Strategic Account Lead

thyssenkrupp; Vaughan; On-site; CAD 72,000 - 77,000; Full time

Job summary

thyssenkrupp in Vaughan, Canada is seeking a senior account and program manager to own strategic customer programs from launch to delivery. You will coordinate with Sales, Operations, and Manufacturing to ensure plans meet commitments and timelines.

The role emphasizes relationship building, cross-functional leadership, and proactive issue resolution to maintain high service levels and drive improvements in forecasting, inventory control, and order fulfillment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, or related field preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in account management, program management, operations, supply chain, manufacturing, or related environment.
• Experience managing large or strategic customer accounts.
• Strong understanding of production planning, inventory management, supply chain, and order fulfillment.
• Strong customer-facing and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively across multiple functional teams.
• Strong ownership mentality with the ability to proactively identify and resolve issues.
• Experience working in a manufacturing or technically complex environment, metal industry, is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary day-to-day contact and account owner for assigned strategic customer accounts.
• Develop and maintain strong, trusted relationships with key customer contacts.
• Understand customer business needs, priorities, forecasts, programs, and expectations.
• Communicate account status, priorities, risks, changes, and action plans to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Lead regular customer meetings, business reviews, program updates, and issue-resolution discussions.
• Coordinate production planning and scheduling based on customer demand and forecasts.
• Monitor inventory levels and mitigate supply risks.

Skills

Account management

Program management

Operations

Supply chain

Manufacturing

Customer-facing communication

Cross-functional leadership

Problem-solving

Analytical skills

Forecasting

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

• Serve as the primary day-to-day contact and account owner for assigned strategic customer accounts.
• Develop and maintain strong, trusted relationships with key customer contacts.
• Understand customer business needs, priorities, forecasts, programs, and expectations.
• Communicate account status, priorities, risks, changes, and action plans to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Lead regular customer meetings, business reviews, program updates, and issue-resolution discussions.
• Ensure customer concerns are addressed promptly and effectively.

Production Planning & Execution

• Coordinate production planning and scheduling based on customer demand, forecasts, orders, and program requirements.
• Monitor production status and proactively communicate potential delays or capacity constraints.
• Work with Operations and Manufacturing to prioritize customer requirements and resolve execution issues.
• Ensure production plans align with customer commitments and required delivery dates.

Inventory & Supply Chain Management

• Monitor customer-specific inventory levels, material requirements, and supply commitments.
• Procurement of materials and expediting with mills as needed
• Track inventory against forecasts, orders, and anticipated customer demand.
• Identify potential shortages, excess inventory, or supply risks and develop mitigation plans.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain and Procurement to ensure materials are available to support customer requirements.
• Maintain visibility into inventory positions and communicate risks before they impact the customer.

Program Management

• Own the tracking and execution of customer programs from launch through completion.
• Maintain program timelines, milestones, deliverables, and action items.
• Coordinate cross-functional resources to ensure program commitments are met.
• Track open issues and drive them to resolution.
• Identify dependencies, risks, and schedule impacts and develop appropriate recovery plans.
• Ensure changes to customer requirements are communicated and incorporated into internal plans.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Act as the central point of coordination across Sales, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Finance, and other functions.
• Drive accountability for customer-related actions and commitments.
• Facilitate communication and alignment across departments.
• Escalate issues appropriately and ensure timely resolution.
• Provide leadership and direction without necessarily having direct authority over all supporting functions.

Reporting & Performance Management

• Track key account metrics including delivery performance, production status, inventory, forecasts, open orders, program milestones, and customer issues.
• Prepare and present regular internal and customer-facing account updates.
• Analyze trends and identify opportunities for improved service, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
• Maintain accurate account plans, forecasts, schedules, and program documentation.

Qualifications

• Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in account management, program management, operations, supply chain, manufacturing, or a related environment.
• Experience managing large or strategic customer accounts.
• Strong understanding of production planning, inventory management, supply chain, and order fulfillment.
• Proven ability to manage multiple programs, priorities, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong customer-facing and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively across multiple functional teams.
• Strong ownership mentality with the ability to proactively identify and resolve issues.
• Experience working in a manufacturing or technically complex environment, metal industry, is preferred.

Key Responsibilities

Account & Customer Management

• Serve as the primary day-to-day contact and account owner for assigned strategic customer accounts.
• Develop and maintain strong, trusted relationships with key customer contacts.
• Understand customer business needs, priorities, forecasts, programs, and expectations.
• Communicate account status, priorities, risks, changes, and action plans to customers and internal stakeholders.
• Lead regular customer meetings, business reviews, program updates, and issue-resolution discussions.
• Ensure customer concerns are addressed promptly and effectively.

Production Planning & Execution

• Coordinate production planning and scheduling based on customer demand, forecasts, orders, and program requirements.
• Monitor production status and proactively communicate potential delays or capacity constraints.
• Work with Operations and Manufacturing to prioritize customer requirements and resolve execution issues.
• Ensure production plans align with customer commitments and required delivery dates.

Inventory & Supply Chain Management

• Monitor customer-specific inventory levels, material requirements, and supply commitments.
• Procurement of materials and expediting with mills as needed
• Track inventory against forecasts, orders, and anticipated customer demand.
• Identify potential shortages, excess inventory, or supply risks and develop mitigation plans.
• Coordinate with Supply Chain and Procurement to ensure materials are available to support customer requirements.
• Maintain visibility into inventory positions and communicate risks before they impact the customer.

Program Management

• Own the tracking and execution of customer programs from launch through completion.
• Maintain program timelines, milestones, deliverables, and action items.
• Coordinate cross-functional resources to ensure program commitments are met.
• Track open issues and drive them to resolution.
• Identify dependencies, risks, and schedule impacts and develop appropriate recovery plans.
• Ensure changes to customer requirements are communicated and incorporated into internal plans.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Act as the central point of coordination across Sales, Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Engineering, Quality, Finance, and other functions.
• Drive accountability for customer-related actions and commitments.
• Facilitate communication and alignment across departments.
• Escalate issues appropriately and ensure timely resolution.
• Provide leadership and direction without necessarily having direct authority over all supporting functions.

Reporting & Performance Management

• Track key account metrics including delivery performance, production status, inventory, forecasts, open orders, program milestones, and customer issues.
• Prepare and present regular internal and customer-facing account updates.
• Analyze trends and identify opportunities for improved service, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.
• Maintain accurate account plans, forecasts, schedules, and program documentation.

Qualifications

• Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Supply Chain, Operations, Engineering, or a related field preferred.
• 5+ years of experience in account management, program management, operations, supply chain, manufacturing, or a related environment.
• Experience managing large or strategic customer accounts.
• Strong understanding of production planning, inventory management, supply chain, and order fulfillment.
• Proven ability to manage multiple programs, priorities, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong customer-facing and communication skills.
• Ability to work effectively across multiple functional teams.
• Strong ownership mentality with the ability to proactively identify and resolve issues.
• Experience working in a manufacturing or technically complex environment, metal industry, is preferred.

Compensation: $72,000 to $77,000 annual salary, commensurate with experience and qualifications.