Vertical Market Leader-Aerospace and Defense

Job Title: Account Manager of Defense& Aerospace

Department: Commercial

Location: Remote – with periodic onsite visits to Elmira, NY

Travel: Approximately 40–60%

Employment Type: Full-Time

Exemption Status: Exempt

Forkardt Hardinge is a leading provider of precision manufacturing solutions and tooling systems. We are committed to delivering high-quality products and exceptional service to our customers in the machining and manufacturing industries. Our team is dedicated to innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

The Vertical Market Leader – Aerospace & Defense is responsible for developing and executing Forkardt Hardinge’s aerospace and defense growth strategy. This role identifies priority accounts, facilities, programs, and applications; builds industry relationships; and advances qualified opportunities across the company’s work holding, tooling, and service portfolio.

The successful candidate will leverage established aerospace and defense industry relationships to accelerate access to strategic customer organizations, identify new manufacturing applications, and develop opportunities that expand Forkardt Hardinge’s market presence and revenue.

Working nationally across geographic territories, the leader combines direct business development with coordinated strategic pursuits alongside Regional Sales Managers, Strategic Accounts, Applications Engineering, Inside Sales, Product Management, Engineering, Marketing, and Service. The position is accountable for agreed market growth, qualified pipeline, and strategic opportunity objectives; it has no direct reports.

• Develop an annual aerospace and defense growth plan with target accounts, priority applications and programs, revenue and margin objectives, and specific actions.
• Identify opportunities with aircraft and engine manufacturers, defense contractors, manufacturing suppliers, and maintenance, repair, and overhaul providers. Prioritize segments where Forkardt Hardinge has a clear technical and commercial advantage.
• Monitor customer capital investment, manufacturing capacity, program timing, competitive activity, and sourcing trends. Translate findings into actionable account and product plans.
• Build relationships with manufacturing engineering, operations, procurement, program management, and executive decision makers; expand access across customer facilities and business units.

• Develop relationships across customer organizations, including Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Procurement, and executive leadership.
• Support Regional Sales Managers during executive customer meetings, strategic account reviews, and multi-site initiatives.
• Develop relationships with industry organizations, associations, and other strategic partners that can strengthen Forkardt Hardinge's presence within assigned markets.

• Originate and qualify new opportunities based on application fit, customer need, budget, decision process, timing, competitive position, and expected commercial value.
• Lead coordinated pursuit plans with the assigned commercial owner, including customer engagement, application reviews, internal milestones, quotation follow-up, and award.
• Develop opportunities for initial production tooling, repeat applications, replacement tooling, service, and expansion across customer sites.
• Maintain accurate CRM records for opportunities originated or supported, including value, stage, timing, owner, next action, and documented contribution.

• Partner with Applications Engineering and Product Management to translate customer requirements into practical…