Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Quotation Specialist

🎯 Role Definition

The Quotation Specialist is a key commercial support professional responsible for creating, managing, and delivering accurate, competitive quotations that support sales objectives and customer needs. This role requires active collaboration with sales teams, suppliers and internal stakeholders to interpret specifications, gather pricing data, negotiate terms, and ensure proposals are submitted on time and aligned with company profitability goals. The specialist also maintains accurate records, contributes to process improvements, and develops strong customer and vendor relationships.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Sales Support Associate
Customer Service Representative
Junior Quotation Coordinator

Advancement To:

Senior Quotation Specialist
Sales Operations Analyst
Commercial Pricing Manager

Lateral Moves:

Inside Sales Specialist
Contract Administrator

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Prepare and deliver competitive, accurate customer quotations and proposals based on specifications and BOM details.
Review incoming RFQs thoroughly, interpreting technical, commercial and documentation requirements before pricing.
Engage with internal stakeholders including sales, engineering, planning and quality teams to gather required information for quotes.
Issue Requests for Quotation (RFQs) to vendors and suppliers, clearly communicating deadlines and project specifics.
Collect, compare and analyze vendor pricing, availability and delivery data to build accurate bid tabulations.
Negotiate pricing, product alternatives and terms with suppliers to optimize margins and win business.
Format all quote data into standardized bidding documentation, ensuring compliance with corporate requirements.
Submit finalized proposals on time and follow up with customers and sales to support closing.
Maintain updated records of all quotations, pricing histories, customer interactions and proposal changes.
Communicate proactively with customers regarding quote status, revisions and clarifications.
Track outstanding and won/lost quotations to feed insights into sales strategy and performance metrics.
Support sales team with technical interpretation of drawings, specs or complex bid requirements.
Analyze market trends, competitor pricing and industry developments to adjust quoting strategies.
Provide product knowledge input and attend product training or seminars to enhance quoting accuracy.
Assist in risk evaluation and approval workflows when required for higher‑value or high‑complexity quotes.
Identify process improvement opportunities to streamline the quotation lifecycle.
Participate in customer and supplier meetings to strengthen relationships and support sales conversions.
Actively support CRM and ERP updates related to quotation history, pricing lists and forecast data.
Respond to customer escalations professionally, including resolving discrepancies in pricing or specifications.
Ensure proposals align with contract terms and compliance standards before submission.

Secondary Functions

Support ad-hoc data requests and exploratory data analysis.
Contribute to the organization's data strategy and roadmap.
Collaborate with business units to translate data needs into engineering requirements.
Participate in sprint planning and agile ceremonies within the data engineering team.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Proficient in quotation systems, CRM/ERP tools, and Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Outlook).
Strong pricing analysis and bid tabulation abilities.
Ability to read and interpret technical drawings, specifications and BOMs.
Knowledge of supplier/vendor pricing practices and negotiation techniques.
Well‑developed data entry and database management expertise.
Experience creating standardized bid documentation and proposal packages.
Capability to manage multiple simultaneous RFQs and deadlines.
Understanding of commercial terms, contracts and compliance requirements.
Competence with pricing strategies and competitive market analysis.
Fundamentals of customer relationship management and sales support processes.

Soft Skills

Excellent verbal and written communication for customer and internal collaboration.
Strong organizational and time management skills with attention to detail.
Proven negotiation and problem‑solving capability.
Customer‑oriented mindset with service excellence focus.
Ability to work independently and with cross‑functional teams.
Adaptability in fast‑paced, deadline‑driven environments.
Strong relationship building skills with vendors and clients.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma or equivalent (some roles may require vocational training).

Preferred Education:

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, or related field.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Business Administration
Sales & Marketing
Supply Chain Management
Technical/Engineering disciplines

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:
2‑5+ years in quoting, sales support, or commercial operations.

Preferred:
Demonstrated experience with complex quoting cycles, customer negotiation, ERP/CRM systems and supplier relationship management.