Sr. Manager Strategic Accounts

Albany International Corp.; Rochester (NH); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Albany International Corp. is seeking a Senior Manager, Strategic Accounts for its Albany Engineered Composites business unit. In this role, you will oversee strategic customer relationships and work towards establishing AEC as a top-tier supplier. A strong aerospace sales and engineering background is required, alongside excellent communication and collaborative skills.

This position offers remote possibilities and a travel expectation of over 50% to coordinate efforts with clients. Ideal candidates will have a strong understanding of the aerospace industry and demonstrate leadership capabilities.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 7 years in aerospace sales, account management, or engineering.
• 5+ years in a customer-facing role within aerospace composites industry.

Responsibilities

• Build relationships with assigned accounts to improve customer satisfaction.
• Act as the voice of the customer for product and strategy development.
• Develop sales objectives and plans for each assigned customer.
• Maintain engagement plans with relevant account information.
• Document opportunities and make recommendations for growth.

Skills

Aerospace sales experience

Account management

Engineering experience in engineered products

Problem-solving

Lean/Six Sigma principles

Communication skills

Collaboration skills

Sales and Marketing best practices

Education

Undergraduate degree in Business or Engineering

MBA (desired if experience qualifies)

Job description

Job Description

Albany International Corporation seeks a Senior Manager, Strategic Accounts to support its growing Albany Engineered Composites (AEC) business. This personable and professional individual will work within the Customers and Marketing organization, overseeing some of our most important customer relationships and growth opportunities. The role works in concert with the Integrated Operations and Transformation team and with Commercial, Defense, Emerging Markets & Specialty Solutions business segments to deliver consistent messaging and outstanding customer experience. The integrated relationship responsibility, from first contact to end‑of‑service contract, is fully empowered to coordinate successful interaction in all disciplines and at all levels of decision‑makers to cultivate a positive impression of the company, identify and receive desired new business opportunities, coordinate the bid process, and help close deals.

Albany International Corp. is a global advanced textiles and highly‑engineered composites components and assemblies manufacturing company. Its products and technologies help make paper smoother, tissue softer, and aircraft engines and structures lighter and easier to assemble. The company has two core businesses: the Machine Clothing segment, the world’s leading producer of custom‑designed fabrics and belts essential to production in the paper, nonwovens, and other process industries; and Albany Engineered Composites, a rapidly growing supplier of highly engineered composite parts for the aerospace, defense and space industry.

Job Purpose

This role serves as AEC’s focal point for coordinating and driving every aspect of a designated set of strategic customer relationships. The individual will work diligently to establish and grow outstanding relationships throughout customers’ procurement and engineering organizations with the ultimate objective of earning a top‑tier supplier position, ensuring first and last look for AEC at all desired opportunities. The individual must maintain a “finger on the pulse” of customers, market impacts, and competitive environment, and keep Albany management well‑informed and aligned with all activities and customer satisfaction.

Candidates must possess a minimum of 7 years of progressively challenging aerospace sales, account management, and/or engineering experience in advanced engineered products, with demonstrated communication skills and a collaborative temperament to drive profitable growth.

Job Responsibilities

• Build an outstanding set of professional and productive relationships with each assigned account to improve customer service and satisfaction and position AEC for profitable growth.
• Act as the “voice of the customer” to assure that AEC looks outward, not inward, when developing new products, technologies, services, and customers & marketing strategies and processes.
• Participate with Operations, Business Segment leadership, and customers’ leadership in developing product line and business segment strategies and applying them to customers.
• Participate in the development of specific sales objectives, strategies, goals, and plans for each assigned customer; take an active role in the development and execution of each agreed customer relationship plan; assist in annual sales planning activities.
• Develop and provide visibility of assigned customer key organizations/personnel including supplier management/procurement, engineering, program management and leadership involved with the selection and use of AEC products.
• Maintain an engagement plan on each assigned account with all relevant information: customer overview and key initiatives; current contracts and programs; sales history and up‑to‑date forecast; quality and delivery metrics; current relationship/communication plan; visit schedule and recent meeting results and actions summary; new business development initiatives and opportunities.
• Make regular visits and/or telephone calls in accordance with each agreed relationship plan; complete visit reports and summaries of conference calls as required.
• Strive to earn a “seat at the customer table” during product definition and decision phases to help introduce and promote our technologies and secure opportunities.
• Document all opportunities and assess for compatibility with the established growth plan; make recommendations to the business on opportunities AEC should pursue and drive to success.
• Partner with AEC Engineering, Contracts, Operations, and Estimating/Proposals Management and play an active role in the proposal development and negotiation process.
• Monitor competitor activities and public domain strategies; report key developments; assist in estimating market share and penetration.
• Report market news related to assigned customers/market on a weekly basis for roll‑up.
• Investigate new accounts that fit the strategic growth strategy and develop those that apply.
• Represent AEC in the best possible and professional way in all forums such as at the customer, during business travel, attending conferences, or participating in trade shows.

Supervisory Responsibility

No

Other Job Details

Remote domicile is possible if in reasonable proximity to assigned customers. Co‑location with one of our AEC operations or headquarters may be valued. More than 50% travel may be expected.

Shift

Day

Required Skills

• Proven ability to solve complex problems and deliver exceptional results within a sophisticated global manufacturing environment where cross‑functional / cross‑cultural teamwork is essential.
• Demonstrated understanding of Lean/Six Sigma principles.
• Action oriented, results driven, decisive, and customer focused.
• Global perspective of business environment and technology.
• Strong communication and collaboration skills.
• Ability to favorably impact Sales and Marketing performance through successful implementation of Business Development best practices.
• Ability to deliver exceptional results within a relatively unstructured, tightly‑resourced, high‑growth organization.
• Strong working knowledge of the development and qualification/certification process in the aerospace industry as the pathway for new engineered products production opportunities.

Required Education and Experience

• Undergraduate degree, preferably in Business or Engineering. MBA desired but not mandatory if experience qualifies.
• Seven or more years of aerospace industry Sales, Account Management and/or Engineering experience in engineered products required.
• Five or more years of this background must have been spent in a customer‑facing role within the aerospace composites industry.

Safety and Procedures

• Follow all publicized safety policies/procedures applicable to the job.
• Use appropriate PPE identified on the Hazard Analysis for the department/role.
• Attend and participate in all safety training, safety meetings, audits and Behavior Based Safety programs assigned.
• Report all safety hazards observed; if capable, correct the safety hazard identified.

Working Conditions

Office environment, duties performed indoors, moderate to quiet noise and comfortable temperatures. Not substantially exposed to adverse environmental condition levels. Ability to work 24/7 schedule and be available as business situations require.

Physical Requirements

Occasionally positions self to move an office item >10 lbs. Frequently move about the production floor and office area to attend meetings or trainings. Must be able to remain in a stationary position up to 75% of the time. Frequently operates a computer, enters data into systems, verifies information, etc.