Field Engineering Support Group Manager

Position Summary: Under limited supervision, responsible for the execution, guidance, and coordination of regional based Field Application Engineers in effort to provide technical support to sales, distributors, and customers. Focus exclusively on providing technical support to the sales team, channel partners, and customers in target industries, including automotive, food and beverage, packaging, material handling, solar etc., maximizing MEAU solution content. 

 Work in conjunction with the Regional Sales Managers, to coordinate sales presentations and required technical resources to penetrate targeted business opportunities.  Provide technical leadership, coaching and development of regional Field Application Engineers.

Activity & Essential Function Identification

• Provide advanced pre and post sales technical support to key and strategic customers on all Mitsubishi products, – on-site, via phone, email or via SI/OEM, as appropriate.
  • Lead team of assigned FESG group personnel.  Educate, train, and assist in upgrading of technical support services.
  • Develop technical/application notes on key customer applications.
  • Assist marketing and training with development of new product demo units, and product training courses.
  • Maintain current knowledge of new products and applications, through self-study, hands-on testing of demo units, and seminar attendance.
  • Assist marketing with technical documentation reviews, suggestions, etc.
  • Evaluate, support, educate and provide technical leadership for Systems Integrators, in assigned regions.
• In cooperation with the Regional Sales Managers (RSM), guide the activities of the Field Application Engineers to ensure alignment of activity with ROI Provide on-site application engineering and product consulting.
• Identify solution gaps at SI/OEM.  Develop and advocate MEAU solutions, including hardware and software.
• Develop or provide guidance for technical/application notes on specific and focused products.
• Maintain current knowledge of new products and technologies, through self-study, hands-on testing of demo units.
• Identify OEM’s functional requirement specifications. Work with the Sales Team to develop solution proposals and quotations.
• Employ project management practices to drive successful projects.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of all IA products (PLC’s, Motion, HMI’s, VFD’s, Software and Robots) sold by MEAU in order to provide a complete solution to the customer.
• Develop and provide advanced technical product and application training or workshop to KEY/Target customers and MEAU personnel on Mitsubishi products.
• Participate as SME in Sales Pipeline regular meetings to advocate/discuss technical solutions with FESG manager.
• Document support case data utilizing CRM.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Supervisory / Management Responsibilities

• Manage the regional Field Application Engineers in the FESG group.
• Role limited to mentoring, coaching, training, and skills assessment of assigned team members.
• Responsibilities include, but not limited to new hires, work schedules, timekeeping, training and development of staff, performance management and evaluations, disciplinary actions including termination of employment, if required.

Travel Requirements

• Minimal 50% travel based on customer demand, primarily with in Mexico region, eventually to support in Latin America.

Essential Education, Skills and Experience

• BS in Automation, Electronic Engineering, Mechatronics, or equivalent related experience.
• +5 years’ experience in managing a team
  • Organizational skills, i.e. for documents, demos, work area and time management
  • Ability to operate effectively as part of a team.
  • Professional, patient, positive, confident communication style and attitude.
  • Ability to write and perform technical product and solution training for groups.
  • Advance levels of communication skills in Spanish and English
• +10 years’ experience in application with industrial automation products and customers.
  • Experience with PLC, VFD, HMI, Servo, Control Networks, and other industrial automation applications.
  • Ability to develop and maintain in-depth, up-to-date technical knowledge, including the latest MEAU products, and to serve as escalated technical resource (subject matter expert [SME]).
  • Technical writing skills.
  • Customer service and phone skills.
  • Provide advanced and custom technical training to customers, distributors and MEAU personnel on Mitsubishi products.  
  • Deliver presentations to external organizations or entities on applications, as requested.

Beneficial Education, Skills, and Experience

• Knowledge of the Japanese Culture as it pertains to business conduct, and communication. 
• Strong background in PLCs, VFDs, HMIs, and networking, process control, IEC 1131 programming standards, and competitive product knowledge, is preferred.
• Extensive experience with PC hardware and software with specific experience in industrial applications preferred.
• Industry applications expertise is a definitely plus.
• Experience using a CRM is a plus.       
• Proficiency in MS Access, MS Project and CRM is a plus.        
• C++ and Visual Basic programming knowledge.
• Ability to discuss customer application requirements on phone or in person.