Account Manager

Vesuvius North America; MIDDLETOWN (OH); On-site; USD 75,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Vesuvius North America is seeking an Account Manager to grow and manage a portfolio of customers in the steel and refractory sector. You will build long-term relationships, understand customer needs, and coordinate across internal teams to deliver solutions.

The role requires strong communication, problem solving, and negotiation skills, with travel up to 75% in the sales region. A business or engineering degree is preferred and multiple years of industry experience is advantageous.

Qualifications

• Account Manager: College degree preferred in Engineering or Business or a minimum of two plus years industry experience.
• Sr. Account Manager: College degree preferred in Engineering or Business or a minimum of five plus years industry experience.
• Account Manager: Two plus years industry experience or college degree.
• Sr. Account Manager: Five plus years industry experience.

Responsibilities

• Grow business by building successful, long-term customer relationships.
• Manage a portfolio of accounts to achieve long-term success.
• Develop positive relationships with customers.
• Act as the point of contact and handle customers’ individual needs.
• Generate new business using existing and potential customer networks.
• Resolve conflicts and provide solutions to customers in a timely manner.
• Sr. level Account Managers will supervise Service Technicians to ensure support needs are met.
• Reporting on account status.
• Setting and tracking sales account targets, aligning with company objectives.
• Monitoring sales metrics (quarterly sales results and annual forecasts).
• Suggesting and implementing actions to improve sales performance and identify opportunities for growth.

Skills

Account Management

Negotiation

Communication

Problem Solving

Sales Networking

Microsoft Office

Travel

Education

Engineering or Business degree

Two+ years industry experience

College degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Key Result Areas

Responsibilities will include, but not limited to the following:

• Growing business by building successful, long-term customer relationships.

• Managing a portfolio of accounts to achieve long-term success.
• Developing positive relationships with customers.
• Acting as the point of contact and handling customers’ individual needs.
• Generating new business using existing and potential customer networks.
• Resolving conflicts and providing solutions to customers in a timely manner.
• Sr. level Account Managers will supervise Service Technicians to ensure support needs are met.
• Reporting on account status.
• Setting and tracking sales account targets, aligning with company objectives.
• Monitoring sales metrics (quarterly sales results and annual forecasts).
• Suggesting and implementing actions to improve sales performance and identify opportunities for growth.

Manage Daily Service Activities Such As

• Inventory planning and forecasting.
• Product usage forecast and delivery schedules.
• Obtaining and processing appropriate information for timely invoicing
• Routine data collection and reporting.
• May provide preventative and emergency equipment maintenance.

Coordination of customer’s personnel relative to installation and handling of refractory material.

Recognizes and acts on opportunities for continuous improvement in:

• Refractory performance
• Customer’s efficiency
• Vesuvius profitability

Works with technical support teams to implement appropriate emerging technologies.

Manages all project work at customer’s site.

Main Interactions - Internal

Contact Frequency Purpose

• Service Center Daily/Weekly Scheduling/Inventory
• Product Line As needed Product issues/troubleshooting.
• Supervisor Daily/Weekly Account/business status.

Main Interactions - External

Contact Frequency Purpose

• Customers Daily Maintaining account relationship.

Qualifications

Account Manager: College degree preferred in Engineering or Business or a minimum of two plus years industry experience.

Sr. Account Manager = College degree preferred in Engineering or Business or a minimum of five plus years industry experience.

Experience

Account Manager: Two plus years industry experience or college degree.

Sr. Account Manager: Five plus years industry experience.

Knowledge

Good understanding or the ability to quickly acquire an understanding of the following:

• Products being supplied.
• Customer’s steelmaking process.
• Customer’s quality processes.
• Vesuvius and customer logistics processes.
• Basic mechanical skills to allow for the service of associated refractory application equipment.
• Strong business acumen with understanding of sales performance metrics.

Skills & Behaviours

• Excellent communication skills
• Ability to problem solve.
• Strong reasoning and decision-making skills.
• Selling and negotiation skills.
• Computer skills (Microsoft Office - Excel, Word, Outlook, SharePoint).
• Ability to recognize and act on continuous improvement opportunities.

Problem Solving & Complexity

• Managing multiple issues and projects within a specified timeframe.
• Managing customer relationships at multiple levels within the customer including plant manager to hourly employees.
• Managing internal communications with commercial, technical and customer service teams, by balancing Vesuvius interest versus customer internal politics.

Key Competencies

• Action Oriented
• Conflict Management
• Customer Focus
• Ethics & Values
• Integrity & Trust
• Perseverance
• Priority Setting
• Problem Solving
• Technical Learning
• Written Communications

Physical Demands

Applicant must have the ability to overcome obstacles and demonstrate personal adaptability. Physical Demands include, but are not limited to: while performing the duties of this job, the employee is occasionally exposed to moving mechanical parts, vehicles. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate. Hearing protection may be required.

Exposure to dust and raw materials particles is frequent.

Exposure to extreme temperatures.

Ability to work within the steel mill environment daily to interact with customers and colleagues.

Ability to travel up to 75% within the designated sales region.

Preferred

• Bachelors or better in Business Mgmt and Admin

Skills

Preferred

• English

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities. This employer is required to notify all applicants of their rights pursuant to federal employment laws. For further information, please review the Know Your Rights notice from the Department of Labor.