Junior Account Manager

Job Purpose

First and foremost, the Sales Associate (SA) will relate well with customers and understand the automotive environment and have the ability to communicate in a direct non-confrontational manner, all while maintaining a good relationship and keeping the customer fully aware of any potential concerns on a frequent basis. 

The SA will support mainly the Automotive customers in the UK and will be responsible to handle the Dana Light Vehicle products with a particular focus on the Automotive customers in the UK.

The SA must monitor the develop the business performance of the accounts responsible and ensure they are handled in compliance with the company objectives of returns and margins.

The SA will mainly have the sales responsibility for the products in production and in the development phase and, in parallel, has to maintain and expand a long-term relationship with customers.

The SA has to monitor customer performance by compiling and analyzing sales figures.

Main opportunities and challenges:

The candidate will have the opportunity to be involved in close connection with world renowned OEMs.

The product's complexity will require excellent commercial skills in connection with a reasonable technical background.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Visit customers and develop long-term relationships to understand current & future needs. Act as voice-of-the-customer back into Dana regionally and globally.

Support in the preparation of formal quotations/offers to be submitted to customers, in compliance with the procedures and approvals required, and supports the related negotiations.

Understands the definition of the contract with the customer, taking care of distributing to relevant functions and gaining the appropriate approvals, then following the contract until the signature

Support all aspects of customer relationship including pricing, forecasting, financial program performance, material recovery, foreign exchange recovery and growth opportunities. 

Support and eventually lead the development of presentations and action plans for potential new clients and support in the preparation of executive briefings on strategic decisions, customer meetings or opportunities.

Escalates problems according to defined processes.

Continuously monitors the trends and changes in the reference market area to capture customer needs and/or market opportunities, proposing new commercial initiatives

Monitors customer satisfaction to collect relevant information that allows the implementation of a long-term commercial relationship strategy and promptly acts corrective actions when required

Supports in planning annual sales quantities for assigned customers and, in collaboration with the teams, defines the relative budgets

Constantly monitors sales targets achievement, proposing the necessary corrective actions in case of deviations

Supports and understands commercial issues during product development up to product start of production, with the support of Program Management

Supports, in collaboration with the team the entries of spot orders and pricing updates onto SAP and management of entries on to customer portals

Supports, in collaboration with the Plant Logistics function, the end of production of any parts, agreeing with the customer on the last production batches and negotiating absorption of any residual component quantities and/or any consequent cost

Ensures the correct application of the Quality System procedures throughout the whole Quotation/Offer preparation process

REQUIREMENTS

Essential
•    Minimum 2+ years’ sales experience in a multinational automotive Tier 1 company and international team
•    Familiar with the Automotive industry and the related procedures
•    Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills across all areas of the business
•    Can demonstrate strong business acumen with a strategic orientation
•    Able to deal with problems by providing creative and practical solutions

Education
•    Educated to at least HND or equivalent in a relevant discipline

Language Skills
•    English (fluency in reading, writing and speaking), Additional languages would be beneficial but not essential

Additional skills
•    Excellent analytical, problem solving, oral, written, and team skills. 
•    Some experience of and ability to use SAP beneficial but not essential
•    Good literacy and numeracy skills
•    Must be able to demonstrate enthusiasm, initiative and ambition to succeed 
•    Must have ability to prioritise own work and that of the team 
•    Take active role in personal career development and personal performance management process