Account Manager - Airlines

Forward Air Corp.; Chicago (IL); Remote; USD 72,000 - 88,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base pay

Health benefits

401(k) with match

PTO 10–25 days

Job summary

Forward Air Corp. in Chicago, IL, seeks an Account Manager - Airlines to manage strategic airline partnerships, drive revenue growth, and serve as the primary contact for assigned accounts. You will analyze customer operations, lead business reviews, and coordinate with internal teams to deliver value and service excellence.

The role emphasizes relationship management, data-driven growth, and cross-functional collaboration, with a Monday–Friday schedule and travel as needed.

Qualifications

• Strong relationship management, analytical, communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated ability to identify revenue risks, growth opportunities, and customer retention strategies.
• Proficient with CRMs (Salesforce) and office productivity tools.

Responsibilities

• Manage a portfolio of strategic customer accounts.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned accounts across stakeholders.
• Understand customer supply chain strategies and align solutions to support those initiatives.
• Position the Company as a preferred transportation provider within partner networks.
• Monitor account performance, revenue trends, and retention risks to identify opportunities.

Skills

Relationship management

Analytical skills

Communication skills

Negotiation skills

Problem-solving

Education

Undergraduate degree in Business/Aviation Management/Supply Chain

Tools

Salesforce

Microsoft Office 365

Job description

• Locations 954 W Washington Blvd, Chicago, IL, 60607, US
• Job Category Sales / Account Management
• Job Category Commercial
• Job Function Account Management

Job Description

The Account Manager - Airlines is responsible for managing, retaining, and growing strategic customer relationships. They serve as the primary point of contact and trusted advisor for their assigned accounts and are responsible for driving customer satisfaction, retention, operational performance, and long-term revenue growth. They partner closely with customers and internal stakeholders to identify opportunities, resolve challenges, and ensure service excellence. The position requires a deep understanding of customer operations and supply chain strategies, and the ability to leverage data to identify growth opportunities, lead business reviews, resolve complex challenges, and deliver solutions that enhance customer value and profitability.

Schedule: Monday-Friday 8am-5pm

Pay Range: $72,000-$88,000 per/year

Focus: Airline Partnerships
Support a portfolio of airline partners and serve as a trusted advisor to key customer stakeholders.
Develop a strong understanding of airline cargo operations, airport environments, and time-sensitive transportation requirements.
Build and strengthen relationships with airline operational, commercial, and leadership contacts.
Identify opportunities to increase freight volume, expand transportation lanes, and support account growth.

Responsibilities
Manage a portfolio of strategic customer accounts.
Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned accounts, building and maintaining strong relationships with customer stakeholders across operational, commercial, and leadership levels.
Understand customer supply chain strategies and align solutions to support those initiatives.
Position the Company as a preferred transportation provider within partner logistics networks.
Monitor and analyze account performance, revenue trends, customer satisfaction, and retention risks to identify opportunities and recommend actions.
Identify organic growth opportunities, share-of-wallet expansion opportunities, and additional transportation solutions within existing accounts.
Establish and maintain customer-specific performance metrics and fact-based reporting to identify root causes, lead corrective action planning, and drive continuous improvement initiatives.
Create, prepare, and lead Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) and executive business reviews, presenting operational and financial performance, identifying opportunities for growth, and developing strategic action plans.
Act as a customer advocate within the organization, influencing internal stakeholders and aligning resources to support customer commitments and business objectives.
Drive account retention, expansion, and profitability by identifying growth opportunities, developing strategic account plans, and supporting contract renewals and commercial negotiations.
Maintain accurate account plans, customer activity, business opportunities, and pipeline visibility within Salesforce and other business systems.
Partner with Operations, Customer Service, Pricing, Commercial, and other internal teams to improve account performance, customer experience, and long-term retention.
Partner with Sales on growth opportunities, RFP responses, customer expansions, and win-back initiatives.
Monitor market trends, customer needs, and competitive activity to identify growth opportunities.
Support customer onboarding, implementation activities, and service launches.
Manage customer escalations, service concerns, and operational challenges through effective cross-functional collaboration.
Maintain CRM documentation, account activity, forecasting information, and customer records.
All other duties as assigned to meet evolving business needs.

Qualifications
Education: Undergraduate degree in Business, Aviation Management, Supply Chain, Logistics, or a related field from an accredited college or university required.
Experience: 3+ years’ experience in aviation, transportation, account management, or related customer-facing experience preferred.
Deep understanding of airline cargo operations, airport environments, transportation services, or related logistics functions preferred.
Strong relationship management, analytical, communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.
Demonstrated ability to identify revenue risks, growth opportunities, and customer retention strategies.
Ability to manage multiple priorities and build effective relationships across functions.
Demonstrated discretion and confidentiality in handling and protecting sensitive information.
Technical: Proficient with common office technologies, including Windows PCs, Microsoft O365 (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), CRMs (Salesforce), and web conferencing (Teams, Zoom, Webex, etc.)
Environment: Remote; must be comfortable with travel for related meetings/events.

WHAT WE OFFER

• Compensation: Competitive base pay based on experience, industry/geographic benchmarks and internal equity. Some positions may be eligible for incentive pay programs and/or equity-based incentives. Pay ranges published on job boards are not provided nor verified by the Company.
• Health: Medical and Pharmacy insurance; Health Savings Account (HSA); Vision; Dental; Life and Disability; Critical Illness; Accident Indemnity; Hospital Indemnity; On-demand telehealth via Teladoc; Employee Assistance Program (counseling and financial/lifestyle coaching).
• Wealth: 401(k) retirement savings plan with employer match; Employee stock purchase program; Flexible Spending Account (FSA); Commuter Benefits; LegalEASE legal coverage.
• Time: 7 paid holidays and generous Paid Time Off (PTO) tiers ranging from 10–25 days annually.
• Culture: A collaborative, transformation-driven, solutions-first environment full of "can do" attitude and "will do" work ethic.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• Agencies: The Company does not accept unsolicited outreach from third parties. Absent an agreement signed by internal Talent Acquisition and Procurement, and a documented request from Talent Acquisition to submit candidates for a specified requisition, we will not approve payments to any third party.
• Work Authorization: Within the United States, the Company is an E-Verify employer. Unless otherwise indicated, U.S.-based workers must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. without sponsorship, including but not limited to F-1, H-1, H-2, L, J, and TN visas, etc.
• Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI): The Company is proud to be an equal opportunity employer . Applicants will be considered without regard to race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, marital status, disability, gender identity or veteran status.
• Reasonable Accommodations: Physical/mental requirements are listed only to identify where potential accommodations may be needed, not as qualification standards. In compliance with applicable laws and regulations (including ADA, ADEA, and FMLA), accommodations may be available to qualified individuals unable to perform essential duties without them. Additional requirements may apply to meet legal, regulatory, and Company standards.
• Recruitment Fraud: We will only contact you from @forwardair.com or @omnilogistics.com emails (system messages may come from @workflow.email.us-phoenix-1.ocs.oraclecloud.com). If reached via Indeed or LinkedIn, verify recruiters by reviewing their LinkedIn profiles. We will never request sensitive personal information outside secure systems, nor ask for purchases. Report suspected scams to the Federal Trade Commission and your state Attorney General .