Albany International Corporation seeks a Senior Manager, Strategic Accounts to
support its growing Albany Engineered Composites (AEC) business. This
personable and professional individual, working within our Customers and
Marketing organization and overseeing some of our most important customer
relationships and growth opportunities will work in concert with our overall
strategy, our Integrated Operations and Transformation team, and our Commercial,
Defense, and Emerging Markets & Specialty Solutions business segments to deliver
consistent messaging and outstanding customer experience. This integrated
relationship responsibility, from first contact to end-of-service contract, is
fully empowered to coordinate successful interaction in all disciplines and at
all levels of decision-makers to cultivate a positive impression of the company,
identify and receive desired new business opportunities, coordinate the bid
process, and help close deals.
Albany International Corp. is a global advanced textiles and highly-engineered
composites components and assemblies manufacturing company. Our products and
technologies help make paper smoother, tissue softer, and aircraft engines and
structures lighter and easier to assemble. The company has two core businesses,
The Machine Clothing
[http://www.albint.com/en-us/businesses/machineclothing/Pages/default.aspx]
segment is the world’s leading producer of custom-designed fabrics and belts
essential to production in the paper, nonwovens, and other process industries,
and Albany Engineered Composites
[http://www.albint.com/businesses/aec/Pages/default.aspx]which is a rapidly
growing supplier of highly engineered composite parts for the aerospace, defense
and space industry.
Job Purpose
This role serves as both AEC and our customers’ focal for coordinating and
driving every aspect of a designated set of strategic customer relationships.
This individual will work diligently to establish and grow outstanding
relationships throughout their customers’ procurement and engineering
organizations with the ultimate objective to earn top-tier supplier position,
and thus ensuring first and last look for AEC of all desired opportunities. We
expect this individual to have their “finger on the pulse” of their customers,
market impacts and competitive environment, and to keep Albany management
well-informed and aligned with all activities and customer satisfaction.
Candidates must possess a minimum of 7 years of progressively challenging
aerospace sales, account management and/or engineering experience in advanced
engineered products, with demonstrated communications skills and the temperament
to work collaboratively across functions and between companies to get positive
results and drive profitable growth.
Job Responsibilities
1. The primary role of this position is to build an outstanding set of
professional and productive relationships with each assigned account to
improve customer service and satisfaction and position AEC for profitable
growth.
2. Act as the “voice of the customer” to assure that AEC looks outward, not
inward, as it develops new products, technologies, services, and Customers
& Marketing strategies and processes.
3. Participate with Operations, Business Segment leadership, and your
customers leadership in developing product line and business segment
strategies, and apply to your customers.
4. Participate in the development of specific sales objectives, strategies,
goals, and plans for each assigned customer. Take an active role in the
development and execution of each agreed upon customer relationship plan.
Assist in annual sales planning activities.
5. Develop and provide visibility of assigned customer key organizations /
personnel including supplier management / procurement, engineering, program
management and leadership involved with the selection and use of AEC
products.
6. Maintain an engagement plan on each assigned account with everything the
business needs to know regarding your assigned accounts, including but not
limited to: Customer overview and key initiatives; current contracts and
programs we’re delivering to (including current end dates); sales history
and up-to-date forecast; quality and delivery metrics (internal and
customer data); current relationship / communication plan; visit schedule
and most recent meeting results and actions summary; plus new business
development initiatives and opportunities.
7. Make regular visits and/or telephone calls in accordance with each agreed
relationship plan. Complete visit reports (including summaries of
conference calls) as required to keep business stakeholders informed.
8. Strive to earn a “seat at the customer table” during product definition and
decision phases to help introduce and promote our technologies and get a
leg-up on opportunities.
9. Document all opportunities and assess for compatibility with established
growth plan. Make recommendations to the business on opportunities AEC
should pursue and drive to success.
10. Partner with AEC Engineering, Contracts, Operations, and Estimating /
Proposals Management and play an active role in the proposal development
and negotiation process.
11. Monitor competitor activities and public domain strategies, and report on
key developments. Assist in the estimation of market share and
penetration.
12. Report market news related to assigned customers / market on a weekly basis
for roll-up.
13. Investigate new accounts that fit the strategic growth strategy and develop
those that apply.
14. Represent AEC in the best possible and professional way in all forums such
as at the customer, during business travel, attending conferences, or
participating in trade shows.
Nothing in this document restricts management's right to assign or reassign
duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.
Supervisory responsibility: No
Qualifications
Qualifications/Characteristics: 100% remote domicile is possible if in
reasonable proximity to assigned customers. Co-location with one of our AEC
operations or headquarters when it makes sense in relation to designated
accounts is seen as valuable for the customer and the individual chosen for this
role. More than 50% travel can be expected to build appropriate relationships
with our customers and our operations supporting them.
Required Skills:
Proven ability to solve complex problems and deliver exceptional results
within a sophisticated global manufacturing environment where
cross-functional / cross-cultural teamwork is essential for success.
Willingness to perform “hands-on” work while practicing effective delegation.
Demonstrated understanding of Lean/Six Sigma principles.
Proven to be action oriented, results driven, decisive, and customer focused.
Global perspective of business environment and technology.
Strong communication and collaboration skills.
Demonstrated ability to favorably impact Sales and Marketing performance
through the successful implementation of Business Development best practices.
Demonstrated ability to deliver exceptional results within a relatively
unstructured, tightly-resourced, high-growth organization would be a
significant competitive advantage.
Strong working knowledge of the development and qualification/certification
process in the aerospace industry as the pathway for new engineered products
production opportunities.
Required Education and Experience:
Undergraduate degree, preferably in Business or Engineering required. MBA
desired but not mandatory if breadth and depth of experience qualifies as
significant.
Seven or more years of aerospace industry Sales, Account Management and/or
Engineering experience in engineered products required. Applicants not
meeting this requirement will not be considered.
Five or more years of this background must have been spent in a
customer-facing role within the aerospace composites industry desired.
Safety and Procedures of the Manager, Government Compliance Job
Follow all publicized safety policies/procedures applicable to the job.
Use appropriate PPE that has been identified on the Hazard Analysis for the
department/role.
Attend and participate in all safety training, safety meetings, audits and
Behavior Based Safety programs assigned.
Report all safety hazards observed. If capable, correct the safety hazard
identified.
Working Conditions
Office environment, duties performed indoors, moderate to quiet noise and
comfortable temperatures. Not substantially exposed to adverse environmental
condition levels. Ability to work 24/7 schedule and be available as business
situations require.
Physical requirements
Occasionally positions self to move an office item >10 lbs. Frequently move
about the production floor and office area to attend meetings or trainings.
Must be able to remain in a stationary position up to 75% of the time.
Frequently operates a computer, enters data into systems, verifies information,
etc…