Strategic Account Manager (Aerospace/Defense)

Proto Labs; Maple Plain (MN); Hybrid; USD 94,200 - 125,500; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health Insurance

PTO & Holidays

401k with company match

Employee Stock Purchase Program

Life Insurance

Job summary

Proto Labs in Maple Plain, MN seeks a Strategic Account Manager (Aerospace/Defense) to manage large Prime customers within a hybrid on-site role on Tue–Thu. You will drive bookings, align with customer KPIs, and grow strategic programs across Protolabs’ service lines.

Ideal candidates have 8+ years in enterprise B2B accounts, a business degree, and proven ability to develop multi-year plans, build executive relationships, and deliver win–win outcomes with complex customers.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business or related field.
• 8+ years of experience managing large enterprise B2B accounts, preferably Fortune 500 & MedTech customers.
• Proven ability to grow customer relationships across locations and personas.
• Develops and drives enterprise-level programs and agreements with strategic customers to grow sustainable partnerships.
• Builds influential relationships with key decision makers and cross-functional partners.
• Identifies, develops and executes new strategic business programs with customers to drive long-term growth.
• Expert use of CRM and forecasting tools to manage the sales process and pipeline.
• Deep technical understanding of Protolabs' service lines and solutions.

Responsibilities

• Develops multi-year strategy for the account through business plans and reviews with senior leadership.
• Creates an account budget and 2–3 year strategic plan guiding the account.
• Aligns with customer KPIs and utilizes Protolabs analytics for the customer at the organizational level.
• Sells across all service lines and aligns the customer to Protolabs full product life cycle capabilities.
• Leads resources and coordinates cross-functional teams for the account.
• Identifies key customer contacts at multiple levels across departments.
• Travel expectation 25–50%.

Skills

Enterprise sales

Strategic account management

CRM and forecasting

Communication

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor's degree in business or related field

Tools

SFDC

DOMO

CRM

Business analytics

Job description

Be yourself at Protolabs

Studies have shown that women and people of color are less likely to apply to jobs unless they meet every single qualification. We are an equal opportunity employer, and we are committed to building a diverse team that feels they are valued in the workplace. So do you feel you do not meet every single requirement but still intrigued? We encourage you to still apply! You can help make our company even better. We do not discriminate based on race, color, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, age, mental or physical ability, or any way you represent yourself. We strongly believe diversity makes for more successful teams.

Join our team as a Strategic Account Manager (Aerospace/Defense)!

This is a hybrid role being onsite in Maple Plain, MN on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday.

A Strategic Account Manager is responsible for management within the Aerospace/Defense group, managing large Prime customers. The primary responsibility of this role is to meet and exceed the annual bookings quotas as established by the company, ensuring that all strategic initiatives and customer engagements align with this critical objective. The SAM is dedicated to driving Protolabs' growth by bringing highly vetted programs that push Protolabs to expand our offerings and capabilities to develop, support, and grow our largest revenue producing customers. As one of Protolabs’ top revenue generating salespeople, the SAM is expected to make a significant impact on our customers' businesses by providing innovative solutions that enhance efficiency and profitability for mutual benefit of both the customer and Protolabs. The SAM is considered a trusted advisor to the customer and a consultative manufacturing advisor, whom customers rely on by delivering unparalleled solutions at unprecedented speeds.

You Will

• Develops multi-year strategy for the account's organization through business plans, reviews and other customer strategy meetings with senior leadership.
• Creates an account budget and strategic account plan that will guide the direction of the account over a 2–3-year horizon.
• Aligns with customer KPI's and utilizes Protolabs business analytics (technology, SFDC, DOMO, best practices, etc.) for the customer at the whole organizational level.
• Anticipates the customer's needs to provide solutions and penetrate the account. Sells across all service lines and aligns the customer to Protolabs full product life cycle capabilities to create competitive advantage.
• Introduces innovative, strategic manufacturing ideas across product life cycle for co-creating competitive advantage for the customer.
• Pursues individual development.
• Provides input and guidance for other team members for the purposes of succession planning and ensuring appropriate resources for account.
• Identifies key customer contacts at multiple levels across multiple departments including corporate senior executive leadership, champions and coaches.
• Leads and leverages necessary resources.
• Clearly defines and communicates responsibilities for account team and organizes multiple internal functions.
• Accountable for operational results and connected to operational excellence but spends no time on day-to-day account operations or on account administration.
• Aligns Protolabs to the account's entire organization which may touch multiple services, locations, product life cycle, and geographies.
• Primarily focused on growth and strategy of between 1 to maximum 3 accounts as a trusted advisor to the customer. Involved in strategic direction and decisions of account.
• Prospect and identify target key customer contacts at multiple levels across multiple departments including R&D, sourcing, corporate senior executive leadership to identify and incubate new business opportunities.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

What It Takes

• Bachelor's degree in business or related field or equivalent education and/or experience
• 8+ years of experience managing large enterprise complex B2B accounts, preferably working with Fortune 500 & MedTech customers.
• Consistent high performer fluent in how to proactively grow customer relationships across business units, locations, and personas to develop multiple coaches and champions as part of strategic business, partnership and growth plans
• Develops and drives enterprise-level programs and agreements with strategic customers to grow sustainable, long‑term partnerships.
• Builds and maintains influential relationships with key decision makers and cross‑functional partners across Protolabs to support strategic business and growth plans.
• Identifies, develops and executes new strategic business programs and capabilities in partnership with customers to drive long‑term growth within and across customer verticals.
• Expert use of CRM and forecasting tools to manage the sales process, maintain a robust pipeline, and provide actionable insight to internal stakeholders.
• Deep technical understanding of Protolabs’ service lines and broader manufacturing/engineering topics; effectively introduces solutions to all levels of a customer organization.
• Clearly articulates customer value propositions and aligns Protolabs’ solutions to clients’ corporate initiatives and business objectives.
• Consistently sources leads and new opportunities, co‑creates innovative value with customers, and negotiates win‑win outcomes.
• Excellent verbal and written communication and presentation skills at all organizational levels.
• Growth‑minded culture champion who embraces new initiatives, practices continuous improvement, self‑analyzes performance, and models Protolabs’ values and accountability.
• Travel expectation 25‑50%

What's In It For You

• We offer a competitive total compensation package
• In addition, we offer competitive benefits including but not limited to:
• Health Insurance: Traditional OR High Deductible plan
  • Flexible Spending Accounts
  • Health Savings Account (including employer contributions)
  • Dental and Vision
  • Basic and Supplemental Life Insurance
  • Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• Paid caregiver leave
• You will receive PTO + Holiday Pay + Volunteer Hours
• 401k with company match and immediate vest
• Employee Stock Purchase Program
• And More!

$94,200 - $125,500 a year

The base salary range for this role is $94,200-$125,500 USD/year with a Total Cash range of $150,200 - $200,000. Protolabs offers a competitive total rewards package, and compensation mix vary based on position, such as base wage, as well as other earnings including incentives and commissions. Actual pay offered will vary depending on multiple factors which may include, without limitation, job function, work experience, specialized skills, training, education, and certifications.

ITAR Compliance

Proto Labs maintains ITAR‑compliant operations in all of our United States based facilities. Due to ITAR regulations, this role is only open to U.S. Citizens, lawful permanent residents (green card holders) or foreign nationals granted refugee or asylee status. Individuals with temporary visas (e.g., E, F‑1, H‑1, H‑2, L, B, J, TN or OPT) are not eligible for hire in this role.

Proto Labs, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Physical Demands

While performing the essential duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to sit; use a computer keyboard, monitor and mouse, telephone and printer; reach with hands, and arms, talk, see and hear. The employee is occasionally required to stand, walk, stoop or kneel and must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

Work Environment

Indoors (A/C); nonsmoking; the majority of this job function is performed in an office setting requiring normal safety precautions. However, there may be job duties that require the employee to spend time in the manufacturing areas exposed to machinery and noise; eye protection occasionally required. Occasionally works in outside weather conditions. Occasionally works near moving mechanical parts and in high, precarious places and is occasionally exposed to wet and/or humid conditions, fumes or airborne particles, toxic or caustic chemicals, risk of electrical shock and vibration. The noise level in the work environment is usually quiet to moderate.