Global Key Account Director

Position Summary:

Develop and implement global customer strategies focused on existing and new markets. Manage a global sales team in the execution of business development, account management, and program management activities that optimize growth, program health, profitability, customer relationship, and people development for a given key account.

 

Essential Job Functions include, but not limited to, the following:

 

· Create customer vision and strategy in coordination with engineering and divisional partners and manage execution.

· Highlight gaps to vision, strategy, and voice of customer and coordinate internal action plans to address.

· Identify and develop new global and regional business opportunities. Responsible for the acquisition of new business.

· Develop and maintain solid relationships with customer key stakeholders in purchasing, engineering, and advanced product development, particularly at the executive level.

· Set global pricing strategy and lead customer LTA negotiations and commercial pricing strategy discussions.

· Lead all activities associated with customer strategic planning, sales budgeting, forecasting, and pursuit management.

· Oversee business cases for new business opportunities. Review and scrutinize quote inputs and outputs.

· Provide support for customer presentations and the completion of price breakdown forms.

· Coordinates and prepares presentations for leadership events and meetings.

· Ensure that technical support is provided to customer, as necessary.

· Oversee program execution and health to ensure internal and customer targets and achieved.

· Oversee the management of account information for customers, including: cadence charts, organization charts, customer debits/credits, customer scorecard awareness, disputes, and escalations.

· Manage internal and customer KPIs and lead organization to develop necessary actions to meet targets.

· Ensure resolution of discrepancies with costs related to raw materials, purchase parts, and purchased operations.

· Settle warranty claims.

· Oversee the management of tool invoicing activities.

· Lead competitor and market trend analysis and provide sound input into cost benchmarking.

· Ensure that engineering change is leveraged to continuously improve IRR/margins.

· Ensure that the sales team is effectively challenging design assumptions from the engineering team and escalating as appropriate.

· Guide the execution of VAVE strategy and the win/loss database.

· Guide the team in identifying new applications of existing Shape product/process technology.

· Negotiate framework agreements and terms and conditions of business. Communicate updates to customer specific requirements to the organization.

· Collaborate with Shape SAP and JV partners.

· Conduct timely and complete performance evaluations of direct reports and ensure timely and complete performance evaluations of team members reporting under indirect supervision.

· Assess the skill sets and development needs of direct reports and take steps to coach and develop them appropriately.

· Manage the interview and selection process for new candidates.

· Identify and train a back-up(s) to manage key tasks when absent.

· Additional functions not specifically outlined in this position description as directed by the leader

Qualifications

Position Skills and Experience Requirements:

 

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty effectively. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job functions.

 

· A minimum of ten years of technical sales experience in the automotive industry.

· Bachelor's Degree of Science in Engineering or Business, Engineering preferred.

· Master's Degree preferred.

· Prior experience effectively managing global accounts and a global sales team.

· Advanced knowledge of Shape's manufacturing processes and materials.

· Proven ability to build trusted relationships at all levels of the organization across regions/cultures, internally and externally.

· Proven experience developing and driving sales strategy.

· Ability to coach others in BPP, MPR, DFM and VSM analysis.

· Solid foundation in business processes, financials, and cost accounting. Strong business acumen.

· Exceptional verbal and written communication skills.

· Expert negotiation and stakeholder management skills.

· Expert problem-solving and continuous improvement skills.

· Advanced proficiency in Microsoft applications and a company ERP.

· Prior experience managing a global team.

· Ability to travel domestically and internationally up to 20 percent of the time.