Technical Support Manager

Furthermore, here at FFE we value our employees giving them the freedom to be creative and innovative. Having a great team spirt and people that are proud to work for a company that saves lives, our teams see the direct impact of their efforts in the daily operations.

Scope of the role

Reporting directly to the Sales and Marketing Director, the Technical Support Manager will lead a team of three direct reports and play a pivotal role in supporting the commercial growth of FFE’s product portfolio. This role combines strategic leadership with hands-on technical expertise to ensure FFE’s offerings exceed market expectations and regulatory standards.

As part of the leadership team, you’ll have the opportunity to shape and enhance FFE’s global technical support capabilities, oversee the RMA process, and lead the development of AI-driven support tools that position FFE as a technological leader in fire detection.

Position: Technical Support Manager

Salary: £65,000 per annum

Hours: .1 FTE, 39 hours per week

Reporting to: Sales & Marketing Director

Job Category: Technical Support

Job Type: Full Time Contract

Job Location: Flexible location ideally close to Hitchin & International travel (up to 30%) is required

Benefits: 25 days holidays, bonus, Halma Pension plan

Duties & Responsibilities

Leadership and Team Management

• Team Oversight: Lead, mentor, and develop a team of three technical specialists, fostering a collaborative and high-performance culture.
• Strategic Alignment: Ensure the team’s activities align with FFE’s strategic objectives, particularly in driving customer satisfaction, market expansion, and technical excellence.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with Sales, Marketing, Product Management, and R&D teams to ensure seamless integration of technical insights and customer needs.
  
  

Core Technical Responsibilities

• Commercial-Technical Liaison: Act as the technical expert during commercial discussions, ensuring FFE’s products, including the upcoming ASD system, are presented with their full technical benefits and in compliance with safety standards (NFPA, EN, UL).
• Product Support: Provide in-depth technical support for product demonstrations, customer meetings, and tenders, delivering tailored solutions that meet diverse market needs.
• Product Development and Market Alignment: Collaborate with the product management team to align new product development with market trends and customer feedback, ensuring FFE maintains its competitive edge.
• Customer Engagement: Lead high-level technical discussions with key customers to address complex challenges, strengthen relationships, and position FFE as a trusted partner.
• Training and Knowledge Sharing: Develop and deliver comprehensive technical training for both internal teams and external partners, ensuring a clear understanding of FFE’s technologies and their competitive advantages.
  
  

RMA Process Support

• Collaboration with Quality: Work closely with the Quality team to support the effective management of the RMA (Returns Management Authorization) process.
• Technical Input: Provide technical expertise to help diagnose returned product issues and determine root causes.
• Customer Communication: Support the Quality team in explaining technical findings to customers and addressing any product-related concerns.
• Process Improvement: Assist in identifying recurring product issues and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives based on RMA insights.
  
  

AI-Supported Technical Support Responsibilities

• AI Strategy Development: Lead the design and implementation of AI-supported technical support systems to enhance customer experience and internal efficiencies.
• Knowledge Base Automation: Build and maintain a dynamic, AI-powered knowledge base that provides automated troubleshooting support to customers and internal teams.
• Data Utilization: Leverage AI tools to analyse technical support data, identify patterns, and pre-emptively address customer needs.
• Technical Support Scalability: Implement AI-driven solutions to ensure scalability of technical support services, reducing response times and enhancing customer satisfaction.
  
  

Skills And Experience

• Leadership: Proven experience in managing, building and mentoring technical teams, with a focus on driving performance and engagement.
• Experience: 5-7 years in a technical or commercial-technical role within the fire safety or related industries, with exposure to product development, RMA management, and customer-facing activities.
• Technical Expertise: Deep understanding of fire detection products and the ability to support commercial teams in product positioning and customer engagement.
• Customer-Focused: Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to lead technical discussions and provide solutions that enhance customer satisfaction.
• Innovation and Problem-Solving: Demonstrated ability to assess market trends and leverage AI technologies for innovative technical support solutions.
• Global Mindset: Comfortable working in a global context, with the flexibility to travel internationally to engage with customers and partners.
  
  

Technical Requirements

• Strong technical knowledge of fire detection technologies, including optical beam smoke detectors, flame detectors, and aspirating smoke detection systems.
• Expertise in global fire safety standards (NFPA, EN, UL) and regulatory requirements.
• Familiarity with AI tools and platforms used for technical support and troubleshooting.
• Ability to translate technical details into commercial benefits, ensuring customer understanding and satisfaction.
  
  

If you like wild growth and working with happy, enthusiastic over-achievers, you'll enjoy your career with us!

Not the right fit? Let us know you're interested in a future opportunity by clicking Introduce Yourself in the top-right corner of the page or create an account to set up email alerts as new job postings become available that meet your interest!