Job Summary:

AMF Bakery Systems is the world's leading manufacturer of high-speed bakery equipment. We provide complete automated bakery solutions for numerous categories, including Soft Bread & Roll, Artisan Bread & Roll, Cake & Pie, Pizza & Flatbread, and Pastry & Croissant.

AMF Bakery Systems is seeking a driven and self-motivated Strategic Account Manager to support a single strategic account and to develop new business opportunities for AMF Bakery Systems. This role is heavily responsible for the conception, design, and execution of bakery equipment installations at this strategic account. Applications Engineering is, therefore, a key requirement of the job. Cross-functional partnership (leading without authority) with Engineering, Project Management, Product Management, and Marketing teams are essential to the success of this role.

Territory: Continental United States

Reports to: Sales Director - Americas

Job Description / Responsibilities:

• Develop and sustain meaningful relationships with key contacts at the Strategic Customer
  • Navigate the customers internal structure and understand how the different departments and decision makers interact
  • Work to address and resolve any issues or complaints from the client
• Partner with the client to design and develop complete bun and bread production lines
  • Visit customer facilities to evaluate existing production lines for new opportunities
  • Work with Customer's project team to create capital project plans/layouts/budgets
  • Capital Project scope can span from subsystems to line reconfigurations to greenfield multi-line facilities
  • Typical capital project workflow:
    • Concept > Applications (Layout > Budget/Pricing) > Proposal > Capital Approval Committee > Contract Negotiation > Scheduling > Field Support & Commissioning > Aftermarket and Parts Support
  • Serve as primary point of contact between Customer and AMF's internal teams
    • Provide customer feedback to engineering/field-service/marketing/manufacturing teams to ensure there is alignment between AMF's priorities and client's priorities
    • Partner with Product Development to research/develop new products/ranges
    • Partner with Project Management to deliver products and solutions per contract requirements
  • Develop a strategic account plan to appropriately sustain existing business and grow future opportunities
  • Understand AMF's portfolio and strengths and leverage those assets to offer systems and sub-systems that perform successfully
  • Utilize CRM to organize sales activities and manage the sales cycle: opportunities > proposals > orders
  • Accurately forecast conversion of proposals to orders against KPI targets
  • Negotiate contracts to include commercial terms, pricing, and fulfillment of all agreed upon requirements
  • Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending key industry events and educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, and establishing personal networks

Requirements:

• Strong Applications Engineering skills
• Experience with AutoCAD software, and ability to create functional layout drawings
• An understanding of system integration and experience with industrial automation
• Strong negotiation and decision-making skills. A sense of awareness, and perspective on when to challenge, when to defer, when to ask questions, and when to ask for help
• Interpersonal skills: the ability to build rapport with key contacts at the Customer
• Excellent communication, listening, and presenting skills
• Strong negotiation and influencing skills
• Customer-oriented attitude
• Proven decision making and problem-solving abilities
• Strong organizational skills and ability to prioritize work
• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical, Electrical, Civil, or Industrial Engineering (or related field) OR extensive work experience in the design of factory automation equipment
• Minimum of 5 years' experience in baking, food processing equipment, factory automation, or related B2B sales (bakery industry equipment preferred)
• Experience with Microsoft Office
• Willing to travel (including weekends) and work outside of normal business hours
• Valid US driver's license

Helpful for success:

• Challenger attitude, unafraid to ask customers to get out of their comfort zone
• Experience with industrial automation and integrated system design
• Firm grasp of the industrial baking process and how AMF's product lines complement the overall facility
• Understanding of the equipment outside of AMF's scope, as well as auxiliary equipment (such as refrigeration systems, generators and switchgear, heat recovery systems, boiler-rooms, compressed-air systems, etc.) as well as the ability to draw functional layouts including this equipment.
• The ability to learn the technical application of equipment and match to the needs of the customer
• Experience designing industrial baking equipment
• General knowledge of commercial construction practices
• Experience with pricing and executing sales strategies
• Experience with CRM software (AMF uses MS Dynamics 365 Sales)
• Located in Eastern time zone, specifically the southeastern US

What we offer:

• Competitive Salary & Commission Package (Dependent on Sales Experience & Skills)
• Laptop, Mobile Phone, Competitive 401K & benefits package