Key Account Manager

Yolk Recruitment Ltd; Exeter; Hybrid; GBP 48,000 - 58,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days' annual leave

Annual performance bonus of ~5%

Employer pension contributions up to 7

Job summary

Yolk Recruitment Ltd is recruiting a Key Account Manager for an Exeter-based, hybrid role within a well-established manufacturing business. You will own a portfolio of key customers, driving commercial planning, forecasting and relationship management across internal engineering, manufacturing and quality teams.

The role combines strategic account development with operational delivery, requiring strong relationship-building, a proactive approach to quotations and order management, and the

Qualifications

• Experience managing large customer accounts or portfolios.
• Strong commercial awareness and account development.
• Experience working in a manufacturing environment is beneficial.
• Strong organisational and time-management abilities.
• Knowledge of import/export controls."
• Ability to work effectively under pressure and manage priorities.
• Strong attention to detail and integrity.
• Ability to work independently and take ownership of tasks.
• Ability to interpret customer requirements and appreciate internal manufacturing capabilities and limitations.
• Ability to build effective relationships across engineering, quality, manufacturing and commercial functions.
• Collaborative approach and ability to work as part of a wider team.

Responsibilities

• Manage and develop relationships across a portfolio of key customer accounts, identifying opportunities for new business and account growth.
• Research customer requirements and market intelligence to identify opportunities for generating new business.
• Produce short- and long-term forecasts to support production planning, capacity utilisation and inventory management.
• Work closely with internal departments to ensure compliance with credit control, export controls, HMRC requirements and company procedures.
• Act as the key point of contact for customers regarding quotations, delivery commitments, cost reduction initiatives, audits, testing requirements and certifications.
• Prepare commercial information to support long-term contracts, complex quotations, budgets, capacity planning and monthly forecasts.
• Work collaboratively with internal teams to ensure customer requirements are understood and delivered effectively.
• Conduct regular account reviews with customers and internal stakeholders, including Plant Management, Engineering, Quality, NPI and Sales.
• Maintain accurate customer demand and order information on a weekly basis.
• Prepare quotations for new and existing products, working closely with Engineering, Quality and NPI teams.
• Provide customers with regular updates regarding orders, deliveries and operational matters.
• Prepare and deliver Quarterly Business Review presentations.
• Conduct weekly accounts receivable reviews and liaise with the Corporate Credit team.
• Maintain accurate expedite reports and update internal systems to reflect changes.
• Ensure appropriate export control diligence is completed.
• Participate in financial and quality audits.
• Ensure credit control procedures and contract reviews are completed appropriately for order acceptance.

Skills

Large account management

Commercial acumen

Manufacturing sector

Organisational skills

Import/export controls knowledge

Prioritisation under pressure

Attention to detail

Independent worker

Cross-functional collaboration

Relationship building

Job description

Key Account Manager

Location: Exeter (Hybrid)
Salary: Up to £53k

Yolk Recruitment is delighted to be supporting a well-established and highly respected manufacturing organisation in their search for an experienced Key Account Manager to join their team in Exeter.

This is an excellent opportunity for a commercially focused account management professional who enjoys building strong customer relationships while working closely with internal engineering, manufacturing, quality and commercial teams.

You will take ownership of a portfolio of key customer accounts, acting as the main point of contact for day-to-day commercial and operational matters. The role combines account management, commercial planning, forecasting, customer relationship management and business development, making it well suited to someone who enjoys both the strategic and operational sides of customer management.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage and develop relationships across a portfolio of key customer accounts, identifying opportunities for new business and account growth.
• Research customer requirements and market intelligence to identify opportunities for generating new business.
• Produce short- and long-term forecasts to support production planning, capacity utilisation and inventory management.
• Work closely with internal departments to ensure compliance with credit control, export controls, HMRC requirements and company procedures.
• Act as the key point of contact for customers regarding quotations, delivery commitments, cost reduction initiatives, audits, testing requirements and certifications.
• Prepare commercial information to support long-term contracts, complex quotations, budgets, capacity planning and monthly forecasts.
• Work collaboratively with internal teams to ensure customer requirements are understood and delivered effectively.
• Conduct regular account reviews with customers and internal stakeholders, including Plant Management, Engineering, Quality, NPI and Sales.
• Maintain accurate customer demand and order information on a weekly basis.
• Prepare quotations for new and existing products, working closely with Engineering, Quality and NPI teams.
• Provide customers with regular updates regarding orders, deliveries and operational matters.
• Prepare and deliver Quarterly Business Review presentations.
• Conduct weekly accounts receivable reviews and liaise with the Corporate Credit team.
• Maintain accurate expedite reports and update internal systems to reflect changes.
• Ensure appropriate export control diligence is completed.
• Participate in financial and quality audits.
• Ensure credit control procedures and contract reviews are completed appropriately for order acceptance.

About You

The successful candidate will have experience managing significant customer accounts or portfolios and will be commercially minded, organised and confident working across multiple internal functions.

You will be comfortable dealing with both immediate operational issues and longer‑term commercial objectives, with the ability to build strong professional relationships with customers and internal stakeholders.

Ideally, you will have:

• Previous experience managing large customer accounts or portfolios.
• Strong commercial awareness and an understanding of account development.
• Experience working within a manufacturing environment would be beneficial
• Strong organisational and time‑management abilities.
• Good knowledge of import/export controls.
• The ability to work effectively under pressure and manage competing priorities.
• Strong attention to detail and a high level of integrity.
• The ability to work independently and take ownership of tasks.
• Sufficient technical understanding to interpret customer requirements and appreciate internal manufacturing capabilities and limitations.
• The ability to build effective relationships across engineering, quality, manufacturing, commercial and other functions.
• A collaborative approach and the ability to work effectively as part of a wider team.

What's on Offer

• Basic salary up to £53k
• Annual site performance bonus of approximately 5%.
• Annual salary reviews.
• Employer pension contributions of up to 10%.
• 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays.
• Additional Christmas shutdown, which is not deducted from annual leave.