Key Account Manager-Commercial Specialties Sales (Paper Industry)

Company Description

Pixelle Specialty Solutions™ is the largest specialty paper company in North America, with fully integrated pulp and paper operations in Chillicothe, Ohio, Spring Grove, Pennsylvania, Stevens Point, Wisconsin and a coating operation in Fremont, Ohio. Supported by an experienced product development team, Pixelle excels in designing customized solutions that help customers bring new products to market. With a long history of leadership in the paper industry, Pixelle delivers the most comprehensive portfolio of specialty papers to help you meet today’s challenging demands.

Job Description

Role

The Key Account Manager provides leadership internally and externally in managing and growing Pixelle’s larger regional and some national account customers. Develops a customer relationship management strategy, to build strong senior level contacts at key accounts. Drives new business development, implements marketing and sales plans, which support Pixelle’s vision for growth and profitability. The Key Account Mgr. must manage and balance a broad set of responsibilities, including market analysis, pipeline management, demand planning, and business commercialization. Product segments include Printing & Publishing Papers, Digital Imaging, Carbonless & Converting grades.

Accountabilities

• Applies specialized market knowledge and advanced commercial paper experience to develop new business and enhance product mix/profitability.
• Develops and implement sales strategies to service and grow large accounts. Coordinates with commercial leadership and support teams to achieve total customer satisfaction. Establishes metrics and/or customer feedback mechanisms with which to evaluate and target improvement opportunities.
• Achieves budgeted sales volumes, including new business and new product targets, while managing travel and support costs.
• Contributes to collaborative work with marketing, product management, and customer service to improve mix and/or margin progressively and strategically over time.
• Works closely with Quality / Product Assurance in coordinating customer complaints satisfaction on a timely basis.
• Coordinates credit screening, customer payment compliance and follow-up, and makes informed credit recommendations working closely with the Corporate Credit.
• Generates an 18-month rolling forecast for volume and pricing by account on a monthly basis (data used for Demand Planning and the S&OP process).
• Remains diligently up to date with the Commercial Specialties Products portfolio to allow for better screening of opportunities when prospecting.
• Negotiates all long-term contracts with approval from Director and Vice President. Coordinates pricing strategies for strategic accounts, new inquires, and customer contracts.
• Proactively communicates with senior management on critical strategic issues. Works effectively to solve customer problems, both independently and by facilitating the right people, as needed.
  
  

Qualifications

• Five (5) years related experience in a commercial sales or business development role serving North America or global specialty paper industry.
• Experience selling to large national accounts with complex organizations.
• Bachelor's degree (BS/BA) from four-year college or university.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office applications; proficient skill in creating documents to facilitate meetings and discussions; capability of producing documents needed to drive customer and internal discussions.
• Excellent communication skills (listening, verbal, and written).
• Ability to lead professional discussions, present information and respond to questions from groups of managers, clients, customers, and the general public.
• Must hold and maintain a valid motor vehicle operator license.
  
  

Key Competency Areas

• Consultative selling.
• Ability to influence others and implement appropriate changes.
• Ability to work effectively in a team environment.
• Fundamental understanding of the pulping, papermaking and paper coating process.
• Effective time management.
• Willingness to learn.
• Attention to detail.
• Presentation skills.
• Ability to gain detailed knowledge about markets, products, customers, and industry issues.
• Good delegation and organizational skills.
• Thorough understanding of competitive activity and threats.
• Strong leadership skills.
  
  

Additional Information

Competitive 401K match and healthcare benefit package.