Key Account Specialist, West

Nobody knows more about adhesives than APPLIED Adhesives. We are passionate about solving complex challenges with innovative adhesive products and offerings. APPLIED is the industry leader in helping manage costs, reduce waste, and make entire operations run more efficiently. From adhesives, equipment, parts, and service, we have you covered.

With world-class adhesive products, equipment, and parts along with visionary leadership, unparalleled expertise, and an agile, responsive service team, we’re not happy simply staying put. Every day, we leverage our technical expertise and passion for problem solving for the benefit of our customers and the future of our company.

We have countless victories that we could celebrate, but we’re more interested in looking forward than back. We’ve collected the talent and skills to continue innovating new product solutions and applications in emerging industries. We have the fortitude to not only accept challenges, but to seek them out. And we have the confidence and determination to become the most sought-after adhesive solutions partner.

The Key Account Specialist, West is responsible for full‑plant level account management and execution across assigned Key Account facilities.

This person serves as the primary field‑based account owner for all assigned facilities, managing day‑to‑day relationships, technical support, service coordination, and execution of growth initiatives.

Working in close partnership with our Key Account Manager, the Key Account Specialist executes national account strategies at the plant level while ensuring Applied Adhesives delivers superior responsiveness, technical value, and service consistency.

This is a remote role, but you must live on the West Coast of the U.S. to be considered for this role.

• Serve as the primary Applied Adhesives contact for assigned Key Account facilities.
• Own day‑to‑day customer relationships with plant management, engineering, maintenance, and operations.
• Conduct regular onsite visits to understand applications, production needs, and operational challenges.
• Ensure consistent customer experience, responsiveness, and satisfaction at the facility level.
• Lead adhesive trials, line startups, conversions, and optimization initiatives.
• Diagnose bonding, application, or process issues and drive corrective actions.
• Optimize adhesive usage, application methods, and total cost performance.
• Coordinate internal technical resources and supplier support as needed.
• Identify and develop plant leverage opportunities for new adhesives, technologies, and process improvements.
• Build and manage a facility leverage opportunity pipeline.
• Partner with the Key Account Manager on pricing strategy, approvals, and expansion planning.
• Support expansion into new lines, applications, or facilities within assigned accounts.
• Monitor competitive activity and communicate insights to account leadership.
• Coordinate equipment installs, service calls, training, and technical support.
• Manage plant level projects from planning through execution and follow up.
• Partner with operations, supply chain, and service teams to resolve issues efficiently.
• Ensure commitments to the customer are executed accurately and on time.
• Execute national and strategic account plans at the plant level.
• Participate in joint customer visits, trials, and account reviews as required.
• Provide plant level insights to support forecasting, planning, and QBRs.
• Maintain strong alignment with the Key Account Manager and Director of Sales – Key Accounts.

• Technically curious, hands‑on mindset.
• Organized, execution‑focused account manager.
• Commercially aware and disciplined.
• Highly responsive and customer focused.
• Comfortable operating independently with clear strategic alignment.

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position.
• Constantly operate a computer and other office productivity machinery.
• Able to communicate information and ideas so others will understand.

• 3–7+ years of experience in adhesives, industrial sales, manufacturing, or application engineering required.
• Strong troubleshooting…