Come and join one of UK & Ireland fastest growing food production line solutions specialists!

For the last 40 years, SF has been delivering advanced food production line solutions, equipment and after-sales care to the global food industry. Today we employ 120 people across two production sites and have designed, manufactured and installed food production line solutions for major blue chip food producers in 63 countries.

SF is proud to have a history of sustained growth and expansion. Our customer base extends across Australia, South Africa, the Middle East, Europe and North America and we are continuing to expand into new markets every year. We believe the key to our success can be attributed to our employees who share our passion to succeed. As part of the next stage of our development we are recruiting for a Solutions Consultant to provide technical and subject matter expertise to our existing and prospective customers, resulting in the creation of bespoke solutions.

Are you currently in Project Engineering or Design Engineering and seeking more customer interaction or exposure? Are you currently in a technical sales role and want to develop to more bespoke solutions? Do you want to feel closer to the customer and help define and shape solutions that answer all their problems? If so, this could be your next exciting career move!

Reporting to the Head of Protein this is an exciting opportunity for an ambitious and tenacious technical professional. You will take responsibility for bespoke projects in a range of new and existing customers, converting project leads from the BDM team, marketing team or existing customers into orders.  As the Solutions Consultant for the Protein side of the business, you will offer consultative advice and recommendations to customers who require our advanced production line solutions.

Responsibilities:

• Develop understanding of food production processes and how engineering solutions can improve product flow, quality, yield and bring automation benefits to the customer
• Facilitate and participate in scoping meetings to understand the customers issues
• Use appropriate language to enable non-technical and technical audiences to understand how the solutions work and the benefits that the solutions offer
• Use a consultative approach, both in terms of scoping technical requirements but also understanding customer’s requirements to identify broader solution opportunities with the customer
• Deliver individual sales target and contribute to delivery of the Protein Team growth targets
• Ensure commercial proposals are impactful, accurate and detailed in line with SF Engineering standards and customer expectations and timings
• Undertake continuous analysis of competitive environment and consumer trends likely to impact on the business
• Identify key areas of future opportunity for SF Engineering line solutions
• Effectively collaborate with Engineering and Operations teams to ensure knowledge share and transfer to ensure a smooth handover of projects at point of order
• Develop long lasting and high-quality business relationships with customers by instilling trust and confidence

Qualifications & Experience:

Don’t feel you meet all the requirements below? Don’t worry! We’re still keen to hear from you. One of our company values is flexible and when it comes to considering candidates who don’t tick every box, we are open-minded. You may have other unique and relevant qualities you could bring to the role, and we offer the opportunity for training and development.

• Degree educated (ideally in an Engineering discipline) or equivalent experience
• Knowledge and skills in 3D layout drawing (skills in simulation an advantage)
• Strong listening skills and the ability to influence at all levels
• Proven ability to help define and articulate solutions to a broad range of customers is an advantage
• Experience of solutions selling and consultative selling approaches, either directly or as part of a support team
• Clear, concise, and creative presentation skills with competence in storytelling, and the ability to focus on the business value of the solution
• You will have the ability and gravitas to become recognised as a respected and trusted advisor to customers, building confidence in the SF brand in all customer interactions
• Experience working with or producing factory layout drawings is an advantage
• Experience with custom engineered equipment and integrated process lines to the food industry is an advantage

Relevant info about the role:

Willingness and ability to travel to visit customers, potential clients, tradeshows and industry functions. Approx. 60-80% travel as part of the role