Sales and Application Engineer

Kennametal - Charlotte, NC

Full-time - Mid Level

Charlotte, NC

5,001-10,000 employees

Machinery Manufacturing

About the position

Kennametal Inc. is seeking a Sales and Application Engineer to join our team in Charlotte, North Carolina. This position plays a crucial role in driving metal-cutting tool sales growth with both new and established customers, including direct and indirect sales channels. The Sales and Application Engineer will manage customer relationships, provide technical direction and support, and work to increase productivity for our customers. This role combines technical knowledge with sales skills to achieve sales targets and build a strong presence in the territory. The successful candidate will collaborate with various internal sales and support professionals to meet customer initiatives and technical needs. In this role, you will be responsible for meeting or exceeding revenue targets by effectively providing metal cutting solutions. This involves understanding current and future market trends to meet customers' key needs and objectives. You will generate, qualify, and manage all sales leads, prospects, and new customer accounts while proactively managing the complete sales process. This includes prospecting, qualification, consultative sales meetings, product demonstrations, pricing, terms negotiations, and sourcing. Additionally, you will develop and execute strategic territory plans aimed at delivering revenue goals, particularly focusing on new product sales. You will provide timely answers to pre-sales technical and commercial queries from customers and maintain up-to-date customer and project records in CRM to ensure a clean and healthy pipeline. Collaboration with internal sales and support professionals is essential to provide value and a positive end-to-end customer experience. You will also perform online and/or onsite demonstrations of metal cutting products tailored to customers' needs and conduct pre-sales workshops, webinars, and other events within the territory. Representing and promoting Kennametal at tradeshows, conferences, and other events is also a key responsibility. You will deliver cost savings through analysis of complex application needs and provide recommendations to support customer business needs through tooling and application testing. Finally, you will prepare and present progress, status, and forecasting reports while supporting Machine Tool customers' initiatives and technical needs, including turn-key projects, trainings, tooling packages, and certificate sales and support.

Responsibilities

• Meet or exceed revenue targets by effectively providing metal cutting solutions.
• Generate, qualify, and manage all sales leads, prospects, and new customer accounts.
• Proactively manage the complete sales process, including prospecting, qualification, consultative sales meetings, product demos, pricing, terms negotiations, and sourcing.
• Develop and execute strategic territory plans to deliver revenue goals with a focus on new product sales.
• Provide timely answers to pre-sales technical and commercial queries from customers.
• Maintain up-to-date customer and project records in CRM to ensure a clean and healthy pipeline.
• Collaborate with internal sales and support professionals to provide value and a positive end-to-end customer experience.
• Perform online and/or onsite demonstrations of metal cutting products tailored to customers' needs.
• Conduct pre-sales workshops, webinars, and other online/onsite events within the territory.
• Represent and promote Kennametal at tradeshows, conferences, and other events within the territory.
• Deliver cost savings through analysis of complex application needs and provide recommendations to support customer business needs through tooling and application testing.
• Prepare and present progress, status, and forecasting reports.
• Support Machine Tool customers' initiatives and technical needs, including turn-key projects, trainings, tooling packages, and certificate sales and support.

Requirements

• Technical degree or Degree in Business, Manufacturing and/or Engineering preferred.
• 3+ years of related industry experience, specifically 1-2 years of technical sales and/or application experience.
• Proficient in product knowledge, including applications and troubleshooting; can tailor solutions to meet customer needs.
• Solid grasp of industry dynamics; effectively aligns product solutions with customer needs and industry trends.
• Competent in a range of sales techniques, including advanced objection handling and closing strategies; adapts approach to various customer types.
• Independently executes strategic sales plans; contributes to the development of strategies and meets targets through insightful planning.
• Possess solid critical thinking, presentation, and administrative skills.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical concepts to both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Customer-focused mindset with a passion for problem-solving and delivering exceptional service.
• Detail-oriented to manage contract review and discuss project specifications.
• Creative and persuasive with the ability to think at both tactical and strategic levels.
• Collaborative team player with the ability to work effectively across all departments.