Key Account Manager - Automotive Specialty Retail - Canada

Ams Osram; Markham; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Sylvania in Canada seeks an experienced Key Account Manager to drive growth in automotive lighting across OEM and Aftermarket channels. You will manage national and regional accounts, forecast demand, and collaborate with sales and marketing to deliver strong results.

The role is Canada-based with flexible location, though the Greater Toronto Area is preferred. Travel 20–35% is expected, and the incumbent will build trusted relationships, negotiate contracts, and deliver compelling business

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree plus 10 years of related experience.
• 10+ years in sales in consumer electronics or automotive aftermarket.
• 3-5 years of broad retail channel experience.
• Experience using 3rd party representative agencies.
• Proficiency with SAP extracts and retailer data.

Responsibilities

• Be the face of Sylvania to key customers and cultivate relationships across a wide range of customer functions.
• Advocate for the customer internally to ensure their needs are met on time and to their satisfaction.
• Create and execute a compelling annual line review strategy for growth.
• Negotiate contracts and proposals to achieve win-win outcomes.
• Forecast a portfolio of over 400 products on a 12‑month view.
• Understand and communicate the value proposition of lighting and related products.
• Travel 20-35% as required.

Skills

Account management

Sales forecasting

Data analysis

Communication skills

Negotiation

Education

Bachelor's degree

Tools

SAP

Job description

As Business Unit Automotive Solutions & Lamps we support our vision and strategy by expanding our leading position in the automotive lighting market in OEM and Aftermarket. We are in a global leadership position in the automotive lamps business in traditional and LED applications and offer industry leading products in LED lighting to global OEM customers (e.g. with exchangeable LED light sources). We also tackle new growth opportunities in the Aftermarket with our automotive care and equipment portfolio.

We are seeking an experienced and results-oriented Key Account Manager to join our best in class retail focused sales team in Canada. As an emerging role in the national accounts team, you will play a pivotal role in driving growth and ensuring customer satisfaction . The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of success in automotive specialty retail account management, as well as strong quantitative and communication skills. The Key Account Manager plays an essential role on the team and this challenging job requires continual refinement of a broad array of competencies to be successful. Working closely with more senior sales team members, this role manages and grows our portfolio of national and regional customer accounts. As part of a combined sales and marketing team, the Key Account Manager is the undisputed voice for their customer base, across our organization, and the customer’s. The Sylvania brand is very highly regarded in the customer base as the compound result of decades of an unrelenting focus on serving our customers. Sales and marketing are one team, with collaboration and positive energy evident in all aspects of team business. Expectations are high, for the position and the team.

This is a Canada based position with exact location flexible, but the Greater Toronto Area is preferred. The incumbent must be able to effectively and quickly support the customer portfolio in a face-to-face manner as the business cadence dictates.

Key responsibilities:

• Be the face of Sylvania to all key customers and, as such, be not only a steward but a strong ambassador on any challenge or opportunity that arises – regardless of its nature. Cultivate strong relationships across a wide range of customer functional organizations to create a long-term partnership rooted in mutual trust.
• Be a strong and vocal advocate for the customer internally to make sure their needs are met on time, to their satisfaction. Foster strong relationships internally with all essential support functions in order to rally forces in times of need efficiently and effectively.
• Create and execute a compelling annual line review strategy to ensure consistently growing business results for us and our customer base.
• Negotiate all contracts and proposals such that a win‑win outcome is perceived by both sides. Develop full pro forma P & L business proposals using established templates and a strong awareness of all options and financial levers available at the time of creation.
• Accurately forecast a portfolio of over 400 products as part of a 12‑month rolling view.
• Understand the value proposition of an ever‑expanding array of lighting and quality of life products and be confidently and independently conversant in the delivery of messages in their regard.
• Bachelor’s degree plus a minimum of 10 years of related experience. Demonstrated sales experience in either the consumer electronics or automotive aftermarket channels. A similar sales role is defined as one that manages not only the relationship but also pricing, business proposals, forecasting, and merchandising strategy as it applies to that account.
• 3 to 5 years of broad‑based retail channel experience, preferably in the automotive or consumer electronics channels. Experience using 3rd party representative agencies in a retail business environment.
• Quantitative business analysis proficiency, using SAP extracts, retailer portal data, and complex excel spreadsheets. These skills translate into compelling business proposals and accurate 12‑month sales forecasts.
• Demonstrated marketing and merchandising.

Travel Requirements

• Travel of 20-35% is required.

Salary Range:

• $100k-$130k CAD