Senior Account Manager - PLT OE

Continental•Auburn Hills, MI

11h

About The Position

The Senior Account Manager at Continental Tire manages business with assigned Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) customers. The role spans identifying customer needs, developing business, managing the request-for-quotation (RFQ) process and commercial affairs, and providing business leadership to tire development projects, supply chain, and quality management. The position receives leadership from Global Key Account Managers (KAMs) and regional leadership, and combines commercial and technical responsibilities. The role develops business opportunities by gathering information about new customer vehicles, preparing business cases and quotations with internal partners, negotiating pricing and terms under KAM direction, and ensuring correct payment. It builds and maintains customer relationships across purchasing, R&D, quality, and operations, and represents Continental in commercial and technical meetings. The Senior Account Manager supports demand forecasting and fulfillment, develops budgets and plans, and contributes business input and leadership throughout product development. The role also supports customer quality requirements and complaint resolution, and helps develop and implement regional long-term and customer-specific strategies for OE business.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree.
At least 7 years of relevant work experience in areas such as OE Account Management, Automotive Engineering, and/or Tire Development.
High-level English communication and interpersonal skills.
Experience working on OEM-related projects in multidisciplinary and international contexts.
Proficiency with Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and similar tools.
Travel up to 20% domestically or internationally is required.

Nice To Haves

At least 10 years of related professional experience.
Previous tire industry experience.
Experience working with Japanese OEMs.

Responsibilities

Gather and distribute information about new customer vehicles as potential business opportunities.
Prepare business cases and quotations for OE customers in coordination with Controlling, R&D, Global KAMs, and regional Director KAMs.
Negotiate pricing and terms with regional customers, under the direction of the Global KAM or regional Director KAMs, to achieve Continental’s business objectives.
Ensure correct payment for supplied products.
Build and maintain relationships with key customer stakeholders at operational and managerial levels, including purchasing, R&D, quality, and operations.
Represent Continental in high-level commercial and technical customer meetings, and serve as an alternate to Automotive Engineers or Directors of Key Account Management in customer communications.
Work with internal and external stakeholders to forecast customer requirements and support fulfillment activities so that delivery requirements are met.
Develop the annual budget, five-year volume plan, and monthly forecasts, and ensure their implementation.
Provide business input and leadership in product development to meet customer performance, timing, quality, and internal cost targets.
Support development of a customer-facing technical strategy aligned with Continental’s objectives and strategies.
Communicate customer performance and technology needs within Continental to inform planning and investment in products, technologies, and plant equipment.
Work with the AQM organization and internal contacts to meet customer quality requirements and close complaint topics.
Support Global KAMs and regional Director KAMs in developing and implementing long-term regional OE business strategies.
Implement customer-specific commercial, technical, product, and quality/service strategies to support competitive business acquisition and retention.