Account Manager - AZ/UT - Perfect Fit Placement

Our client, a leader within the Industrial Gas industry is currently seeking an Account Manager to join the team in the AZ/UT area. This "Hunter" and "Farmer" role will be responsible to build a brand new pipeline of customers to satisfy newly created inventory in the Northwest Region while managing the existing client base.

Purpose of the Position:

• Increase territory profitability and revenue through in depth understanding of territory, consisting of bulk gases, equipment, pipeline, and packaged gas (where applicable) products, utilizing company sales process.
• Manage territory to maximize profitability through deep understanding of customer value and territory structure, including competitive landscape, industry value creation opportunities, and individual passion to win. The individual will leverage company resources and processes to disqualify the competitive alternatives.
• Attain gross profit growth year on year through increase of revenue and profitability.

Responsibilities:
Increase territory profitability and revenue through in depth understanding of territory

• Maintains overall territory business strategy to pro-actively plan and measure success as required at least 2x /year active update and review
• Manages contract expiration dates of agreement within territory to no more than 20% of territory is expiring within 12 months (Protect)
• Achieves prices increases within territory

Prospecting from multiple sources to develop new business

• Prospects and generates leads to develop new business, including a blend of cold calls, trade show, internal/external sources and additional use at existing customers (Explore)
• Allocates time to network, qualify and follow up on leads, responds promptly to information requests in order to grow revenue and volume of product (Explore & Prospect)
• Works own network pro-actively, leveraging access with existing customer relationships to obtain referrals, and generate leads, and potential additional use with existing customers (Prospect, Explore)
• Plans, schedules, and conducts prospecting calls efficiently; engages Commercial Development when appropriate (Explore, Establish)

Consistent use of company Sales Tools

• Qualifies prospects to Establish/Evaluate stage to determine viability and appropriate time investment; if non-productive, sets appropriate follow up and shifts priority towards productive opportunities
• Completed and up to date Opportunity Roadmaps and Account Action Plans (prospect within 120 days closing complete and up to date at all times) (Business Development)
• Maintains At-Risk Profiler for all renewals within 18 months of contract termination date or due to customer circumstance change, including opportunity and account action plan to establish proper company pricing levels for each target renewal (Account Management)

Deep Customer & Competitor Insight

• Understands customer values/priorities, business issues, and economic factors (Evaluate)
• Accurately identifies prospect/customer account influencers and decision makers across sales process and records decision maker/signature level penetration for each customer in CRM (Explore/Protect)
• Forges relationships and is creative with customers & prospects, e.g., hand written notes, cards, is accessible off hours when needed
• Has entertainment plan to maximize customer/prospect intimacy
• Stays current on market share, product supply position, and new developments in the field with competitors and industry trends (Explore)

Value Creation through Internal technical, product knowledge, and customer insight

• Thoughtfully plans for best use of internal, technical resource time and availability (Explore)
• Engages Commercial Development resources to brainstorm and identify innovative technical solutions and efficiency improvement to customer problems, aimed at root cause (Establish/Evaluate)
• Increases opportunity potential through customer insight and use of probative and critical questioning to uncover customer issues and generate solutions
• Is current on and conveys understanding of product/service features & benefits using skills, specific to customer solutions (Business Development)
• Maximize return pricing based on value creation and other critical factors (product, supply chain, etc. (Evaluate)

Customer Acquisition, Satisfaction & Retention

• Makes a minimum of 4 new contacts per week with new or existing clients with identified call objectives and questioning approach aligned with account strategy (Explore/Establish)
• Manages consistent delivery of Product Service Offering (PSO) (Execute/Provide)
• Drives and monitors customer satisfaction, issue resolution & follows through on commitments
• Takes accountability to ensure company is easy to do business within the territory regardless of whether bulk, tonnage, or pipeline (Provides/Protects)
• Personally engages, at least annually, the key stakeholders who signed the agreement at the top 20% of customers to increase account penetration (Account Management)
• Conduct post audit review for wins and losses to define reasons for wins or failure, corrective actions and communicate key findings across team
• Leverages internal relationships with company Supply organization to augment customer satisfaction insight.
• Detects potential problems, minimizes risks and promotes safe use of products (zero accidents for company and the customer) (Account Management)

Utilize account strategies and financial & business acumen

• Is an expert on company's standard terms and conditions to efficiently negotiate agreements with customers; shepherds contract through legal review and commercial delegations of authority (Contracts Best Commercial Practices, STACK – profitability tool)
• Proficient in profitability tools and understands data sources behind it as well as rudimentary cost
• Understands company's plant and logistics system as well as that of competitors’ within territory; is able to anticipate competitor’s probable sales strategy
• Utilizes the six company key pricing concepts and develops pricing accordingly
• Describes financial impact of options to customers and prospects, enabling them to achieve buy-in from their organization (Evaluate/Provide)
• Communicates and acts upon opportunities regarding market segment strategies and economic trends and market conditions to Commercial Development and senior management, as appropriate

Customer Data Maintenance

• Manages internal resources to avoid administrative “time sinks” and streamline account set up
• Plans and completes billing and credit activity on a regular and timely basis to avoid cumbersome, unnecessary ‘catch up’
• Inputs accurate, timely, and complete customer and prospect information into CRM so account history is easily retrievable and accessible (Account Management)
• Uses computer applications to analyze and manage business effectively
• Does not permit email administration to interfere with customer facing priorities

Qualifications:
Basic

• Bachelor Degree - Sales, Marketing, Finance or technical discipline
• Minimum of 5 years industrial/sales/commercial experience in gas industry, chemical/other manufacturing

Other

• High level of critical and innovative thinking; questioning/probing skills to uncover issues and create value for customers; a sense of urgency and responsiveness to take immediate action to resolve customer issues required
• Demonstrated sales track record of deep customer insight, knowledge of competitive landscape, growing revenue prospecting, negotiation & closing abilities desired
• Strong business and financial acumen; proficient presentation skills, and sound planning and organizing skills essential
• Must be self starter, goal and achievement driven and able to perform through self and others
• PC skills required including CRM/CRM equivalent, MS Office with Excel and PowerPoint

Our client offers excellent salaries, world-class benefits, and unparalleled opportunities for development – all to create an invigorating and satisfying environment.

#PFPC