Sales Account Manager

Summary/Purpose:

JTEKT North America is looking for a versatile Sales Account Manager that can utilize their technically driven knowledge and experience to help new and current automotive customers solve their challenges with our reliable products. The Account Manager will be responsible for promoting JTEKT products and capabilities to cultivate new business; coordinating customer programs and the actions needed to define, develop, and produce the required product. Additionally, the Sales Account Manager communicates business opportunities, issues, and status to other JTEKT members and departments to meet customer expectations and achieve JTEKT goals.

Essential Duties and Accountabilities:

• Develop system level technical solutions with customers
• Develop and employ strong prospecting, market research, and customer research skills to seek out and qualify leads and contacts at new customers
• Strategically develop and grow relationships at potential and existing customers
• Develop and share compelling JTEKT product and capability presentations to nurture new opportunities
• Review and support new and current product development activities to ensure that the customer’s expectations are met and/or exceeded
• Obtain and process RFQ’s per customer requirements
• Identify, develop, and prepare quotations for business opportunities
• Receive and verify customer purchase orders
• Routine commercial and technical interaction with automotive customers including international and service entities
• Support on site visits to the engineering, purchasing, and manufacturing groups of assigned automotive accounts
• Provide technical assistance in systematic problem-solving initiatives; communicate and/or collaborate with internal departments and the customer as necessary
• Negotiate and/or assist in resolving customer issues (pricing, quality etc.)
• Develop and implement strategic plans, sales forecasts, marketing plans and materials needed to grow assigned customers effectively and profitably
• Document and report, as appropriate, sales results, requirements, market trends, variances etc.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• This position has no supervisory responsibilities

Job Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Knowledge / understanding / experience with vehicle systems / sub systems (steering, driveline or vehicle dynamics preferred)
• Ability to work in a team-oriented / multi-cultural environment utilizing effective interpersonal skills
• Superior analytical, problem-solving skills
• Innovative, questioning, supportive of continuous improvement / change
• Excellent communication/presentation skills, written, verbal, listening, questioning
• High degree of initiative, with ability to make decisions
• Ability to prioritize and deal with multiple assignments simultaneously
• Previous experience in negotiating with purchasing and/or engineering departments is preferred
• Project management experience is desirable

Education and Experience:

• Bachelor of Science Degree (Mechanical Engineering preferred)

Work Environment/Physical Demands:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Work is mostly performed in a normal office setting with minimal exposure to health or safety hazards, and with substantial time spent working on a computer. Requires sufficient hand, arm, and finger dexterity to operate computer keyboard and other office equipment.
• The performance of this position may occasionally require exposure to manufacturing and/or test areas which require the use of personal protective equipment such as safety glasses with side shields and mandatory hearing protection.
• Travel by automobile and plane required approximately 10-20% of time. 

The Parent Company: 

JTEKT Corporation was established in January 2006 through the merger of Koyo Seiko Co., Ltd. and Toyoda Machine Works, Ltd. Combining the most advanced technologies and the manufacturing expertise of both companies, JTEKT delivers innovative products that satisfy the most demanding customers all over the world in the Automotive, Energy Generation, Aerospace, and Rail industries. With our “Customer First” commitment to quality, reliability, and innovation in motion, JTEKT is recognized as a top 20 automotive supplier, and as we did in 1988 with the world’s first electric power steering system (EPAS), continues to deliver innovative new technologies to our society.