Senior Sales Engineer

Kennametal Stellite Inc.; South Africa; On-site; ZAR 900,000 - 1,700,000; Full time

Job summary

Kennametal Inc. is seeking a Senior Sales Engineer to drive sales in the mining sector across hard rock underground and open cast operations in South Africa.

You will identify opportunities, lead negotiations, and coordinate cross-functional teams to align product development with customer needs. The role requires a Technical Engineering qualification, 5+ years in sales leadership, and a proven track record with mining accounts and distributors.

Qualifications

• Technical engineering qualification required, preferably Fabrication/ Manufacturing/ Design background.
• 5+ years of sales and sales leadership experience.
• Experience managing Key Accounts and Distributors within the mining industry.
• Strong commercial understanding with a track record of developing and executing strategies and action plans.

Responsibilities

• Identify new opportunities and generate sales across End User, OEM, Fabricator and Distributor levels.
• Lead commercial negotiations and focus on achieving sales and EBITDA targets.
• Develop and articulate the sales strategy for the role.
• Maintain budgeted margins and provide sales forecasting input.
• Collaborate with product/engineering/R&D to tailor offerings to customer needs.
• Provide technical support to customers and maintain relationships.

Skills

Sales leadership

Mining industry knowledge

English fluency

Communication skills

Strategic thinking

Analytical mindset

Team player

Self-starter

Education

Technical Engineering Qualification

Tools

CRM

SAP

Job description

Senior Sales Engineer

With over 80 years as an industrial technology leader, Kennametal Inc. delivers productivity to customers through materials science, tooling and wear‑resistant solutions. Customers across aerospace and defense, earthworks, energy, general engineering and transportation turn to Kennametal to help them manufacture with precision and efficiency. Every day approximately 8,700 employees are helping customers in nearly 100 countries stay competitive. Learn more at www.kennametal.com. Follow @Kennametal on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, LinkedIn and YouTube.

The Senior Sales Engineer will operate in the Mining Sector, with specific focus being given to Hard Rock (Underground and Open Cast) Mining customers within the borders of South Africa. The Senior Sales Engineer will be responsible for several activities within the sales process including the identification of new opportunities at known customers, the identification of new opportunities at new customers, leading commercial negotiations linked to the applicable sales opportunities and focusing on the attainment of business‑related Sales and EBITDA targets.

A key requirement of this role is to continuously seek to increase Kennametal Market Share within this segment, through the identification of product development opportunities, thereby allowing for the development and introduction of additional products into the segment. The Senior Sales Engineer will be an active participant and key role player in the design/production/engineering/research and development process, driving inter‑departmental collaboration forward to attain the desired sales‑related outcomes.

This position will further provide direction and support to both Local Management and the other Sales Engineers within the business to identify additional opportunities and markets. It will also require long‑term planning to accomplish the growth ambitions for this sector.

Key Job Responsibilities

• Drive the Kennametal cultural beliefs of Customer First, Everyone Matters, Own It, Be Bold, Focus Now.
• Develop new and maintain existing relationships within the Sector, at End User, Original Equipment Manufacturer, Fabricator and Distributor level.
• Identify business opportunities and generate sales.
• Ensure that budgeted margins are maintained.
• Develop and articulate the sales strategy for the role.
• Prepare sales and engineering reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing information.
• Support sales forecasting, plan preparation and sales inventory planning.
• Lead in the design, production, engineering, or research and development process required to ensure that products and services are enhanced to suit the needs of the customer.
• Maintain professional and technical knowledge through various means, including but not limited to reviewing professional publications and establishing personal networks.
• Provide technical support to customers.

Education

• Technical Engineering Qualification – Preferably in a related field (Fabrication / Manufacturing / Design of metal components used in the mining or adjacent industries).
• 5+ years of sales and sales leadership experience.
• Proven commercial understanding with a track record of developing and executing strategies and action plans.
• Experience in the management of Key Accounts and Distributors specifically within the mining industry.

Functional / Technical Knowledge, Skills and Abilities Required

• A broad knowledge of the Underground and Open Cast Mining industry.
• An in‑depth understanding of the manufacturing industry and concepts associated with machine design, welding and fabrication.
• Excellent verbal, presentation, and written communication skills.
• Strong business and commercial acumen.
• Strong influencing skills at multiple levels of an organization.
• A process‑oriented mindset supported in applying Sales productivity tools and systems (CRM, SAP etc.).
• An independent self‑starter and team‑player.
• Structured and analytical style of working.
• Fluent in English – speaking and writing.
• Willingness to travel frequently including staying overnight.
• Able to cooperate effectively on different levels externally and on a lateral level within KMT.
• Excellent planning skills.
• Result and Performance focus.
• Acting Decisively.
• Acting Strategically.
• Communicating Effectively.
• Creating an Inclusive Environment.
• Customer Focus.
• Driving Continuous Improvement.
• Driving for Results.
• Safety Focus.
• Integrity & Business ethics.

Equal Opportunity Employer

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