Global Director Key Accounts - Automotive

Kuehne+Nagel; Dallas (TX); On-site; USD 125,000 - 165,000; Full time

Job summary

Kuehne+Nagel seeks a strategic Global Key Account Manager to manage a portfolio of strategic global accounts. You will act as the primary commercial representative, driving growth, strengthening executive-level relationships, and aligning solutions across Air, Sea, Road, Contract, and Integrated Logistics.

Lead account planning, develop insights into customer priorities, and negotiate terms while collaborating with pricing and operations to deliver integrated solutions.

Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in key account management, business development, sales, or commercial leadership within logistics, transportation, or supply chain management.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Logistics, Engineering, International Studies, Supply Chain, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage the end-to-end commercial relationship for a portfolio of strategic global accounts, driving revenue growth, retention, and customer satisfaction.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with executive, procurement, logistics, and supply chain stakeholders across customer organizations.
• Develop a deep understanding of customer business models, strategic priorities, and competitive landscapes to identify growth opportunities.
• Create and execute account plans aligned with customer objectives and Kuehne+Nagel's commercial strategy.
• Identify, develop, and convert new business opportunities across Air Logistics, Sea Logistics, Road Logistics, Contract Logistics, and Integrated Logistics solutions.
• Lead commercial negotiations, including pricing, rates, and service agreements, while ensuring all contractual requirements are properly documented.
• Partner closely with business units, pricing teams, and operational stakeholders to deliver integrated customer solutions and drive successful outcomes.
• Monitor pipeline activity, business development performance, account profitability, and key commercial KPIs, implementing corrective actions when needed.
• Conduct regular business reviews focused on performance, continuous improvement, innovation, and long-term strategic partnership development.

Skills

Key account management

Business development

Sales leadership

Consultative selling

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

Travel readiness

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree preferred

Job description

It's more than a job

With a sales career at Kuehne+Nagel, you'll drive long-term business success by mastering sales strategies, nurturing customer relationships and identifying new opportunities. At Kuehne+Nagel, our work is about more than we imagine.

It's more than a job

With a sales career at Kuehne+Nagel, you'll drive long-term business success by mastering sales strategies, nurturing customer relationships and identifying new opportunities. At Kuehne+Nagel, our work is about more than we imagine.

Kuehne+Nagel is seeking a strategic and results-driven Global Key Account Manager (GKAM) to manage and grow a portfolio of strategic global accounts. In this role, you will serve as the primary commercial representative for assigned customers, driving business growth, strengthening executive-level relationships, and ensuring alignment across Kuehne+Nagel's global logistics and supply chain solutions. You will translate customer insights into actionable strategies, lead account planning initiatives, and deliver long-term value for both customers and the organization.

How you create impact

• Own and manage the end-to-end commercial relationship for a portfolio of strategic global accounts, driving revenue growth, retention, and customer satisfaction.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with executive, procurement, logistics, and supply chain stakeholders across customer organizations.
• Develop a deep understanding of customer business models, strategic priorities, and competitive landscapes to identify growth opportunities.
• Create and execute account plans aligned with customer objectives and Kuehne+Nagel's commercial strategy.
• Identify, develop, and convert new business opportunities across Air Logistics, Sea Logistics, Road Logistics, Contract Logistics, and Integrated Logistics solutions.
• Lead commercial negotiations, including pricing, rates, and service agreements, while ensuring all contractual requirements are properly documented.
• Partner closely with business units, pricing teams, and operational stakeholders to deliver integrated customer solutions and drive successful outcomes.
• Monitor pipeline activity, business development performance, account profitability, and key commercial KPIs, implementing corrective actions when needed.
• Conduct regular business reviews focused on performance, continuous improvement, innovation, and long-term strategic partnership development.

This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship. Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without the need for current or future employer sponsorship.

What we would like you to bring

• 7+ years of experience in key account management, business development, sales, or commercial leadership within logistics, transportation, or supply chain management.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Logistics, Engineering, International Studies, Supply Chain, or a related field; Master's degree preferred.
• Strong understanding of global supply chain solutions, including Air, Sea, Road, Contract Logistics, and Integrated Logistics services.
• Proven success in consultative selling, solution development, cross-selling, and driving profitable business growth.
• Advanced negotiation, influencing, and relationship management skills with experience engaging senior‑level stakeholders.
• Experience managing multinational customers and navigating complex, matrixed organizations.
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking capabilities with the ability to translate customer insights into actionable account strategies.
• Willingness and ability to travel as needed to support customer engagement, business development, and account management activities.

What's in it for you

At Kuehne+Nagel we strive daily to inspire, empower, and deliver not only to our customers, but also to our colleagues. We offer a dynamic global work environment with opportunities for excellent training programs and career mobility. The target total compensation range for this position is between $125,000 and $165,000. Base salary is part of a competitive total rewards package that includes health and welfare benefits, a 401k retirement savings plan, tuition reimbursement, and incentive compensation for eligible roles. Individual pay may vary from the target range and is determined by a number of factors including experience, skills, job location, internal pay equity, and other relevant business considerations. Kuehne+Nagel reviews pay ranges regularly to ensure competitive and fair pay based on industry market data.

Who we are

Logistics shapes everyday life - from the goods we consume to the healthcare we rely on. At Kuehne+Nagel, your work goes beyond logistics; it enables both ordinary and special moments in the lives of people around the world.

As a global leader with a strong heritage and a vision to move the world forward, we offer a safe, stable environment where your career can make a real difference. Whether we help deliver life‑saving medicines, develop sustainable transportation solutions or support our local communities, your career will contribute to more than you can imagine.

We kindly advise that placement agencies refrain from submitting unsolicited profiles. Any submissions of candidates without prior signed agreement will be considered our property and no fees will be paid.

Kuehne+Nagel is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEO”) and to compliance with all federal, state, and local laws that prohibit workplace discrimination and unlawful retaliation. Kuehne+Nagel strictly prohibits all discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, color, age, national origin, ethnicity, religious creed or belief, physical or mental disability, marital or familial status, legally protected medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical condition), gender (including gender identity and gender expression), sexual orientation, citizenship status, protected activity (such as opposition to or reporting of prohibited discrimination or harassment. Kuehne+Nagel will also make reasonable accommodations for disabled applicants and employees, including accommodations for pregnancy and childbirth, and for the sincerely held religious beliefs of applicants and employees depending upon individual circumstances unless such accommodation would create an undue hardship on Kuehne+Nagel.