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Sales Assistant

Damen Shipyards

Damen Shipyards

Sales & Business Development
Gorinchem, Netherlands
Posted on Sep 3, 2025

We offer you an Ocean of Possibilities. Join our family.

About us

Family owned business Damen Shipyards Group has been in operation for over ninety-five years and offers maritime solutions worldwide, through design, construction, conversion and repair of ships and ship components. Damen operates 35 shipyards and 20 other companies in 20 countries, supported by a worldwide sales and service network. We deliver in the region of 100 vessels per year, with a total production value of over 3 billion euros. We offer direct employment to approximately 12,500 people.

We are currently looking for a Sales Assistant to fill a role within the Sales Africa team. The sales department is divided into seven country groups, namely the Benelux, North, West & South Europe, East & South East Europe, the Americas, the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific. The diversity between sales activities and the consequent market approach in the seven country groups is extensive because of the differences in product types, distribution, types of customers, collaboration with agents, political influences, government regulations, method of project funding etc.

The role

As a Sales Assistant you will work closely with the colleagues within Damen’s Sales Area Africa. You will work in a position with a strong commercial focus supporting the Sales team. You will be deeply involved in every aspect of supporting the commercial process of selling ships from beginning to end, which includes providing day-to-day support for clients from a variety of vibrant and dynamic countries in Africa. You will prepare acquisition trips for the Sales Manager to one of his designated countries, registering new sales opportunities, preparing offers and tenders and providing assistance in contractual preparations. Once a contract is signed you will be instrumental, along with your colleagues in the sales department, in delivering the product to the client’s satisfaction.

Required key capabilities include a commercially relevant education, a positive, yet assertive attitude, customer sensitivity, efficiency and effectiveness.

Key accountabilities

Your activities and responsibilities as a Sales Assistant include:

  • General support towards the Sales team.
  • Responsible for confidential and commercial correspondence and documents in French and English.
  • Preparing offers and tender submissions.
  • Managing (input into) the digital sales system.
  • Organizing acquisition trips.
  • Preparing and organizing meetings, company visits, events.
  • Supporting contractual preparations.

Skills & experience

You will deal with a number of sales processes and sales contracts at the same time, which requires a high level of efficiency, accuracy and excellent organization skills. As a Sales Assistant you need to feel comfortable interacting with a wide spectrum of people at all organizational levels.

Besides that, you recognize yourself in the following profile:

  • Commercially educated (MBO+/HBO).
  • Relevant experience in a similar field of work.
  • Excellent spoken and written command of English and French.
  • Ability to feel comfortable and work with people from different countries, cultures and different layers of society.
  • Knowing how to anticipate workload and willing to take initiative.
  • Representative, service oriented, flexible, decisive, team player, excellent organizational skills, reliable and accurate.

We invite interested candidates to apply and contribute their skills to this opportunity—your expertise can make a valuable difference. Apply now and join our team at Damen Shipyards Group!


Recruiter:

Bart Spring in 't Veld

Email:

bart.spring.in.t.veld@damen.com

Please apply through the Apply Button. Due to GDPR reasons we cannot accept applications by email.