Strategic Account Manager II

H.B. Fuller is a leading global adhesives provider focusing on perfecting adhesives, sealants and other specialty chemicals across all industries throughout the world. While our products are virtually invisible, they play a vital role in ensuring the quality of modern life and we are committed to connecting what matters to solve some of the world's biggest adhesion challenges.

We, at H.B. Fuller embrace a shared set of beliefs and competencies that direct the way we operate and express our fundamental principals about how we will achieve success. We strive to hire talent that demonstrates our beliefs and our competencies. 

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Strategic Account Manager, as the one voice to the customer, drives HBF’s commercial goals by anticipating and meeting the needs of the customer. Develops and owns a strategic plan for own accounts, and drives the execution of the plan through expert communication, coordination of activities and influence of indirect resources.
• Develops and owns a strategic plan for own accounts, and drives the execution of the plan through expert communication, coordination of activities and influence of indirect resources;
• Develops sales funnel for future growth opportunities;
• One voice to the customer;
• Drives HBF’s commercial goals ,optimizing share, price and profitability;
• Anticipates and meets the needs of the customer;
• Consistently applies sales process and use of all sales tools; and
• 30% of time focused on growth (larger opportunities).

PRIMARY DUTIES

CORE COMPETENCIES
• Accountability
• Customer Focus
• Performance Excellence
• Change and Risk Taking
• Innovation
• Teamwork

ACCOUNTABILITY
• Develops strategy and an account plan for short and long term to defend and grow the account, optimize profitability, and manage risk
• Strategic Account Manager is accountable for delivering annual business results, aligned with business plan, sales, CM and volume
• Negotiates pricing and margin (aligned with the business) using value selling and the flip pricing tool to capture the optimum price and margin for HBF 
• Owns the contact matrix, ensuring that the expectations of all parties are set and met, internal & external

CUSTOMER FOCUSED 
• Drive customer intimacy by delivering HBF’s value proposition tailored to meet the needs of the customer
• Identifies customer needs and translates into opportunities. 
• Promote, quantify and expertly sell value, which differentiates HBF in the market and adds value to our customers
• Consistently deliver value to our customers to realize customer loyalty and minimize erosion
• Provide insight to the customer through expert application of skills and knowledge. Anticipate current and future needs of the customer through deep understanding of the customer’s business 
• Demonstrates the ability to teach the customer on current market trends and issues, and is able to be a strategic partner to our customers on key issues such as industry and raw material trends 

PERFORMANCE EXCELLENCE (including BUSINESS ACUMEN)
• Consistently manage activities to ensure all EHS requirements are followed
• Implement business pricing strategy, in consultation with business director, expertly delivers price increases and maintains the business
• Leverage all sales processes, including salesforce.com.
• Identifies and prioritizes new business opportunities and communicates forecasting needs to the business
• Intimately knows the industry, including developing new business pipeline
• Manage time by balancing effort between existing business and new business pipeline
• Understands competitive landscape and how to position HBF for advantage 
• Develops and owns cross-functional relationships across the strategic account from the C-suite to plant level
• Manage impact on profitability by promoting the right products, negotiating terms and conditions, providing reliable forecasting, and managing the impact on working capital 
• Manage T&E expenses to budget 

CHANGE AND RISK-TAKING
• Adapt easily to a dynamic environment and maintain high levels of motivation and engagement
• Credible leader in the sales team and positively influences change
• Creatively consider solutions for customers with a willingness for calculated risk-taking to win

INNOVATION 
• Partners with Technical and R&D to ensure voice of the customer is received and acknowledged in the HBF R&D pipeline.
• Strategic Account Manager is accountable for transferring HBF innovation back to the customer, in collaboration with R&D. 
• Promote and sell innovative HBF technologies that create competitive advantage and optimize value for customers and HBF

TEAMWORK
• Collaborates with strategic account director and business director to develop account strategy
• Coaches and influences team members to implement the strategy
• Coordinates all supporting resources for customer, including technical, field sales, R&D, quality, customer service, etc
• Expertly communicates across the business on all internal and external activities, in line with the strategic plan. Provides monthly updates to all stakeholders
• Partners with GSMs, field sales, customer service, supply chain, and R&D to establish priorities, service levels and deliverables

SALES COMPETENCIES & BEHAVIORS
• Negotiating: Negotiates more complex situations within and outside of the organization. Thoughtfully develops creative solutions that satisfy all parties
• Managing a portfolio: Manages formal, headquarter-driven strategic accounts. Maintains a healthy growth pipeline from strategic accounts always with a focus on growing share of wallet. Allocates time with key decision makers and influencers inside strategic accounts to ensure account plan priorities are aligned with customer requirements.
• Demonstrating strategic intent / Being Innovative: Develops compelling plans that are communicated within the organization with HBF resources aligned for implementation. Contacts are cross-functional and widespread. Customer and HBF is clear on how we impact customer strategic goals.
• Presenting: Comfortably presents to a broad and diverse group, maintaining group focus and articulately responds to unrehearsed questions and progresses agenda.
• Questioning / Listening: Actively listens to others; asks appropriate questions indicating interest in and knowledge of the message; focuses without interruption; evaluates verbal statements and nonverbal behavior to gain insight; responds appropriately in a non-judgmental manner.
• Communicating: Delivers accurate, clear, and concise messages. Presents an open persona that encourages even the most reluctant person to express his/her views. Demonstrates the ability to recognize when others are having difficulty understanding his/her messages and adapts style appropriately.
• Prospecting: Has an awareness of customer strategy and how this will impact future share of wallet and growth opportunities. Prospecting activity incudes new applications and customer opportunities that are reflected in the pipeline.
• Being a team player: Has ability to coach key stakeholders in implementing strategy. Encourages people with opposing viewpoints to express their thoughts. Assumes accountability for team goals, relating to the portfolio of customers.

KNOWLEDGE
• Customer Knowledge
o Understands customer's business and relative position in their markets. Aware of opportunities and issues facing the customer long-term.
• Products & Value
o Establishes the correct level of technical support required by customer and ensures HBF consistently delivers value proposition.
• Sales Process & Sales Tools
o Creates advantage through deep understanding of customer needs and has identified the key issues we aim to address and solve
• Trends in Market & Industry
o Has a broad and always growing understanding of markets and industry, and frequently includes in conversations with customers.
• Supply chain & Customer Service
o Understands and manages impact of our value proposition on cash flow and profitability
o Is able to optimize offer for the customer by creatively using supply chain knowledge
• Business Acumen
o Consistently applies pricing strategy and ensures that new pricing sticks
o Has solid understanding of customer economic and value drivers and tailors our offer accordingly

EMPLOYEES SUPERVISED
None

SCOPE OF RESPONSIBILITY
• Large, regional accts, single & multi-site + medium-complexity headquarter sites.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS 
• 4 year college degree, with a preference for technical/mechanical or marketing 
• Minimum of 6 years of industrial sales experience; could consider marketing or technical experience as an alternative
• Must have a valid driver’s license and be willing to travel. 
• Travel time depends on size/geography of the territory.
• Ability to lift and carry up to 50 lbs.