Strategic Key Account Leader – Remote

Forward Air Corp.; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 130,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base pay

Incentive programs

Equity incentives

Health insurance

401(k) match

PTO 10-25 days

Culture of transformation

Job summary

Forward Air Corp. is seeking a senior Key Account Manager to act as a strategic partner for high-value, complex customer accounts. You will drive retention, growth, and innovation across the portfolio while aligning customer objectives with organizational capabilities.

You will build executive relationships, lead cross-functional teams, and champion continuous improvement to deliver exceptional business outcomes. Remote work with travel is expected.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in a related field required.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in strategic account management or related customer-facing leadership roles.
• Deep expertise in logistics, transportation, supply chain management, contract logistics, warehousing, distribution, or related industries.
• Strong executive presence with ability to influence and build credibility with senior leaders.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams across Sales, Operations, Finance, IT, and Engineering.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic account plans to drive customer retention and revenue growth.
• Build executive-level relationships, serving as a trusted advisor and primary strategic contact.
• Lead business reviews and quarterly business reviews to evaluate performance and opportunities.
• Partner with customers to develop growth roadmaps, innovation strategies, and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Identify, qualify, and pursue expansion opportunities across services, geographies, and solution offerings.
• Own customer performance metrics and KPIs, delivering insights and recommendations to improve results.
• Lead resolution of complex business challenges while balancing customer needs with organizational objectives.
• Collaborate with Operations, Sales, Finance, Solutions Design, IT, Engineering, and Implementation teams to ensure successful outcomes.
• Translate customer goals and priorities into actionable internal strategies and resource plans.
• Champion digital transformation, automation, and tech-enabled solutions that increase value and efficiency.
• Monitor account health, identify retention risks, and implement proactive mitigation strategies.
• Drive account forecasting, revenue planning, and strategic growth initiatives.
• Represent the organization in executive sponsor programs and industry events.
• Provide market intelligence and competitive feedback to support planning and solution development.

Skills

Executive presence

Analytical skills

Communication

Relationship management

Problem solving

Education

Bachelor’s degree in a related field

CSCMP / APICS / ASCM certification preferred

Tools

Microsoft O365

Teams

Zoom

Webex

Job description

Forward Air Corp. is seeking a senior Key Account Manager to act as a strategic partner for high-value, complex customer accounts. You will drive retention, growth, and innovation across the portfolio while aligning customer objectives with organizational capabilities.

You will build executive relationships, lead cross-functional teams, and champion continuous improvement to deliver exceptional business outcomes. Remote work with travel is expected.