Account Manager, Life Science

WESTAIR GASES AND EQUIPMENT, INC.; San Diego (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Commission and Spiff plans

Company-provided vehicle or auto-allow

Company-provided cellphone

Medical, dental, vision, life and disa

401(k) with company match

3 weeks PTO + 7 holidays

Job summary

WestAir Gases and Equipment, Inc. is seeking a Life Science Account Manager to manage a portfolio of life science customers in the San Diego area.

You will develop trusted relationships with key stakeholders, understand customer operations, and coordinate with internal teams to deliver gases, equipment, and related solutions. The role focuses on expanding accounts, improving profitability, and negotiating long-term supply agreements.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business, life sciences, or related field; experience considered.
• 3+ years of B2B account management or territory sales in life sciences or related industries.
• Experience with CRM systems and developing executive-level relationships.
• Strong communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
• Ability to prospect, grow accounts, and manage multiple responsibilities.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary contact for assigned life science accounts.
• Build long-term relationships with customers and executive sponsors.
• Understand customer operations, needs, and WestAir value propositions.
• Identify opportunities to grow existing accounts and secure new business.
• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure on-time delivery of gases and equipment.

Skills

Relationship management

Negotiation

CRM experience

Sales experience

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or life sciences

Tools

CRM software

Microsoft Office

Data analysis tools

Job description

Description

About Us

Family-owned and operated since 1970, we are an industry-leading gas distributor founded on unparalleled customer service. Our industrial, medical, food, and specialty gas products support a variety of industries that work daily to improve the world we live in, and our ongoing commitment to serve spans the southwestern United States with locations across California and Arizona. Discover the most interesting industry you’ve never heard of!

Position Overview

The Life Science Account Manager is responsible for managing, retaining, and growing a portfolio of life science customers within the assigned territory. This position develops trusted, long-term relationships with key stakeholders and executive decision-makers by gaining a thorough understanding of each customer’s operations, technical requirements, business objectives, and potential challenges.

Serving as the primary point of contact, the Account Manager coordinates with internal teams to ensure the timely and successful delivery of gases, equipment, hard goods, and related solutions. The role identifies opportunities to expand existing accounts, improve profitability, negotiate long-term supply agreements, and secure new business. The Account Manager also monitors market and industry trends, resolves customer concerns, and provides consultative recommendations that support customer success and WestAir’s sales and growth objectives.

Essential Functions

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for all customer account matters.
• Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with customers, key stakeholders, and executive sponsors.
• Develop a thorough understanding of customer operations, business needs, and WestAir’s value propositions.
• Identify opportunities to grow existing accounts, improve gross profit, and secure new business within the assigned territory.
• Prospect for new customers through cold calling, networking, referrals, and other business-development activities.
• Negotiate product supply agreements and other commercial terms to establish long-term customer relationships.
• Ensure products and solutions are delivered accurately, timely, and in accordance with customer needs and objectives.
• Maintain working knowledge of pure gases, specialty gas blends, medical gases, industrial cylinder gases, bulk atmospheric gases, cryogenic products, equipment, and related hard goods.
• Support and implement marketing initiatives, promotions, and new product launches.
• Provide complete and accurate customer account setup, pricing, and related documentation.
• Communicate the progress of monthly and quarterly sales initiatives to internal and external stakeholders.
• Collaborate with Sales, Operations, Customer Service, Credit, and other internal teams to resolve issues and support customer growth.
• Monitor customer accounts receivable balances and assist with collection efforts to minimize financial risk and working capital exposure.
• Respond to and assist with high-priority customer requests, service concerns, and escalations.
• Maintain accurate customer, opportunity, and sales activity information within the company’s CRM system.
• Consistently achieve assigned sales, gross profit, account-retention, and business-development goals.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business, life sciences, or a related field preferred; equivalent education and relevant experience may be considered.
• 3+ years of account management, territory sales, or related experience, including at least three years of business-to-business sales experience within life sciences, biosciences, pharmaceuticals, chemicals, hazardous materials, equipment, or a similar technical industry.
• Experience managing customer relationships and sales activities through a CRM system.
• Experience with cryogenic freezers, incubators, analytical equipment, or related life science applications is preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to communicate, present, and influence effectively at all organizational levels, including executive and C-suite stakeholders.
• Proven track record of successfully managing and growing a sales territory.
• Strong business-development, negotiation, persuasion, and customer-presentation skills.
• Excellent listening, interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills.
• Ability to organize, prioritize, manage multiple responsibilities, and meet deadlines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to maintain an acceptable driving record.

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibilities.

Physical Demands

An employee must meet the physical demands described here to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.

While performing this job, the employee must stand for long periods, talk, hear, and use hands and fingers to operate a computer, telephone, and keyboard, and reach, stoop, and kneel. This person must be able to lift, carry, or set down 50+ pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision for computer work.

Travel

50%-75% travel throughout San Diego County and the surrounding territory.

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work

This is a full-time, exempt position. The position may require occasional work outside regular business hours to meet customer and operational needs.

Compensation and Benefits

• Eligible for Commission and Spiff variable plan compensation outlined in our plan documents
• Company-provided vehicle or auto allowance, instead of a vehicle.
• Company-provided cellphone
• Comprehensive benefits package:
  • Medical, dental, vision, life and disability insurance
  • Health Savings Account (HSA) and Flexible Spending Account (FSA)
  • Voluntary accident coverage, hospitalization plans, Employee Assistance Programs (EAP’s), Wellness platform access
  • 401(k) + company match
• 7 company-paid holidays
• 3 weeks of paid time off (PTO) earned on an accrual basis
• Professional development opportunities and ongoing training
• Healthy work/life balance and a collaborative and inclusive company culture

The compensation range reflects WestAir’s good-faith estimate for the base compensation expected at the time of posting. Job-related factors, including skills, experience, qualifications, education, and geographic location will determine compensation offered.

This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive. An employee may perform other related duties as negotiated to meet the organization’s ongoing needs.