipment, industrial systems, OEMs, EPCs, or similar fields.
• Strong technical understanding of mechanical systems, rotating equipment, compressors, pumps, turbines, generators, or heavy industrial machines.
• Proven track record managing complex sales cycles in an international or Sub‑Saharan African context.
• Strong contract negotiation, commercial awareness, and project management capabilities.
• Experience managing customer relationships across multiple countries.
• Fluency in English; proficiency in French and/or Portuguese highly advantageous.
• Proficiency with CRM or ERP systems.

Desirable

• Experience selling into mining, energy, manufacturing, or petrochemical industries.
• Prior success winning high-value tenders in Sub‑Saharan Africa.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Mechanical/Electrical Engineering or related technical discipline.
• An MBA or business qualification is an advantage.

Personal Attributes

• Entrepreneurial mindset with strong customer focus.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and presentation skills.
• Self‑driven, proactive, and comfortable working independently.
• Strong networking skills and ability to build trust in diverse markets.
• Emotionally intelligent, adaptable, and culturally aware.
• High resilience, urgency, and ability to perform under pressure.