Sales Specialist

DENSO • Southfield, MI

6d • $68,000 - $85,000

About The Position

Under direct supervision, promotes and sells the organization’s products and services within an assigned geographic area, product range, or customer account list to meet or exceed sales targets. Pursues leads, visits current and prospective customers, assesses needs, recommends appropriate offerings, responds to inquiries, negotiates pricing and delivery times within authorized limits, and concludes sales orders. Builds customer relationships to support future sales and repeat business, shares leads and market feedback with relevant contacts, and plans and prioritizes sales activities to meet targets.

The role coordinates commercial and business matters among customers, plants, affiliates, and other internal contacts. It supports pre-production and launch activities, including order processing, pricing quotations, product schedules, tooling, part readiness, production parts approval, design changes, and delivery targets. It also supports customer and plant coordination on capacity, quality, accounts receivable, cost, pricing, product phaseout, and value-added opportunities. The role maintains required records and ensures adherence to applicable policies, contracts, and DIAM standards processes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, engineering, or a related field.
• 0–3 years of relevant experience.
• Knowledge of internet and Explorer applications for retrieving, posting, and researching information.
• Written and verbal communication and presentation skills, including the ability to communicate with internal and external customers about issues of moderate to considerable importance, including with senior management.
• Customer service skills and the ability to promote and support a service-oriented environment.
• Problem-solving skills.
• Analytical skills, including the ability to gather and analyze data.
• Negotiation skills and the ability to defend a position while considering benefits for all sides.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office products such as Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with VW or Audi.

Responsibilities

• Act as a liaison between customers, plants, and affiliate personnel to coordinate and resolve commercial and business issues.
• Coordinate pre-production activities, including order processing, pricing quotations, new product schedules, tooling, and part readiness.
• Assist with program timing and related activities, including design changes, vehicle build-out, part number changes, obsolescence claims, and packaging approvals.
• Coordinate customer requirements and capacity issues with DENSO plants, affiliates, DNJP, and production control as needed.
• Coordinate the production parts approval process (PPAP) schedule and support launch preparedness, including managing late design changes and helping plants meet delivery targets.
• Follow up on and help resolve accounts receivable issues; ensure related paperwork, such as purchase orders and airfreight bills, is accurate and complete.
• Build and maintain internal and external customer relationships; address daily issues, gather information about customer and competitor trends, and relay relevant information to management.
• Complete and maintain related information and ensure adherence to policy, contract, and DIAM standards processes.
• Implement customer- and product-based strategies as directed by management; gather and summarize market, customer, competitor, and business information to identify opportunities and complete variance analysis.
• Work with quality engineering to support and resolve quality issues.
• Work with materials management, production control, and plant personnel on product phaseout activities and help prevent obsolescence.
• Assist with cost analysis, tracking, and coordination; investigate value-added opportunities with plants and obtain customer approval for cost-saving process or design changes.
• Monitor identified value-added opportunities and profitability information; assist with updating and reviewing annual percentage rate (APR) parts lists.
• Assist with internal and external negotiations regarding pricing, costs, and timing, including negotiations with plants and DNJP and customer discussions on cost-related issues.
• Assist with preparing and reviewing RFQ materials, follow up on quotations, summarize information, and support adherence to internal processes and procedures.
• Keep plants and manufacturing contacts informed about quotations and explain pricing, tooling prices, and approved pricing strategy to customers as needed.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, and prescription drug plans.
• 401(k) with 4% company match.
• Vacation/PTO and 13 paid holidays.
• Bonus program.
• FSA/HSA and dependent care programs.
• Company-provided life, disability, ADD, and business travel insurance.
• No-cost wellness and chronic condition management programs.
• Optional insurance programs, including legal, identity theft, and critical illness coverage.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Career development and ongoing training.
• Employee Assistance Program.
• Employee Spotlight and Recognition Program.
• Volunteer opportunities.
• Onsite fitness center (varies by location).
• Cafeteria and food markets (varies by location).
• Onsite health clinic and pharmacy (varies by location).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level