THE NO-NONSENSE SUMMARY: This position is intended for serious, hard-working professionals who are looking to be part of a multinational growth organization. Reporting to the Sales Manager, your responsibilities encompass a range of tasks, including providing first-line technical support to customer inquiries, managing pre-launch projects using CRM tools, collaborating with the marketing team to research customer applications, and ensuring the sales team receives fully-vetted opportunities. Be sure to read to the end of the description to be sure you don’t miss an important detail.
ROLE’S MISSION
Manages a high volume of pre-launch projects, providing initial technical support and guiding customers to initial product recommendations. This role involves handling all technical inquiries and managing the process until the customer receives their first samples before handing off to sales.
DESIRED OUTCOMES
- Respond promptly and accurately to technical inquiries to guide product selection and specification
- Efficiently manage (With CRM tools, APA, Template, tasks, tickets) high volumes of pre-launch projects simultaneously, from initial contact to first sample
- Collaborate with marketing to research customers and applications, create presentations, and identify target customers for the sales team.
CANDIDATE COMPETENCIES | Candidate is able to:
- Replies timely to technical inquiries with high attention to detail, ensuring accurate & thorough responses.
- Proficiently manages technical projects using CRM tools, maintaining detailed documentation and tracking.
- Researches & synthesizes complex information to support product selection & application recommendations
- Clearly writes and communicates technical information in reports, emails, and documents.
- Develops and delivers technical artifacts tailored to customer needs and internal stakeholders.
THE ROLE
Yes, you read that right – we’re looking for a ROCKSTAR. The title may sound a little wacky, but it’s really quite true. We’re looking for that special someone that has not one, but two unique skills – athe ability to manage a high volume of technical inquiries with precision, and the talent to guide projects from start to sample with exceptional organizational skills.
As a fast-growing multinational, I’m not ashamed to admit we’re starting to come apart at the seams. Our products and services have found a sweet spot in the market, and our marketing team generates a high volume of technical requests. We need someone who can manage these effectively and ensure a smooth transition to the sales team.
Do you describe yourself as a proactive, super-organized, enthusiastic, technical rockstar who loves bringing your attention to detail to the process at hand? Then I encourage you to read on. If on the other hand, you’re already exhausted reading this, I recommend you take a nap and check out another job post.
So, what will you be doing?
The position and responsibility will grow along with you. As a small, but growing company, the role will be exciting for you if you like working in a small team and having a lot of freedom to define your roles and responsibilities. No two days will likely be the same.
Broadly speaking, we currently have three major areas that have been identified by the sales team as priorities for the coming fiscal year.
1. Respond promptly to technical tickets to guide product selection and recommendation (~ 40% of your time)
You will be the first technical contact for incoming requests, ensuring accurate responses that align with customer needs.
Examples of activities:
- Analyze customer inquiries to understand technical requirements.
- Recommend the most suitable products based on customer specifications.
- Provide clear, technical explanations of product features and benefits.
- Troubleshoot initial technical issues before passing to sales.
- Ensure timely follow-up on inquiries to maintain engagement.
2. Manage high volumes of pre-launch projects from initial contact to sample delivery (~ 40% of your time)
Simultaneously track and guide multiple technical projects, ensuring they progress efficiently and are well-documented.
Examples of activities:
- Coordinate technical project timelines and ensure timely delivery of samples.
- Track each project’s status using CRM tools, APAs and documenting customer interactions.
- Communicate technical progress to both customers and internal stakeholders.
- Write templates for each of product category to help sales ask the right initial questions to customer
- Follow up with customers to ensure projects stay on course.
3. Collaborate with marketing to research customers, applications, and create targeted presentations (~ 20% of your time)
Support sales and marketing by identifying key applications and customers for products.
Examples of activities:
- Research customer industries to find potential product fits.
- Develop technical presentations that explain product benefits for new applications.
- Collaborate with marketing to create technical content for customer outreach.
- Identify and document trends in customer needs and applications.
- Provide technical insights to help refine marketing and sales strategies.
DESIRED SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE
What mindset do you require?
Skills can be learned. Mindsets, though they can be learned too, are more often a part of who you are. We value the mindset at least if not more than either experience or hard skills.
- Curiosity – We want a person who is curious, and rarely satisfied with the first answer. If you find something that doesn’t agree with what you already think, then we want someone who wants to know why.
- Attention to Detail – In this position, it is imperative to minimize mistakes by paying attention to detail. Hint! Don’t forget to read the last paragraph 😉
- Organized – We want a person who is super-organized, manages their time well, and has good observation skills.
- Data-driven – Our culture encourages and rewards decisions that are made with data as opposed to seniority, intuition or personal experience.
- Continuous Improvement – People and processes can always get better. We’re looking for someone who questions every process to see if there’s not room for improvement.
- Courage – Bosses make mistakes and colleagues aren’t always fair. That’s life. We’re looking for someone who may be afraid to confront these issues, but does it anyway.
What skills do you NOT need?
Before we list the skills you do need, it is important that you know what skills or experience we do NOT require:
- Product knowledge: You do not need to know anything about any of the products we sell, or any of the services we provide. All will be taught on the job.
- Lots of work experience: This is meant to be an entry-level position where you will learn “knowledge” on the job. What we can’t teach – and value enormously is someone who is organized, analytical, curious, dedicated, and shows a high level of “stick-to-it-ness”. There’s always a better way, how do we get to it?
What skills do you require?
- We don’t even have any hard skills that are required. The ideal candidate would be one who:
- Asks questions, then asks more questions, then asks even more questions
- Is very organized, and likes to have a place for everything and everything in its place
- Is very computer literate and very familiar with Google Workspace
- Google power-user, forever asking Google and ChatGPT questions for answers he/she doesn’t know
- Very good spoken and written English (at least 8/10)
- Is optimistic, energetic and loves a good challenge
- Pay attention to detail. The very last paragraph of this job vacancy has very important information. Be sure you read it twice before applying.
Skills not required, but that get bonus points (any of them count):
The job we have in mind may not require prior skills, but they sure come in handy around here.
- An Engineering Degree: You do not need to be an engineer, but our products are by nature technical, so you will need to be able to grasp the concepts. If you want to learn, we’re able to teach.
- Any sales or customer service experience: Whether it’s the waitering job that got you through school or a part-time job helping customers, it’s helpful to be comfortable helping others.
- Project management experience: You will need to manage multiple projects simultaneously. This means reporting internally as well as externally to both customers and suppliers. Strong project management skills will help you enormously.
- Presentation skills: You will be presenting all the time, be it internally or to customers or suppliers. If you are comfortable in front of a public audience you will be able to use those skills here.
There is no need to send your CV unless it looks awesome and you want to impress us with how it looks. Otherwise, we will use your LinkedIn profile (better make sure it is complete!).
Instead, candidates wishing to apply are requested to send an email to hr@caplinq.com that includes:
- A link to your LinkedIn profile (not a CV)
- A one-page, personal motivation letter (why does this job sound like it’s perfect for you and you for it?)
Let me repeat that last part in a different way… We are looking for people who stand out from the crowd with a well-written, enthusiastic one-page letter telling us why this position speaks to you and what you could bring to the team.
If all you do is send a CV (we told you not to), and no cover letter your application will be discarded without even being read.
To apply for this job email your details to hr@caplinq.com
