Key Account Manager A&D

AVL in Italy; Cavriago; On-site; EUR 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

AVL Italia S.p.A. in Italy seeks a KAM for Aerospace & Defence to manage strategic accounts, drive targets, and align with global teams.

You will develop account plans, negotiate contracts, and collaborate across ITS and PTE offerings while traveling extensively to customer sites. The role requires 5+ years in sales, experience with aerospace/defence accounts, strong negotiation skills, and business-fluent English; French is a plus.

Qualifications

• Completed university degree with technical/economic focus.
• Driver’s license required or preferred.
• 5+ years in B2B sales or sales management, preferably in aerospace/defence.
• Experience with aerospace & defence accounts (primes/OEMs).
• Familiarity with NOSI and industrial security is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic account plans to meet targets with autonomy.
• Own sales plans and forecasts for assigned accounts aligning with objectives.
• Identify growth opportunities across ITS and PTE offerings.
• Collaborate with global network to deliver tailored solutions across time zones.
• Ensure compliant offers and contract conditions per policies.
• Support commercial activities through to final payment and order fulfilment.
• Lead customer meetings, negotiate quotations, and monitor performance.
• Travel to meet customers and stakeholders as needed (approx. 50%).

Skills

Strategic account management

Negotiation

Travel willingness

English (business fluent)

French (plus)

Education

University degree (technical/economic)

Driver's License

Job description

Job Description

The Key Account Manager A&D (KAM) represents AVL within the Aerospace & Defence (A&D) Business Unit in the market, serving as a competent partner for significant business accounts. The KAM should be established at the affiliate organizations, where significant business volume is given or can be achieved. The role will be responsible for managing strategic A&D customers in Italy, operating across both the ITS and PTE portfolios, within a global account environment and ensuring alignment with other Key Account Managers active on the same customer worldwide.

The job maximizes AVL’s market share and corporate contribution (CC) by achieving sales targets, fostering customer satisfaction, and developing strategic account plans. The KAM reports to the Sales Directors and collaborates closely with Business Development and global teams to align strategies and ensure optimal market performance.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement strategic account plans to meet market business targets, exercising strategic judgment and autonomy in planning and execution
• Take responsibility for sales plans and forecasts for assigned accounts, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives
• Identify account growth opportunities and diversification into new areas, business fields, products, and services, applying independent decision-making authority, including opportunities at the intersection of the ITS and PTE offerings
• Collaborate internally with the global network to deliver tailored solutions, leveraging flexibility to accommodate international time zones
• Align account strategies with overall business objectives in collaboration with Sales Directors (SD) and Business Field Leaders (BFL)
• Ensure consistent offers, commercial and contractual conditions for assigned accounts, maintaining compliance with company policies
• Support all commercial activities until final payment, accompany project work during order fulfilment, and assess customer satisfaction
• Provide inputs for efficient offer preparation and lean offers
• Approve and negotiate quotations and contracts according to company policies, exercising authority within defined guidelines
• Monitor and analyse account performance, adjusting strategies as needed to achieve targets
• Manage account sales support budgets and ensure data completeness and quality in CRM systems (Salesforce)
• Ensure compliance with AVL sales processes
• Lead and manage the account team (if applicable), providing guidance, training, and support with a high degree of autonomy
• Operate within a matrix organization without direct reports, acting as a key coordination point by collaborating cross-functionally with internal stakeholders (Sales Organization, Engineering, Operations) and across ITS and PTE BUs, while working closely with Global Account Managers to ensure strategic alignment.
• Build, maintain, and grow relationships with key decision-makers at customer organizations, ensuring long-term strategic partnerships
• Orchestrate relationship development and communication across multiple stakeholders
• Manage complex customer situations, applying strong negotiation, mediation, and effective communication skills to address challenges and drive successful outcomes.
• Manage customer interactions to ensure responsiveness and satisfaction, applying discretion in prioritization
• Travel to meet customers (approx. 50%), their buying centers, and internal stakeholders as needed, leveraging flexibility in scheduling
• Prepare, host, and lead customer meetings, ensuring follow-ups and satisfaction assessments.

Profile Description

• Completed university or university of applied sciences (FH) degree, or equivalent, with a focus on technical and economic aspects
• Driver’s License
• Experience in sales or sales management in a business-to-business environment (5+ years), ideally in the aerospace, defence or high-technology industrial sector
• Experience developing business with aerospace & defence accounts (primes/OEMs, system integrators and their supply chain)
• Familiarity with A&D commercial/contractual frameworks and industrial security requirements (e.g. NOSI) is an advantage
• Negotiation skills
• People management skills
• Willingness to travel
• English language skills (business fluent)
• French language (plus)

We Offer

• Salary range: €55,000 – €75,000 gross per year (based on experience).

ABOUT AVL Italia S.p.A

AVL Italia, founded in 1980, provides the full portfolio of AVL technologies at the local level, offering customized solutions tailored to its customers.

With more than 40 years of experience and the support of a strong, highly qualified local team, AVL Italia is committed to making sustainable mobility a reality for everyone. It also supports companies and industrial partners in transitioning to cleaner energy sources and adopting advanced technologies to reduce environmental impact.