Principal New Business Development Expert

Yazaki is a global leader in the research, development and delivery of vehicle power and data solutions.

Yazaki works with virtually every major auto manufacturer in the world, and we've strived to maintain strategic and stable growth throughout our 83-year history. Today, we're on the lookout for energetic people with the potential to perform, as well as the ability to strengthen - and thrive in - the positive work environment we pride ourselves on.

Location: Canton, MI, USA  

What we are looking for:

Yazaki is looking for a Principle New Business Development Expert to join our Electronics, Components, and Instrumentation (ECI) business unit in Canton, MI.  The ideal candidate will enjoy working in a collaborative and action-driven environment, making lasting impacts on the organization.  This position is hybrid.

What you will be doing:

• Customer Satisfaction: Define customer needs, wants, and expectations to communicate customer requirements throughout the organization. Cultivate and maintain appropriate customer relationships with key customer individuals. Provide data for sales metric tracking and compile for presentations, as necessary. Ensure all proper commercial requirements are in place before launch. Coordinate major customer entertainment events as required. Understand and report changes to customer processes, structure, and decision-makers.
• Accounts Receivable: Support Finance in customer purchasing-related collection issues. Follow-up with customers to resolve the open problems and ensure targets are met.
• Program Support: Serve as the central point of contact for commercial and strategic issues with the customer. Schedule regular open issues meetings with Buyers and keep a pulse on the results of routine customer meetings, such as program team meetings, program finance meetings, change control, lean deployment, etc. Receive POs from customers and verify accuracy. Maintain visibility with customer assembly plants during launch and support customer visitations to manufacturing affiliates and subcontractors, as required.
• Customer Quotations: Lead the presentation of timely and accurate customer quotations (RFQ submissions) and be accountable for the accuracy of quotes before submission to the customer and for the receipt of correct PO for existing business. Interface with appropriate departments and manufacturing to obtain pricing, packaging, and tooling. Lead the negotiations of commercial issues (e.g., design changes, target-related issues, sequencing, Engineering Resource Payment, Commercial Statement of Work Items). Maintain accurate commercial data in all required tracking tools. Submit and negotiate customer-responsible extraordinary expense claims, Engineering Resource Payment, and tooling costs. Receive P.O. for submission to finance. Support the technical and commercial review of the quote packages and kick-off meetings and prepare the quote response.
• Advanced Business Development: Identify new business opportunities with management as required. Lead or support regional and global activities on new business opportunities, including presenting the business case and timing to management for strategic approval.

What you will bring to the table:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business or Engineering or equivalent sales experience
• 5 to 10 years of experience in sales, marketing, customer relationship management and/or engineering
• Travel: Frequent local travel for customer visits; occasional domestic and international travel as required to meet customer and internal needs
• Ability to resolve issues by applying creative thinking
• Ability to think and act logically under pressure
• Ability to resolve issues or propose resolutions to responsible parties
• Must work independently and collaboratively
• Key Competencies: active learning, analytical thinking and problem-solving, customer orientation, results orientation and execution, initiative, and teamwork

What we can provide you:

• A safe, collaborative learning work environment that stimulates creativity and exploration
• Diverse teams of experts
• Resources from around the globe
• Supportive leadership and team members to help you do your best work
• Opportunities for professional growth
• Competitive compensation and benefits package, including incentive compensation, 401K match, tuition assistance, and a generous holiday schedule
• A hybrid work schedule

Yazaki North America is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, handicap, veteran status, or other legally protected status or characteristic. Equal opportunity extends to all aspects of the employment relationship. Yazaki North America complies with federal and state equal employment opportunity laws and strives to keep the workplace free from all forms of harassment.