Proposal Manager

John Cockerill, enablers of opportunity

Since 1817, driven by the entrepreneurial spirit and thirst for innovation of its founder, the John Cockerill Group has been developing large-scale technological solutions to meet the needs of its time: facilitating access to low-carbon energy, enabling sustainable industrial production, preserving natural resources, contributing to greener mobility, enhancing security, and installing essential infrastructures.

Its offerings to businesses, governments, and communities are reflected in the services and associated equipment it provides across the energy, defense, industry, environment, transportation, and infrastructure sectors. With over 6,000 employees, John Cockerill achieved a revenue of 1.209 billion euros in 2023 in 29 countries across 5 continents.

www.johncockerill.com

Context of the need 

Because the industry aims to benefit from the latest technological advances without compromising the planet, John Cockerill strives to make production tools and infrastructures more efficient, resource-saving, and environmentally friendly.
We have developed for our clients in the steel and non-ferrous metal processing sector a robust and innovative offering based on the following elements:

•    Strip processing lines (CGL and CAL for automotive or construction high-strength steels, including patented cooling technologies, mathematical modeling, etc.; EGL, ECL, CCL, IRL)
•    Cold rolling mills (CRM, reversible mill with one or two stands, wet or dry skinpass for CGL and CAL)
•    Pickling (for CPL steel, stainless steel S H/CAPL, Si steel APL, ...)
•    Acid regeneration (FB-ARP for pickling carbon steel or stainless steel)
•    Process automation and control
•    Integrated services and spare parts
•    Revolutionary technologies for more sustainable steel and decarbonization (VolteronTM - low-temperature iron electrolysis, Jet Vapor Deposition - a real alternative to EGL and CGL, etc.)

Our extensive experience in engineering, international project management, and sourcing allows us to provide global, innovative, and customized solutions to your needs for complete industrial complexes, specific equipment, or technical solutions. We operate worldwide, throughout the lifespan of your equipment: not only for their design and commissioning but also for their transformation and modernization, with a constant focus on minimizing downtime.

John Cockerill Industry offers personalized after-sales services and spare parts. We also support you in improving the performance of your installations by providing training, expertise services, and remote assistance.

John Cockerill Industry is established in North America, Germany, Belgium, China, Finland, France, India, and Russia, benefiting from the global geographic footprint of the John Cockerill Group.

Mission

The Proposal Manager is responsible for all technical aspects of a project, from the initial request stage to the firm commitment with our client. Supported by other process experts from our technology department, he/she ensures that the appropriate technology, references, and performances are proposed to our clients. He/she analyzes the client's technical request for proposal; conducts design and performance reviews with the proposal engineers to prepare, as a team, a solid technical file (including layout, technical description, performance guarantees, design calculations, reference selection, and design standards management). He/she interacts regularly with several clients (on-site or remotely) to align and optimize the technical offer. He/she guides proposal colleagues and key suppliers to ensure they meet the line process performance. Fully aware of the evolving global and competitive market, he/she proactively suggests differentiation improvements with international suppliers and seeks internal feedback to integrate into future proposals. He/she oversees the overall plans and process diagrams (PIDs).

Main Responsibilities

In this regard, as a Proposal Manager, he/she assumes responsibility for:
•    Coordinating all project stakeholders (experts, partners, or subcontractors), from technical design to proposal.
•    Analyzing the technical specifics of the preliminary project to define the equipment and services required to complete it and the associated costs.
•    Preparing, defending before clients, and updating technical offers.
•    Preparing quotes (cost price of contract elements) and Engineering and Services costs.
•    Monitoring the market sector to stay informed about any developments that could add value to the Group and John Cockerill Industry’s clients.
•    Establishing and building strong relationships with clients based on flawless technical credibility.
•    Developing tools, programs, models, and calculation tools necessary to effectively create supporting documentation for expertise.

Profile

Experience

•    Minimum 5 years of experience (engineering and/or production) in the improvement and reliability of one or more of the following processes in the international flat steel industry:
o    Continuous annealing and/or galvanizing lines for the automotive industry
o    Cold rolling mills
o    Pickling lines and acid regeneration installations
•    Any commercial experience in the steel sector with automotive manufacturers (body and frame, electric, ...) is highly appreciated.
•    Ideally possessing pre-sales and/or technical marketing experience in a B2B environment.
•    One of the following experiences is a plus, for example: heavy machinery engineering/production in the steel industry, international project execution, reading technical drawings and international standards, commissioning/supervision of the aforementioned lines, professional expatriation, ...

Knowledge and Skills

•    Good knowledge of the evolving flat steel market (automotive), and associated technologies for producing high-strength steels.
•    Technical knowledge of the Metals portfolio.
•    General knowledge of our clients' market.
•    General knowledge of competitive technical solutions.
•    Ability to read and understand technical drawings and plans.
•    Depending on academic or professional background, capable of performing engineering tasks. Mechanical engineering: stress and resistance calculations, electromechanical pre-design, ...
•    Proficiency in modern IT tools, including Microsoft 365, Autodesk (AutoCAD, Inventor, Vault).
•    Proficiency in English mandatory: comfortable drafting technical offers or vendor RFQs, especially comparisons and technical arguments.
•    Proficiency in French

Professional skills and behaviors necessary for the role:

•    Leading/Coordinating global multifunctional/multicultural teams.
•    Comfortable in an international environment and ready to travel for short missions abroad.
•    Capable of managing other technical colleagues, such as layout(wo)man, proposal engineer (functional responsibility).
•    Technically solution-oriented.
•    Possessing strong teamwork skills and resilience to stress.
•    Capable of maintaining good relations with internal stakeholders and clients.
•    Able to think outside the box, generate new ideas/opportunities in the Metals sector.
•    Capable of communicating and convincing.
•    Methodical, well-organized, and rigorous.
•    Ideally, entirely autonomous.
 

John Cockerill offers you career and development opportunities within its various sectors in a friendly working environment.

Do you want to grow within an innovative company that will allow you to tackle technical challenges every day?

We look forward to receiving your application and meeting you.

Discover our opportunities in detail at www.johncockerill.com