Are you a strategically savvy achiever with a passion for business and a heart for the clients you serve? Are you a conscientious, can-do team player comfortable fielding a variety of business challenges while providing deft business guidance? We’re looking for a dedicated, driven self-starter to join our growing team and make us even stronger.
From providing real-world strategic guidance on technical or other business services/advising Small and Medium-sized Manufacturing Entities (SME) in identifying, qualifying, and prioritizing new business opportunities following a sales process, you’ll own and execute various vital business services critical to our clients’ growing and continued success.
We value our employees and respect their unique contributions. Our employees enjoy a dynamic, team-first culture, engaging and meaningful work, a collaborative environment, and the unsurpassed opportunity for growth and advancement. Seize the chance to contribute to clients’ achievements, bolster your strategic business prowess, and craft a fulfilling career you love.
Ready to get started? See what you are for in the job details below.
What You Bring to The Table
Following are the key professional attributes that will lead to success in this role:
- Communicator – Your written and verbal skills are exceptional. You can easily communicate complex topics to individuals and groups.
- Collaborator – You are a trusted partner and teammate. You enjoy partnering with others and working collaboratively toward a common goal.
- Change agent – You understand, support, and promote the organization’s strategic vision, goals, and objectives. You have a constant pulse on both the big picture and bottom line.
- Connector – You enjoy networking and developing long-term customer relationships that lead to ongoing business opportunities.
- Detail-oriented – You embrace timelines, keep within budgets, and can handle whatever comes your way with the most incredible ease.
- Business-savvy – You are dedicated to your craft, stay apprised of industry trends, and always have a pulse on the latest insights and best practices.
What You Can Expect Day-to-Day
Reporting directly to the president, the Business Solutions Specialist assists in developing trusted advisor relationships with key personnel at SMEs in the IMC service region and aids in providing these SMEs with a wide range of high-value services that directly support their success. In this vital role, you’ll actively contribute to developing and implementing projects that may involve direct delivery of services, including business strategy, business growth, process improvement, systematic innovation, and other solutions. Core responsibilities include:
Outreach and Relationship Development
- Continuously develop knowledge and a broad understanding of manufacturing markets, SME issues and needs, new manufacturing technologies, business growth strategies, business trends, and process improvement practices, including Lean, Continuous Improvement, Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, and Innovation Practices.
- Support identifying opportunities to create high-value exchanges (educational, informative, supportive, and collaborative) with crucial personnel at SMEs using various media (phone, e-mail, in-person, etc.) daily.
- Contribute to identifying high-capability solution providers whose capabilities align with IMC standards and focus areas as well as the essential needs of the SME.
- Develop supportive win-win relationships with academic, federal, state, and local agency partners, ensuring that they have a clear understanding of IMC’s mission and core competencies, and that IMC has a clear understanding of partner missions and competencies.
- Assist in the development of customer leads and follow-up to make clients aware of services, fee and in-kind, available through IMC and other public or private resources.
- Coordinate the process of identifying, qualifying, and prioritizing new business opportunities following a sales process.
- Support IMC’s pipeline of business opportunities at various stages of development: prospecting, qualifying, engaging, and follow-up.
Client Interface and Project Management
- Develop trusted relationships with key personnel and leaders of SMEs.
- Support work with company engineers, technical staff, or management personnel to evaluate manufacturing strategies, production processes, manufacturing technologies, workforce or business processes, product development, and marketing and sales strategies that benefit the client.
- Assist in the development of project strategies and approaches that will provide SMEs with solutions to increase their competitiveness through operational improvements, cost reductions, market differentiation, and sales effectiveness or other measures for bottom-line improvements or top-line growth.
- Coordinate the development of project proposals outlining costs and benefits that respond to customer needs, therefore delivering results and impact for the client.
- Provide support to project management throughout the project.
- Contribute to the technical or other business services/advising SMEs and assist with making presentations on technical, engineering, or relevant business topics in conjunction with service providers.
- Aid in client follow-up to ensure the timely implementation of project recommendations and to ensure project quality and value.
- Serve as a connector among regional manufacturing entities to identify partnership opportunities.
IMC Program Management
- Assist the acting program coordinator for special programs when assigned. This will include assisting with being the point of contact for participants, coordinating activities for the program, marketing the program, and completing necessary reporting to any agencies and internally for IMC.
- Aid the manager with special project initiatives as determined by the President (i.e., peer forums, lean users’ group, etc.). This will include aiding in coordinating logistics, preparing materials, ongoing communication, follow up with participants, and completing all reporting necessary to any agencies and internally for IMC.
IMC Infrastructure Support
- Aid in the development of a range of educational opportunities, high-capability, and well-aligned partnerships and business solutions that support the needs of SMEs with emphasis on Lean, Continuous Improvement, Advanced Manufacturing Technologies, and Innovation Practices to build IMC’s reputation as the region’s thought leader on manufacturing’s most critical challenges.
- Interface with a variety of partners, including state and federal funding agencies, regional economic development organizations, engineering resource centers, and educational institutions, to advise IMC management on new services or resources that may be available to assist clients.
- In consultation with internal and external customers and stakeholders, recommend policies and procedures for IMC Business Solutions Specialist operations and initiate process improvements for their role.
- Maintain a current understanding and utilize CRM (Salesforce) as well as any other partner CRM systems.
- Coordinate and communicate effectively with President or administrative team to ensure required metrics are submitted to the CRM in a timely manner and verified as accurate. Use IMC processes to aid in managing impact reporting and survey management processes for clients.
- Coordinate with the Financial & Contracts Manager to ensure contracts are executed in an appropriate manner.
- Meet or exceed established goals for projects and programming assigned throughout the year.
- Perform other appropriate job-related duties as assigned by the President.
What it Takes
The best Business Solution Specialists are astute business strategists committed to excellence, fueled by exceptional customer relationships, and relentless about client success.
Minimum Required:
This position requires occasional work at a client location, which may be in a manufacturing or non-office environment. Frequent travel throughout the service region, intermittent statewide travel, and infrequent out-of-state travel is expected and requires the ability to drive a vehicle.
- Bachelor’s degree in a business or technical field or an appropriate combination of both education and experience
- 1+ yrs. experience with a private-sector manufacturing business or equivalent
- Basic knowledge of manufacturing initiatives, such as Lean, ISO, Six Sigma, strategy, growth, sales and market development and innovation
- Intermediate Microsoft Office Suite skills (Word, PowerPoint, Excel, etc.)
- Experience working one-on-one with executive leaders to provide strategic counsel
- Innovative change agent with the ability to respond to a dynamic and often unpredictable business and funding environment
- Exceptional communication skills, both verbally and in writing, with the ability to explain complex concepts and ideas to individuals and groups
- Mission-oriented with a demonstrated commitment to client success
- Acton-oriented with solid self-motivation, decision-making, and problem-solving abilities
- Systems thinker, able to recognize the systematic nature of problems and identify system-oriented solutions
- Continual learner and pursues new ways to educate clients and deliver value
- Strong networking skills and strategies garnering credibility
- Effective sales skills and strategies
- Deep understanding of the needs, strengths, and weaknesses of others
- Proven ability to grow and develop client relationships
- Collaborates and works with others as part of a team to produce the desired outcome.
- Can quickly formulate questions and interpret responses
- Exceptional interpersonal skills necessary to deal effectively and courteously with coworkers, clients, board members, administrators, community representatives, and the general public
- Demonstrated sensitivity to diversity and multicultural issues
- Ability to lift to 50 lbs.
Preferred:
- Entrepreneurial, sales management, marketing, and development of B2B relationships or customer service experience
- Conversational competence in IIoT, Industry 4.0, Additive Manufacturing, AMT, and Cyber Security
- Permanent residence in the 12-county regions of Pennsylvania (Lycoming, Clinton, Centre, Northumberland, Juniata, Montour, Union, Snyder, Mifflin, Blair, Huntingdon, Bedford)
THE COMPANY
Our Commitment to You
Your success is our success. The Innovative Manufacturers’ Center (IMC) is a public-private partnership dedicated to increasing Central Pennsylvania’s manufacturing community through innovation, productivity, and profitable growth to drive economic impact. IMC offers a wide range of services to help Central Pennsylvania manufacturers innovate – and thrive. We are looking for a driven, emerging, business-oriented self-starter excited by the opportunity to partner with clients to bolster and impact their success. If you are a can-do, inquisitive problem solver looking for a like-minded team, let’s start a conversation. Apply today by submitting your cover letter, resume and references to careers@imcpa.com.
IMC is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to sex, race, color, religion, national origin, age, marital status, political affiliation, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status.
