Farnell

Farnell, an Avnet company, is a global high-service distributor of technology products, services and solutions for electronic system design, maintenance and repair.

About the role 

We are looking for a Business Development Manager in Shenzhen to grow sales of element14's private label range across China and APAC. You will win new customers, convert enquiries into orders, and get our private label parts designed into customer products and onto their approved vendor lists. Beyond your own accounts, you will be the private label specialist for the whole Greater China sales team (Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan), supporting their customers too. 

The range covers machine-facing electronic and electromechanical parts: connectors, cable and interconnect, switches, relays, sensors, enclosures and related hardware. This is a commercial role, not an engineering one. You need enough technical depth to read a datasheet, recommend the right part and talk credibly with engineers and buyers. 

Key responsibilities 

New business 

• Find and win new accounts: OEMs, machine builders, automation integrators, panel builders, EMS/contract manufacturers and MRO buyers in China and APAC. 

• Build a pipeline by target segment; run visits, calls, trade shows and online campaigns. 

• Pitch private label as a qualified, lower-cost alternative to branded parts for cost-down and second-source programmes. 

• Get parts designed in: work with customer engineers early so our parts land on their BOMs and approved vendor lists. 

Enquiries & sales support 

• Own technical and commercial enquiries from customers and regional sales teams; reply to RFQs with the right part, price and lead time. 

• Review customer BOMs and propose private label cross-references and substitutes. 

• Arrange samples, follow up on evaluations and close orders. 

• Escalate requests for products not yet in the range to the private label product team, with volume and price data. 

Greater China sales team support 

• Act as the private label specialist for element14 account managers and inside sales across Mainland China, Hong Kong and Taiwan. 

• Support their customers, not only your own: answer technical questions, propose private label alternatives and prepare quotes. 

• Join customer visits and calls with the sales team to present the range and push design-ins. 

• Run regular product training and share sales tools (cross-reference lists, comparison sheets, success stories). 

• Track opportunities you support in CRM and report private label wins across the Greater China region. 

Account & market development 

• Grow key accounts through regular reviews, forecasts and blanket orders. 

• Support wider APAC sales teams on private label opportunities when needed. 

• Track competitor brands, pricing and market trends; feed insight back to the business. 

• Keep CRM up to date and report on pipeline, quotes, wins and revenue against target. 

Data & tools

• Use spreadsheets or simple scripts to build cross-reference lists, analyse quotes and sales data, and automate routine reporting.

Requirements 

• Bachelor's degree in Electronic Engineering, Mechanical / Mechatronic Engineering, Automation or a related field. 

• 1–4 years in technical sales, business development, FAE or account management, ideally in electronic components or industrial automation. Strong graduates considered. 

• Working knowledge of machine interconnect and electromechanical parts: circular and M8/M12 connectors, terminal blocks, wire-to-board connectors, cable and harness, relays, switches, sensors, enclosures. 

• Able to read datasheets and drawings and explain ratings (current, voltage, IP rating, temperature, pitch, materials) to customers. 

• Familiar with RoHS, REACH, UL and CE, and why customers ask for them. 

• Proven drive to open doors, follow up and close; comfortable with targets. 

• Mandarin (native) and good written and spoken English for daily work with global teams. 

Nice to have 

• Coding or scripting skills (Python, SQL, Excel VBA) for data and reporting — a plus, not an engineering requirement. 

• Hands-on experience with PCB/PCBA, wiring panels, automation equipment, or Arduino/Raspberry Pi projects. 

• Experience at a distributor (e.g. element14, RS, Digi-Key, Mouser) or component manufacturer. 

• An existing network among OEMs, machine builders or EMS companies in South China. 

• Experience with CRM tools (e.g. Salesforce) and ERP. 

• Willing to travel to customers across China 

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties, and skills.