Key Account Manager - Steel - Ford Account

Automotive Account Manager Major OEM Team (Detroit / Southfield, MI)

• Competitive salary
• Bonus
• In office

I'm working with a global leader in advanced materials and industrial manufacturing to recruit a high-impact Automotive Account Manager for their OEM-focused commercial organisation. This role is dedicated to one of the most important US-based automotive customers and requires someone who understands the complexity, pace and expectations of working directly with a major OEM.

If you have a strong track record in steel sales and direct Ford OEM account management
, this opportunity will put your experience to work in a strategic, high-visibility position.

As the primary commercial interface to this OEM business unit, you will:

• Lead the end-to-end customer relationship for the assigned Ford business.
• Build and execute account plans tied to strategic objectives, customer programmes and multi-year commercial roadmaps.
• Develop relationships across purchasing, quality, engineering and program management within Ford.
• Negotiate pricing, claims, service issues, logistics topics and technical-commercial discussions.
• Coordinate with internal teams manufacturing, product development, quality, supply chain, logistics, finance and technical services to ensure flawless execution.
• Monitor OEM scorecards and KPIs across quality, delivery and cost performance, driving corrective actions when needed.
• Gather and share customer insights, competitor intelligence, market movements and product opportunities.
• Support forecasting processes, CRM updates and commercial reporting.

This is a specialised position, so the ideal candidate will have:

• Direct steel industry experience ideally flat-rolled, coated or automotive-grade steel products.
• Proven experience managing Ford Motor Company as a customer at either OEM or Tier-1 level.
• A bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Materials, Sales or a related field.
• Strong commercial and technical sales experience within automotive supply chain environments.
• The ability to work effectively in a large, matrixed organisation with cross-functional teams.
• Strong communication, negotiation and relationship-building skills.
• Comfort using Excel (including pivot tables), CRM systems and analytical tools to support decisions.
• Excellent organisational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities smoothly.

• Role is based in the Detroit / Southfield area.
• Expect 25 to35 percent travel across North America for OEM visits, plant meetings, technical reviews and internal coordination.

• Youll represent one of the most respected players in steel, materials and industrial technology.
• Youll be front-and-center with Ford, supporting future mobility, EV programmes, light weighting initiatives and next-generation platforms.
• Youll join a business with deep technical capability, strong customer commitment and substantial investment in innovation.
• Youll have the backing of global R&D, advanced product teams and a robust commercial support structure.

If you have steel experience and have worked directly with Ford
, this role is built for someone like you.