Quotations Specialist - Lighting

Be part of a growing, successful company in an exciting and challenging field. Border States is 100% employee-owned, which means you’re empowered to make decisions, find solutions and receive rewards for your hard work.
 
This position will be located in: Sioux Falls, SD or Rapid City, SD 

Application Deadline: January 16, 2026

Please note that the position may be filled before or after the listed application deadline. Applications will only be accepted while the posting remains active.

Job Summary

Provides specialized knowledge and skills to enhance the operations of the Quotations.   Performs takeoffs of bids and pricing functions. Proactively works with engineers and customers to meet their changing business needs and resolve issues. Develops quotations and requests bid and/or performance bonds for customers within company profit objectives and guidelines. Actively participates in coordinating, analyzing, and acting upon information and feedback of customer needs, pricing, products, competition, and procedures.

Responsibilities

Essential Functions

• Performs takeoffs of bids and pricing functions that could include products such as fixtures, lighting, lamps, dimming systems, switchgear, duct systems, apparatus and specialty equipment. 
• Utilizes senior level knowledge and experience to make judgment and discretionary decisions to determine what product specifications, applications, and pricing are necessary for a specific project.  
• Proactively works with engineers and customers to meet their changing business needs and resolve issues.
• Provides guidance and may participate in the completion of the quotation process for each assigned project. 
• Provides customers with timely follows-up on specialized or technical inquiries and requests.   
• Develops quotations and requests bids for customers within company profit objectives and guidelines.  
• Provides consistent, responsive, quality service to our customers.  
• Actively participates in coordinating, analyzing, and acting upon information and feedback of customer needs, pricing, products, competition, and procedures.
• Coordinates with Border States staff to resolve customer billing issues resulting from errors in the quotations process, pricing, shipping, deliver or other customer service/credit areas.  
• Maintains an active log of wins/losses for project bids that includes vendors and contractors quoted.

Non-essential Functions

• Provides input and market intelligence, as required.  
• May place orders and hold orders on secured projects, prepare submittal drawings, and release hold orders after submittal approval.  
• May obtain orders and provide sales support for the Border States outside sales force.  
• May provide guidance in purchasing functions, product evaluations and code descriptions, inventory management, pricing development, and other related services.
• Attends sales meetings and training programs, as required.  
• Participates in sales meetings and trade shows, as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor or other designate.

Qualifications

• Minimum of a business or trade degree preferred or the equivalent in work experience. 
• Minimum of four years of prior customer service, quotation or sales experience with strong knowledge of lighting, electrical products and systems preferred.  
• Comprehensive knowledge of product lines and applications, alternate product substitutes, and supplier pricing policies preferred.  
• Prefer strong working knowledge of PC for Windows, Microsoft Office (Excel, Word and PowerPoint), Internet, Email and SAP software. 

Skills and Abilities

• Strong technical ability to understand electrical systems and product applications with prior electrical distribution experience preferred.  
• Technical ability to read blueprints.  
• Excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication, reading, and customer service skills are preferred with the ability to effectively plan and organize.  
• Excellent customer service skills include being competent, accurate, responsive and engaged.

Physical Requirements

Frequency at which you would carry/lift in a typical day:
Occasionally 0 – 33% Frequently 34 – 66% Continuously: 67 – 100%

• Lift from Waist:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Not at all
  • 10 to 25 lbs. - Not at all
  • 26 to 50 lbs. - Not at all
  • 51 to 75 lbs. - Not at all
  • 75 to 100 lbs. - Not at all
  • 100+ lbs. - Not at all
• Lift from Floor:
  • < than 10 lbs. - Frequently