We are currently searching for a Sr. Account Manager with experience selling material handling systems, industrial equipment, or engineering services to Ford Motor Company.  This is a direct hire opportunity with a company in the Novi, MI area.  

Responsibilities

This position is responsible for building and maintaining a profitable book of business with Ford Motor Company.  The primary focus of this role is to identify and establish business opportunities and concepts for a broad range of material handling systems.  This position works with Estimating and Engineering to develop pricing and proposals to negotiate and win profitable contracts with Ford.   

More specifically, the Senior Account Manager will:

• Develop close customer relationships with Key decision makers in Purchasing, Engineering, Vehicle Operations, and at the plant levels.
• Collaborate with Engineering and Technical Sales to promote products and unique selling points to Ford.
• Leverage customer relationships to identify and develop profitable business opportunities with products, technologies, and services.
• Determine customer needs and critique proposed material handling systems to determine the likelihood of the customer purchasing.  Meet with customers, review job sites, confer with customers and engineers to assess equipment needs and to determine system requirements.
• Identify capable subcontractors in local areas to assist Estimating in the proposal effort.  This includes taking contractors on “job walks” as required.
• With the support of Engineering, Program Management, and Estimating, drive the proposal process to generate a proposal meeting.  Provide management with the information required for pricing decisions and product development.

Other Responsibilities

• Prepares and delivers technical presentations explaining products or services to existing and prospective customers.
• Identifies current and future customer service requirements by establishing personal rapport with potential and actual customers and other persons in a position to understand service requirements.
• Provides product, service, equipment, technical, and engineering answers. Develops Customer's staff by providing technical information and training.  Helps clients solve problems with installed equipment, works with installation department.
• Establishes new accounts by identifying potential customers within the Ford domain, planning and organizing sales call schedules.
• Proposes improvements by analyzing cost-benefit ratios of equipment, supplies, or service proposals in the customer environment.  Develops and proposes changes in equipment, processes, or use of materials or services.  Gains customer acceptance by explaining or demonstrating cost reductions and operations improvements.
• Submits orders by conferring with technical support staff, costing engineering changes, renews orders, and arranges delivery.
• Prepares Sales reports by collecting, analyzing, and summarizing sales information and applying market, engineering, and application trends
• Contributes to sales engineering effectiveness by identifying short-term and long-range issues that must be addressed; providing information and commentary pertinent to deliberations; recommending options and courses of action; implementing directives.

The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:

• Problem-solving skills
• Ability to sell to Customer needs
• Understanding of equipment and software requirement documentation
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Able to travel both domestically and internationally 
• Desirable: Experience in installation and commissioning of conveyor systems
• Desirable: Experience in estimating

Education and Experience

• 7-10+ years of experience in the Automotive Material Handling space.
• 3-5+ years of experience in a Sales role with Ford as a customer. Corresponding familiarity with Ford processes, launch process, and systems.  
• Bachelor’s degree in Electrical or Mechanical Engineering or a related field is a plus.