Key Account Manager

About the role

The PPA Account Manager acts as the highest level of commercial contact at NAM customers for automotive compounds. The position interacts closely with the European automotive team to provide regional support to Global OEMs while ensuring compliance with POL AME business practices and requirements. In addition, the Account Manager plays a critical role in developing new business for NAM PPA sales opportunities, including the development of recycled compounds. The jobholder maximizes profitability through direct negotiation of price and selling conditions at senior levels within the customer and OEM organization, balancing short‑term business objectives with long‑term relationships for sustained business.

Responsibilities

• Organizes and maintains all aspects of international key account and their end users. This includes autonomous and high level negotiations to central Buyers and OEMs.
• Negotiates contracts, price agreements and formulas, volumes, bonus conditions, payment terms with approval of NAM or Global PPA management and is fully responsible for the profitability of sales. This includes acting as the central point of contact at the highest level at customers (Central Purchaser, CEO, Financial director) and coordinating the alignment of OEM and customer interests with the needs of the NAM PPA business.
• Establishes and implements action plans at key accounts and coordinates for all customer sites in order to achieve 3‑5 years sales objectives at the group level.
• Develops networking within the customer and OEM. Demonstrates creativity in developing business at key accounts.
• Coordinates with European automotive team to provide regional support to Global OEMs.
• Prepares market and sales analysis and strategies for key accounts in alignment with the overall business strategy and within the framework of the POL AME business.
• Establishes suitable lines of credit to ensure maximum security of payment. Recommends solutions related to characteristics of its portfolio.
• Works with Credit to ensure timely payment by buying accounts.
• Plans and proposes a 3‑year sales budget.
• Prepares 3‑month forecast and realizes sales to guarantee 100% sourcing reliability for the customer during the month.
• Assures high quality technical support using Tech Assistance and promotes new developments.
• Studies, mediates and resolves Quality Notifications with Quality Management; supports the Global PPA business by acting as a local representative at NAM Automotive Accounts. Ensures local contracts or supply meet POL AME business practices.
• Coordinates activities of Account Coordination, Demand Planning, and Technical Service to insure support of NAM automotive customers.

Requirements

Commercial or science/engineering based university degree. A minimum of 8 years’ commercial experience (10 preferred) with at least 5 years in sales of automotive