Description

Background

Tait Communications is a global leader in designing and delivering critical communications solutions which are the right fit for a variety of industries including; public safety agencies, government services, utilities, extractive industries and urban transport providers. Across the world, users of Tait products and services are better able to protect themselves and the public, be more responsive and more productive.

While several corporate functions are based in Christchurch, New Zealand, the company prides itself on its international customer base and global support network. The company works with a network of sales offices, dealers, system integrators and consultants that spans the globe.

Customers the world overturn to Tait for developing products, migrating systems, customising features, configuring networks, training users, supporting engineers and deploying a full suite of installation services. Customers commit to Tait because its people have a proven track record of taking the time to listen, understand and act upon customer requirements.

Scope of Role

The role of the Customer Support Engineer is to work closely with all members of the Engineering team to deliver services to our customers. This service delivery will come in many forms, from manufacturing custom equipment, configuring systems and performing system maintenance to delivering customer demonstrations and training. The customer support engineer will work answering technical queries and providing support to customers with support contracts under the direction of the Deployment Services Manager and Service Delivery Manager.

The Customer Support Engineer will be responsible for configuring and testing radio systems for use a trade shows and other customer events to showcase new products Tait has to offer. The role, although base in the UK, will provide sales support to the entire TEMA region so frequent travel will be required including driving overseas.

This role is office based in Swavesey full time.

Functional Outcomes

• Working closely with the Engineering team to respond to customer support enquiries
• Working closely with the Engineering team in the resolution of incidents, problems or change requests
• Participate in on-call rotation
• Manufacture of custom system components
• Configuration of customer solutions
• System Testing including customer facing acceptance testing
• Visit customer sites to perform remedial works or health checks globally
• Lead scheduled maintenance activities on supported customer visits
• Deliver technical training
• Test Equipment Audit and Calibration
• Support of operations team for activities such as license specification, SFE generation, ECC generation
• Ensuring customer relationships are prioritised and maintained, while still providing excellent technical support.

Team Member Responsibilities

In consultation with your Manager / Team Leader:

• Establish the most appropriate work and project related goals for you
• Ensure that these goals can be directly related to the team plan and our own development needs.
• Break these goals down into specific, measurable and achievable objectives for
• Demonstrate habit of making plans, taking action and learning from those plans and
• Work with your Manager to annually produce your Personal Development Plan and review this regularly throughout the

Professional Competencies

Skills

• Fluent in written and oral English is essential for this role. Additional language skills would be an advantage
• Knowledge of radio communications theory and practice
• Experience in a PMR environment.
• Knowledge of Tait products would be advantageous

Experience

• Minimum of 5 years relevant

Qualifications:

• A Recognised Qualification such as MSc, MEng, BSc, BEng, HND, HNC, BTec or equivalent
• Full Driving License

Personal Competencies

Relevant competencies

Customer Focus

• Understands and forecasts customers' needs
• Ensures that Customers feel included and involved in the process, being proactive in keeping them up to date with the progress of their projects
• Responds positively to customers suggestions
• Emphasises the importance of customers

Problem Solving

• Uses past experience to solve problems
• Searches for relevant information, questioning people about problems
• Investigates issues to establish the cause, using observation and structured techniques to solve problems
• Uses data to keep things on an objective basis
• Calculates costs and evaluates profitability
• Presents a range of solutions and evaluates alternatives
• Takes time out to think about problems and possible solutions
• Comes up with, and is open to others suggestions for, new ways of doing and looking at things

Gathers the Facts

• Clarifies (internal and external) customers' objectives, ensuring that any action is based on a thorough understanding of their needs
• Gathers relevant information to assist in the development of customers' businesses
• Is aware of how information may be useful to other people within Tait and takes time to feed it back
• Seeks clarification where things are not clear
• Uses networks to gather information

Actioning/Implementing

• Uses the plan as a tool to achieve the objectives
• Proactively identifies all problems and puts corrective action in place
• Lets relevant people know of problems and who is working on them
• Prioritises issues and allocates resources
• Manages the whole process, liaising with all functions to ensure they will be prepared in time
• Reviews the progress and plans and gives consistent and accurate indications of resources and time required to completion
• Follows through and checks that things are done by the agreed dates
• Measures key aspects on the product to ensure the customer specification is met

Responsiveness

• Is open to others' suggestions, changing their views when justified
• Is positive when faced with problems, initiating the seeking of a solution
• Gives confidence that they will deal with issues
• Initiates action and pushes things through to completion
• Suggests improvements to processes
• Has sustained energy, applying consistent effort to achieve the objectives

Open Communication

• Makes time for people to discuss issues
• Is easily approachable and makes people feel welcome
• Listens to others' viewpoints, reflecting back what they have said
• Focuses on the key issues
• Communicates confidently and builds rapport with the audience
• Keeps relevant parties appraised of progress
• Prepares papers outlining the costs and benefits of various options

Written Communication

• Thinks about the audience and what information they need
• Conveys a clear message through the accurate use of grammar and spelling
• Maintains accurate records of issues and progress
• Uses templates and other resources
• Methodically lays out all the steps and information required

Interpersonal Skills

• Able to establish and maintain rapport with individuals and team
• Adaptable and receptive to new ideas
• Willing and able to adjust to changing demands and circumstances
• Remains calm, objective and in control in stressful situations
• Maintains a stable performance under pressure
• Accepts criticism without becoming over defensive
• Excellent communication skills, and the ability to work co-operatively with teams on differing time zones.
• Empathy for the customer and regional staff and the ability to communicate that.

Self-Development

• Demonstrates ability to be self-directed and motivated
• Takes responsibility for own development
• Actively pursues learning and career development opportunities
• Seeks out and acts upon feedback on own performance
• Has a stable temperament and never allows work to get on top of their performance
• Keeps abreast of changes in technology.
• Undertakes and attends both internal and external courses to keep up-skilled in both technology and sales software tools.

Process Improvement

• Continually monitors and reviews efficiency of business processes in own area
• Identifies any problems and proposes workable solutions

Organised

Sets priorities through thinking about the implications of issues for customers and Tait's business; escalates urgency where appropriate; anticipates needs and prepares before they need to respond to issues; uses issue tracking systems to get action; monitors and follows up to maintain progress and identifies further opportunities; takes responsibility for getting things done.

Tait product where-ever possible

Keeps Informed

Keeps relevant people informed of progress, issues, or changing requirements that impact on them; provides clear information and communications; confirms verbal discussions or understandings in writing; feeds back market information to internal clients within Tait.

Convincing

Presents a well-argued case for proposals; highlights the benefits of Tait features; accesses supporting material and references to back up proposals; identifies selling points of decision makers and tailors their message accordingly; follows-up to provide further assistance if necessary and identify further opportunities.

Being Tait

Builds business focused relationships which facilitate the sharing of information, the smooth delivery of services and constructive resolution of issues; creates relationships which make it easy for people to work with Tait; leaves contacts with the Tait brand, of being great to work with; develops effective team-based relationships which facilitate the flow of information.

Tenacity

Prepared to do what it takes; puts in the hours; takes the initiative and works with others to solve problems or remove barriers to successful job completion; passionate about finding solution to communication issues; lives and breathes the job; keeps skills up but recognises when someone else has more appropriate skills; doesn't seek to achieve at the expense of other team members; drives to achieve team goals.

Reporting Relationships

Reports to:

Deployment Services Manager

Reporting Roles:

None

Peers:

TEMA Engineering team

Occupational Safety and Health

All staff have an obligation to follow Tait policy and procedures.

The incumbent is required to:

• know evacuation procedures and the whereabouts of fire exits and fire extinguishers
• know who their first aider and fire-warden is in their area
• use company supplied protective equipment/clothing where necessary
• immediately report circumstances that may present a hazard to self or others
• report any accident whether minor/major.

Confidentiality of Information

During and after your period of employment you have an obligation to not disclose Tait technological or business information to any persons or organisations if it is not directly relevant to the tasks you are performing for Tait. If you are ever in doubt about any confidentiality issue, first get permission from your manager before you act.

You are also obliged to not use or allow the use of Tait proprietary information in original or adapted form for work in a field that competes with or prejudices the interests of Tait.

Tait retains the rights to the intellectual property that you develop. (These aspects are more fully described in Appendix Two of the Tait Core Conditions of Employment.)

Non‐Limitation Clause

This job description is not intended to be a complete or limiting description of the functions that the employee may reasonably be requested to undertake.