About the position
The Aerospace and Defense Account Manager provides comprehensive leadership managing virtually all aspects of the company’s strategic and tactical approach to assigned customers. These customers are typically mission critical, large accounts that are foundational to Coherent’s business. The Account Manager owns the customer’s booking forecast and is a conduit for all pricing, quoting, and negotiations. The focus is on active opportunities with existing capabilities while seeking to grow our share and displace competitors whenever possible. The Account Manager should maintain a comprehensive view of Coherent’s product footprint at the customer along with our content on key platforms/programs and future projections (both customer provided and internal view). The Account Manager should work to keep Product Managers advised of the business pipeline, customer satisfaction, and key operational issues that might affect future business. The Account manager is expected to make recommendations on potential strategic investments and capabilities that could lead to increased business and should manage the relationships between Coherent’s personnel and the customer’s equivalent personnel up to and including executive management. The Account Manager works closely with the product line managers and business development personnel when new products or capabilities are introduced, a new division/group is targeted for expansion, or when government solicitations result in equivalent opportunities from multiple primes and Coherent’s response must be strategically managed. Depending on the size and scope of the account(s), the Account Manager may direct the work of other Account Managers and Business Development Staff. This role is REMOTE.
Responsibilities
- Manages assigned accounts acting as the key contact for both Coherent’s and the customer’s personnel.
- Provides leadership in all aspects of Coherent’s interaction with the customer.
- Conduit for pricing, quotes, and negotiations.
- Aggressively grow Coherent’s footprint at the account, displacing competitors whenever possible.
- Keeps Product Managers updated on the business and important upcoming bids.
- Maintains overall awareness of operational execution through close communication with Program Managers.
- Maintains a complete footprint of Coherent’s products in use at the customer.
- Provides recommendations to Product Management/Business Development on opportunities for new business.
- Works closely with Business Development and Product Management when new products or capabilities are introduced.
- Connects mid-level managers, engineers, quality personnel, buyers, etc. between the two companies.
- Provides advice to Senior Management on key decision makers, changes in the customer’s business, and market trends.
- Facilitates a regular executive engagement meeting to connect senior managers.
- Remains aware of major government solicitations that affect the account.
- Provides regular internal updates to key personnel on the account.
- May direct the work of other Account Managers depending on the size and scope of the account.
Requirements
- BS Degree (Materials Science, Optics, Mechanical Engineering, Physics or equivalent preferred).
- Min 10 years of experience with some combination of ISR Systems, lasers, IR imaging, space imaging, or missile seekers.
- At least 5 years' experience in Aerospace and Defense with significant exposure/expertise to government methods of solicitation and contracting.
- Must have a current DOD clearance (at least Collateral Secret) or be willing and capable of securing one.
Nice-to-haves
- Experience in account management and track record of successful account growth and building strong relationships.
- Excellent interpersonal skills as well as excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong organizational, financial, and business leadership abilities.
- Ability to understand and explain technical details at a level sufficient to be credible with customers.
- Ability to identify key technical details as business differentiators.
- Strong customer focus and relationship skills.
- Ability to motivate and guide teams without having a direct reporting structure.
- Proven skills in strategic relationships, product and market development, market research, and marketing communications.
- Ability to excel in a cross-organizational, cross-cultural, multi-location team environment.
- Proficiency with financial terms.
- Well-connected in the ISR, laser and/or opto-electronics industry.
- Strong project management, attention to detail, organizational skills, and follow through.
- Self-motivated and able to work productively with minimal supervision.
- Aptitude in decision-making and problem-solving.
