Strategic Key Account Manager

International Thermal Systems LLC; Wauwatosa (WI); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid in-office schedule

Travel opportunities

Job summary

International Thermal Systems LLC in Wisconsin seeks a Strategic Key Account Manager to protect, retain, and grow assigned customer relationships through disciplined inside account management and field engagement.

You will expand coverage, capture customer knowledge, conduct annual parts reviews, and create aftermarket opportunities while maintaining HubSpot CRM records. Hybrid in-office schedule after probation.

Qualifications

• Five (5) or more years of industrial account management, inside/outside sales, applications, service sales, project management, or related customer-facing manufacturing experience.
• Experience using HubSpot CRM or another structured CRM platform.
• Strong bias for action, sense of urgency, and self-directed work ethic.
• Demonstrated ability to develop new business and expand existing customer relationships.

Responsibilities

• Own assigned strategic and house accounts.
• Maintain current account plans, priorities, risks, commitments, and next steps.
• Develop understanding of customer business, installed equipment, applications, and future plans.
• Coordinate ITS resources to support customer needs.
• Protect customer continuity and expand relationships across departments.
• Lead account reviews and Quarterly Business Reviews.
• Document decisions, commitments, action owners, and due dates.

Skills

Key account management

Relationship building

Sales leadership

Industrial sales

Strategic planning

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

College degree preferred

Tools

HubSpot CRM

Job description

Position Overview: The Strategic Key Account Manager protects, retains, and grows assigned customer relationships through disciplined inside account management and purposeful field engagement.

The role broadens relationship coverage, captures institutional customer and application knowledge, conducts annual parts reviews, creates qualified aftermarket opportunities, gathers Voice of Customer feedback, and maintains reliable HubSpot CRM records.

This is the account-growth and external succession-protection role within the future ITS sales model. It is not the primary net-new customer acquisition role.

Responsibilities:

This list of duties and responsibilities is not all-inclusive and may expand to include other duties and responsibilities, as management may deem necessary from time to time.

Account Ownership

• Own assigned strategic and house accounts.
• Maintain current account plans, priorities, risks, commitments, and next steps.
• Develop a clear understanding of the customer’s business, installed equipment, applications, operating priorities, and future plans.
• Coordinate appropriate ITS resources to support customer needs.

Customer Relationship Protection and Relationship Expansion

• Protect customer continuity during employee retirements, turnover, or account transitions.
• Reduce dependence on a single ITS employee or a single customer contact.
• Build meaningful relationships across relevant customer departments
• Identify relationship gaps within assigned accounts.
• Create purposeful connections that improve customer continuity, technical access, operational knowledge, purchasing access, executive sponsorship and backup relationship coverag

Customer Engagement

• Conduct purposeful customer calls and site visits.
• Lead selected formal account reviews and Quarterly Business Reviews.
• Prepare clear meeting objectives and agendas.
• Document decisions, commitments, action owners, and due dates.
  Follow through on customer and internal commitments.

Voice of Customer

• Conduct structured Voice of Customer conversations.
• Capture customer feedback, expectations, risks, dissatisfaction, and improvement opportunities.
• Share relevant feedback with appropriate ITS functions.
  Use customer feedback to improve account plans and service delivery.

Annual Parts Reviews

• Prepare for and conduct annual parts reviews using the approved ITS Annual Parts Review Guide and Checklist.
• Review installed equipment, critical and recommended spares, component availability, obsolescence risks, maintenance needs, service needs, and retrofit and modernization opportunities

Qualified Aftermarket Opportunity Creation

• Identify, qualify, and advance sales opportunities for aftermarket products and services, including parts, service, audits, inspections, training, retrofits, modernizations, and capital equipment.
• Create and document a sales opportunity once a customer need is identified and validated, key contacts and next steps are confirmed, all required HubSpot CRM information is completed, and the opportunity has been reviewed with management.
• Maintain accurate opportunity stage, value or range when available, owner, timing, and next action.

HubSpot CRM Discipline

• Maintain accurate, up-to-date customer and opportunity records, including contacts, activities, risks, decisions, and next steps, while ensuring customer insights are documented and accessible across the organization.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Technical Sales, Parts, Service, Engineering, Operations, Project Management, and Leadership, to ensure clear ownership, timely execution, and accurate communication of customer commitments.

Qualifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Education

• High school diploma or equivalent required.
• College degree preferred but not required.
• Demonstrated experience, sound business judgment, strong customer relationship skills, and a proven track record of success may be considered in lieu of formal educational credentials.

Required Qualifications

• Five (5) or more years of industrial account management, inside/outside sales, applications, service sales, project management, or related customer-facing manufacturing experience.
• Experience using HubSpot CRM or another structured CRM platform.
• Strong bias for action, sense of urgency, and self-directed work ethic.
• Demonstrated ability to develop new business and expand existing customer relationships.
• Excellent relationship-building, communication, presentation, and consultative selling skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with industrial capital equipment, aftermarket parts, or service sales.
• Experience in OEM, systems integration, manufacturing, or related industrial environments.
• Experience supporting ovens, washers, paint systems, material handling systems, controls, thermal systems, or similar industrial equipment.
• Experience transitioning, managing, or expanding established customer accounts.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Strong organizational, documentation, follow-up, and opportunity management skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Strong discovery, problem-solving, and critical-thinking abilities.
• Technical aptitude with the ability to understand manufacturing processes, engineered solutions, and industrial equipment.
• Ability to discuss technical concepts with customers and effectively coordinate internal technical resources.
• Comfortable working directly in industrial manufacturing environments.
• Proficiency with ERP systems and Microsoft Office applications.

Office/Work Location:

• 3000 N 114th St, Wauwatosa, WI 53222
• Flexible, hybrid in-office schedule available after initial probationary period.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• None

Travel Requirements:

• Regular travel within assigned territories to support customer meetings, site visits, project activities, and business development efforts.
• Ability to attend trade shows, industry events, customer meetings, and manufacturing facility visits as needed.
• Overnight travel up to 20% of the time.
• Valid driver’s license and ability to operate a motor vehicle required.
• Ability to travel by air as required.