Key Account Manager - Corporate Industrial

$140,000 - $170,000/Yr

Kuehne + Nagel - San Francisco, CA

Full-time - Mid Level

San Francisco, CA

Support Activities for Transportation

About the position

As a Key Account Manager for the Industrial/Solar vertical at Kuehne+Nagel, you will play a pivotal role in managing the end-to-end commercial customer journey for a dedicated portfolio of major accounts. This position is crucial for fostering relationships and driving business development activities in alignment with the company's strategic goals. You will be responsible for understanding the customer's organization, decision-making processes, and business models, which will enable you to effectively negotiate rates and service contracts that meet both customer and business unit requirements. Your expertise in the vertical service offerings of Kuehne+Nagel will be essential in ensuring that customer needs are met and that all commercial requirements are documented and maintained appropriately. In this role, you will also be tasked with monitoring monthly performance metrics, including pipeline management, wins, losses, and financial indicators such as Days Sales Outstanding and Credit. You will ensure that an account plan is established and signed off by the respective sales manager, facilitating a smooth transition of new business into operations. Your ability to motivate team members and communicate effectively across the organization will be key to ensuring proper account positioning and operational execution. Regular structured review sessions with assigned customers will be conducted to discuss continuous improvement, customer strategy, and operational excellence delivery, ensuring that Kuehne+Nagel remains a trusted partner in their logistics needs.

Responsibilities

• Directly manage Key Accounts in accordance with agreed targets and company guidelines, eliciting customer needs and selling the Kuehne+Nagel offer portfolio.
• Understand the customer's organization and decision-making process.
• Analyze the customer's business model and competitive environment.
• Negotiate rates and service contracts with customers, ensuring all commercial requirements are documented and maintained.
• Maintain expert-level knowledge of Kuehne+Nagel's vertical service offerings.
• Comply with Kuehne+Nagel's sales management processes and ensure timely updates in CRM/CoreLog system.
• Monitor monthly performance metrics against set targets and take immediate actions in case of deviations.
• Ensure that an account plan is in place based on the Key Account Planning Process and signed off by the respective sales manager.
• Effectively transition new business into operations to meet customer requirements and Kuehne+Nagel commitments.
• Motivate team members and contribute as a Network KAM to accounts not under direct leadership.
• Communicate across the organization to ensure proper account positioning internally.
• Engage Kuehne+Nagel leadership on business management levels for operational execution.
• Conduct regular review sessions with assigned customers to discuss continuous improvement and operational excellence.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in International Studies, Business, or Engineering.
• 2-5 years of international experience in a relevant field.
• 1-2 years of leadership experience, both direct and virtual.
• 5-10 years of experience in Supply Chain and Logistics, with broad knowledge of Air, Sea, Road, CL, and IL.
• Proven business development track record, including up and cross-selling, solutions, consultative selling, persuasion, and negotiation skills.
• Ability to manage internal and external stakeholders effectively.
• Willingness to travel both internationally and domestically as needed.
• 2-5 years of project management experience (preferred).

Nice-to-haves

• Experience in the Industrial/Solar vertical.
• Strong analytical skills to assess customer needs and market trends.

Benefits

• Competitive salary range between $140,000 and $170,000.
• Health and welfare benefits.
• 401k retirement savings plan.
• Tuition reimbursement.
• Incentive compensation for eligible roles.