Sr Strategic Quote Specialist - Are you ready to make a difference?
School Specialty is dedicated to transforming education for the better. Our success is fueled by a team of passionate innovators who are committed to making a positive difference in the lives of students. Are you ready to make an impact?
Job Summary: The Sr Strategic Quote Specialist prepares quotations/proposals for the entire School Specialty product line. The position works closely with customers, sales, internal support teams, freight carriers, and installation partners to process large project, architectural and design project opportunities efficiently, meeting customer expectations, and provide product knowledge through research and sourcing.
Work Location:
- This will be a remote role based out of your home office. Applicants within a reasonable driving distance of our Downers Grove, IL or Mansfield, OH, location may be expected to work in a hybrid capacity.
Compensation Information:
- Annual salary range of $53,000-$65,000 with a defined annual incentive plan.
What you’ll do:
- Collaborate with sales resources to develop proposals for new schools or major renovation projects that meet customer expectations for quality, quantity, design, safety, and functionality.
- Use discretion and independent judgment to prepare comprehensive project proposal packages and pricing that strategically address architectural opportunities.
- Generate furniture and equipment material and room lists using the designated quoting software.
- Work alongside sales resource(s) to develop budgets and pricing for specified projects aimed at architects, designers, construction managers, and general contractors.
- Assist architects, designers, construction managers, and school districts by providing material specifications for presale new construction or large renovation projects.
- Support sales resources with product research, educational classroom lists, job registrations, product specifications, and color selection.
- Analyze opportunities to identify strategic advantages.
- Generate quotes and proposals for consumables and furniture & equipment, along with material and room lists, using the designated quoting system.
- Understand the product range and how the company’s offerings fulfill opportunity requirements.
- Build expertise in customer, vendor, and product knowledge.
- Develop and maintain strong working relationships with sales teams, suppliers, installers, and internal support teams.
- Negotiate pricing with vendors, freight carriers, and installation partners.
- Collaborate with customers and appropriate sales resources to develop and process quotes that align with customer needs and the company's pricing strategies, contracts, and goals.
- Analyze competitor pricing and market trends.
- Maintain regular communication with the project and order management teams as needed.
- Prepare complete shop submittal packages and owner’s manuals for architects, design groups, construction managers, general contractors, and customers.
- Support job-sharing responsibilities, ensuring coverage and assisting LE Operations, Sales, and other related departments as needed.
What we expect you to bring to the table:
- Ability to perform mathematical sales operations; margin, cost, sales pricing, etc.
- Excellent written, verbal and interpersonal communication skills
- Ability to read and understand architectural blueprints
Minimum Required Qualifications:
- Minimum four years with pricing, quoting, or bidding experience
- Highly organized and attentive to details, with the ability to meet tight deadlines
- Ability to coordinate large projects and architectural and design opportunities.
- Ability to work quickly and efficiently in a deadline-driven environment
- Proficient PC based experience, including spreadsheet and database programs
- Advance Microsoft Excel skills required.
- Strong problem solving, and decision-making skills
Education and/or Certifications Required:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, or equivalent work experience
Benefits Package: We offer a comprehensive benefits package including Medical, Dental & Vision (effective day 1) basic life insurance, disability coverage, PAID parental leave, wellness programs, Health Savings Accounts, Flexible Spending Accounts, 401k, Educational Reimbursement, UNLIMITED paid time off and so much more!
We’re determined to positively impact the future, one child at a time.
If you share our passion, we need to talk.
Just imagine what we could do together.
Physical and Mental Demands:
- While performing the duties of this job, the employee is frequently required to sit, hear, use hands to type data, use a personal computer and telephone. This employee may occasionally have to operate business machines. Specific vision abilities required in this job include close vision and the ability to adjust focus. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Mental demands include multi-tasking, decision making, problem solving, comparing, copying, computing, compiling, analyzing, coordinating, and synthesizing data.
Additional Information
- The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by people assigned to this classification. They are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities from time to time, as needed.
- School Specialty, Inc. is a Drug-Free Workplace. All applicants are subject to a drug screen and background check as a condition of employment.
- EEO/AA including Vets and Disabled
- If you need reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at [email protected] and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information.
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Job Grade: 10