Senior Market Consultant

This position reports to the Oil & Gas Marketing Manager. The incumbent works with the staff responsible for strategic planning, competitive intelligence, market research and distribution strategy.

This focus of this position is to identify & generate new market growth, which is critical to achieving Solar's sales growth targets. The incumbent is accountable for transforming customer's needs into action within Solar that results in the capture of large portions of new or changing market segments. To be successful in this accountability, the incumbent must have creative thinking in order to match customers and solutions and a business decision mentality that measures ideas, opportunities and risks in dollars.

The major functions of this position are to identify specific market segments or applications for development; develop value propositions for particular market segments that can provide unique competitive advantage; and provide creative insights in order to grow business within new or changing market segments.

The position also represents Solar Turbines with EU and UK based trade organizations promoting our brand and position in the market.

The incumbent works with Product Managers, Sales Managers, Salespersons in Oil & Gas in the development of specific market segment business plans. The incumbent leverages relationships with Product Support Marketing, Finance, Financial Merchandising, Caterpillar Product Groups, and key industry experts/influencers.

The incumbent is external focused and interfaces on a regular basis with customers and industry influencers; conducts research to understand customer needs and buying practices; anticipates changes in customer needs, market trends and competition; identifies strategies/business plans to realize opportunities for profitable growth; develops Market Requirement Specifications and works with Product Managers to develop product specifications.

Success in this position requires frequent communication with customers, effective listening, intuitive understanding of customer needs in a changing marketplace, and proactive influencing skills with customers and industry influencers. In addition, the ability to collaborate within Solar and Caterpillar-especially with the sales force, product managers, customer services and financial merchandising--is critical for successful implementation of new market development plans., Identifies decision-makers and influencers for each market segment. Develops, nurtures and maintains relationships with 10- 15 key industry contacts within each market segment. Is active in industry activities and associations of each market segment.

Develops customer communication strategy for value propositions within each market segment. Leverages relationships with 10-15 key contacts to proactively influence customers within each market segment.

Conducts or supervises market research (both desk & field) to profile demographics of a particular market segment. Monitors changes in market as they reflect on customer needs. Identifies and monitors the technical and economic size of the market segment.

Follows competitive action within the particular market segments. Reports findings and makes recommendations for

Identifies buying motives (priority of needs) and buying practices - maintains relationship with key contacts to monitor motives & practices. Establishes and modifies when appropriate the value propositions for particular market segments

Identifies Market Requirements for solution matrix (product & services) required to meet customer needs. Works with Product Managers to prepare product specifications for hardware.

Develops a Business Plan for each market segment, identifying the solutions needed, market size, products/services needed, coverage/channels required, PINS strategy & sales forecast, market prices, ALPS & development activities needed, and financial reports (revenue/expense, investment analysis).

Identifies and recommends partnership/alliance strategies in order to provide services that provide customer solutions and unique competitive advantage. In conjunction with sales, may manage partnerships/alliances when unique to the particular market segment.

Identifies distribution channels & market/sales coverage needed to reach customers. Recommends changes for sales coverage & distribution. Responsible for structuring the change & implementation handoff to appropriate channel(s).

Structures implementation of Business Plans and is responsible for successful handoff to appropriate sales channel(s).

Plans and executes the ALPS (advertising, literature, promotion, shows) campaign for the particular market segments.

Provides input for sales forecasts and long range strategy planning.

This strategic position requires a thorough understanding of the relevant industry's trends, markets, customers and competition as well as the company's markets and products. The candidate must have the ability to act in a leadership capacity in bringing new ideas, products, and strategic initiatives to successful conclusion. Additional requirements include a strong preference for a Master's Degree in Marketing or business discipline and 8 - 10 years of experience in related industry; or Bachelor's degree in a business discipline and educational background in Business, Marketing, the Social Sciences or a related field with an emphasis in quantitative methods and market research and 10 years actual marketing experience using statistical methods and modeling and/or industry-related experience in product engineering, product application engineering, product management, or field sales.

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When you join Caterpillar, you're joining a global team who cares not just about the work we do - but also about each other. We are the makers, problem solvers, and future world builders who are creating stronger, more sustainable communities. We don't just talk about progress and innovation here - we make it happen, with our customers, where we work and live. Together, we are building a better world, so we can all enjoy living in it.