Key Customer Manager- Food Industry

Job Summary: The primary purpose of the Key Customer Manager role is to provide business ownership for the defined key customer portfolio, delivering the profitable growth objectives for the business. The role includes developing the applicable strategy for each respective key customer and implementing the specific tactics to achieve the strategic objectives. The Key Customer Manager takes personal ownership for safety, reinforcing Messer guidelines to ensure compliance.

This role requires significant cross-regional and cross-functional business coordination and alignment with the markets and HQ’s teams, in collaboration with the Inside Sales organization.

Why Messer?

Messer is the world’s largest privately held industrial gases company and what we do matters because it is woven into every part of life, from the medical gases that patients rely on to the essential elements needed to safely and sustainably produce the goods our communities depend on.

The true strength of Messer is our people—at every level and in every role.

Join us and take pride in the impact you will make by providing solutions essential to our world and lives. Reach your highest potential at our stable, inclusive company with diverse opportunities in a growing industry, supported by people who care.

Messer stands apart because we put what matters first, and you matter.

Principal Responsibilities:

• Develop and retain long-term and positive relationships with selected key customers within the defined Food Industry, securing the profitable growth objectives for the business within the portfolio.
• Develop a Key Customer strategic plan for each customer within the portfolio. Indicate strategic and tactical growth objectives, summarize key commercial agreements, provide financial assessment and forecasts, identify key stakeholders, and executive engagements. Strategic plans are aligned with the Messer Market Segment objectives and Messer Sales objectives.
• Hold strategic business reviews with each key customer on an annual or bi-annual basis to foster engagement and growth. Propose activities in cooperation with the customer that support achieving the goals agreed upon in the key customer strategic plan (e.g. involvement of application technology, commercialization, or customer service specialists)
• Ensure that ongoing service provided to the Key Customers is in line with expectations and address any issues in an expeditious manner.
• Setup and align executive sponsorship (Messer and Customer) for each designated key customer
• Lead commercial negotiations to obtain final signed agreements that are aligned with Messer’s goals.
• Promote and implement Messer’s value-added Product Service Offerings (PSOs), including application technology. Foster commercialization of new technologies with key customers. Ensure that customer problems, processes and applications are understood such that new and growth opportunities can be developed and realized.
• Oversee the business portfolio, minimizing at risk business through proper agreement management.
• Provide overall key customer leadership with other internal stakeholders in order to deliver business results while enhancing Messer’s reputation with customers.
• Lead coordination activities related to key customers with other internal groups such as the Markets Segments, Product Management, and other related business functions.
• Ensure that Messer policies and standards of safety are observed and understood, and that any customer safety requirements are met by Messer.
• Monitor, report performance and champion key customer interest within Messer’s Management Team.
• Monitor trends in the market and among the customers in order to identify potential new opportunities or risks.
• Active and continuous engagement at the customer use and headquarter locations.
• Perform other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Required Skills:

• Mentoring, Coaching and Leadership
• Strategic Decision Making
• Negotiations and Conflict Resolution
• Executive Presence
• Business and Financial Acumen
• Technical Acumen and Food Process Knowledge

Travel Required:
Nationally 25-50%

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or Technical Discipline
• Minimum…