The Company

Founded nearly 30 years ago, our client is a well-known, highly regarded supplier of automotive parts to the global automotive OEM/OES and aftermarket industries. The majority of their several hundred million dollars in sales is concentrated in the North American aftermarket where they enjoy solid relationships with the industry’s most prominent retailers and distributors.

In addition to their North American headquarters and distribution network, the Company maintains an international footprint with offices around the globe. It operates state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities, along with international engineering and technical resources.

The Company has been growing organically by double digits almost every year since their inception. An aggressive new product development effort (brand new and existing categories), growing “wallet share” with existing customers, as well as adding new customers, have all resulted in the dynamic growth the Company continues to experience. This growth is driving the Company to create several new positions, including the position below.

Position Summary

In this newly created role, the Key Account Manager will report to the VP of Sales – Retailers and will be responsible for developing new business relationships while managing existing relationships with key retail accounts, driving sales growth and maximizing profitability.  The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of success in national retail customer sales account management.

Success in this position will involve collaboration and alignment with a broad base of internal  and external stakeholders, developing relevant strategies to drive growth, implementing these initiatives with flawless execution, and continuing to deliver business results that meet the key operational metrics and targets set forth by the leadership team.

Responsibilities

• Lead development and execution of sales activities with key national retail accounts, creating strategies to grow sales and profitability.
• Manage existing customer portfolio, increase wallet share and adoption of new product lines. Build and maintain strong relationships with all customer stakeholders.
• Negotiate contracts, agreements and promotional programs to achieve mutual business objectives.
• Conduct market research to identify new opportunities for growth and stay ahead of industry trends.
• Prepare weekly, monthly, and quarterly reporting as required by customers and senior management.
• Collaborate with internal teams, including sales, marketing, and operations, to develop and execute account-specific initiatives and align strategies with overall business goals.
• Work directly with Category Management team to establish goals to improve sales and improve market share.
• Monitor and analyze sales performance, market trends, and competitor activities to identify opportunities for growth and optimization.
• Make recommendations to leadership that drive revenue growth and increased market share.
• Travel to meet with key accounts, attend trade shows, and industry events as needed.
• Educate business partners and end users on company products and services.
• Respectfully and diligently take on additional job duties as needed.

Qualifications

• 3-5 years of key account sales management experience with national retail customers within the automotive aftermarket industry.
• Strong negotiation skills with the ability to create win-win solutions and drive profitable growth.
• Excellent communication skills – written, verbal and interpersonal.
• Strong presentation skills with the ability to effectively convey complex information to diverse audiences.
• Commitment to providing excellent customer service and building lasting client relationships.
• Time management skills that allow for parallel path work and delivering results on time.
• Analytical mindset with the ability to interpret data, identify trends, and make data-driven decisions.
• Experience using CRM platforms and analytical tools.
• A team-oriented, natural collaborator that embraces the involvement of others at all levels.
• Ability to adapt to changing market conditions and business needs.
• Able to operate effectively in a fast-paced, growing and evolving business environment.
• Position is remote and requires a minimum of 30% travel.
• Bachelor’s degree or 5 years equivalent experience.