Account Manager/Sales Engineer

EKK Eagle America Inc•Farmington Hills, MI

17d

About The Position

As an Account Manager for EKK Eagle Sales America you will be responsible for leading the overall business relationship with the customer. You will oversee creating and implementing short-term and long-term strategies for the business. Overall, you will lead customer development, cultivate and maintain relationships with both engineering and purchasing, formulate the strategic direction for each of your accounts, lead planning activities, manage sales reporting and forecasting, and spearhead business negotiations including pricing, commercial terms and conditions, and technical development programs with clients

Requirements

Five (5) years’ experience in automotive technical sales, program management, or engineering management - preferred.
Working knowledge of cost accounting and financial basics
Familiarity with EKK customers and customer products
Proven customer-networking skills and the ability to identify and engage decision makers
Ability to work effectively and meet objectives without detailed day-to-day direction
Bias towards attempting to solve problems before escalating issues to management
Strong communication skills: verbal, written, and technical presentations.
Proficient with Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Outlook
Strong organizational skills and the ability to coordinate and complete multiple tasks within changing deadlines.
Demonstrated successful past performance and progression in career
Valid driver’s license
Ability to travel domestically and internationally with flexibility

Nice To Haves

Preferred bachelor's degree in engineering or equivalent technical education (i.e., MET)

Responsibilities

Execute EKK sales and technical strategies developed internally by various global EKK business constituencies and implement those strategies through contacts established at the customer via ongoing relationship management.
Identify the needs of the customer and convey those needs into product solutions that may be within the current EKK product line. If outside the current product line, aggressively challenge the EKK organization to investigate the feasibility of product extensions.
Must maintain a detailed understanding of EKK product and product usage at the customer and throughout the industry for accurate forecasting purposes.
Professionally represent EKK externally while at customers and all other outside industry events.
Ability to analyze customer total system costs and possess the skills to educate the customer of EKK’s value added system solutions when EKK’s piece price exceeds purchasing cost targets.
Provide customer intelligence back to the EKK organization in the form of next generation design directions, new products under customer development, personnel changes, target pricing, and customer forecasts.
Provide accurate and timely quotations of EKK products to customers for both piece price and tooling. Answer customer inquiries regarding tool cost and timing (including tracking of tool timing).
Perform as the primary negotiator for EKK product pricing and technical requirements at the customer under the guidance and direction of senior staff.
Drive closure on all commercial issues including, but not limited to, late payables, signed Parts Submission Warrants (PSW), feedback to customers of quality incidents, and any open projects.
Represent EKK at customer visits to EKK manufacturing facilities and attend production runs with manufacturing representatives as needed.
Participate in visits to customer’s manufacturing locations to identify how the plants are handling EKK products and address any assembly line or plant usage concerns.
Take the primary role in delivering the annual operating plan and 6-month re-plan figures for products and customers under direct responsibility and be responsible for the accuracy of those figures.
Stay abreast of potential new business opportunities. Remains knowledgeable of customer’s business strategy, participates in the assessment of validity and relevance of opportunities.
Submit a monthly report on commercial activities and progress including sales, sales trends and competitive actions at those customers under responsibility.
Maintain customer database and contacts for customers under responsibility.
Comfortable working with all nationalities and conducting international meetings at times which accommodate all parties.
Travel domestically and internationally as required and on occasion outside the traditional workday.
Seek constant improvement, more efficient and less expensive means in work processes.
Performs special projects and other miscellaneous duties as assigned by manager and other senior management.
Maintains high ethical standards in the workplace.
Reports all irregular issues and problems to management for solution.
Maintains good communication with managers, staff & outside contacts.
Complies with all company policies and procedures.
Responsible for maintaining a clean and safe working area.