Junior Account Manager / Account Service Technician - Chemist

Position: Junior Account Manager / Account Service Technician - Chemist

Pay: $50,000-$70,000, plus commission negotiable.

Location: John L. Armitage & Company (545 National Drive, Gallatin, TN 37066)

Required Travel 50%

Job Description:

Industrial paint and coatings company is seeking a resourceful and driven Account Manager / Account Service Technician - Chemist. The primary responsibilities of this position are managing customer relationships while providing customer on-site technical service, technical audits, quality control, and troubleshooting. This hybrid commercial and technical role.

The role combines account management, field troubleshooting, product application support, coating testing, and customer-service responsibilities. A successful candidate will develop a detailed understanding of each customer’s process, identify opportunities to improve performance of coatings, respond to technical concerns, and coordinate internally with sales, laboratory, operations, customer service, and delivery.

This is a grow-to-fill role, meaning that senior technical leadership and account managers will assist the candidate in developing their knowledgebase in the coatings business, coatings chemistry, customer operations (metals and wood products), and account management. Though relevant work experience is an important factor for a qualified candidate, there will be extensive opportunity provided to learn the ins and outs of coatings technology and the coatings industry. This position is best suited for a highly motivated candidate with a blend of technical passion and business acumen.

Key Responsibilities:

·       Manage and develop assigned customer accounts, serving as the primary day-to-day contact for commercial, technical, product-performance, and service-related needs.

·       Build strong working relationships with customer stakeholders across purchasing, operations, maintenance, production, engineering, quality, finishing, and plant management functions.

·       Conduct routine on-site customer visits to evaluate coating performance, application conditions, coating quality, operating practices, and customer satisfaction.

·       Provide hands-on technical service and field support for industrial paint and coatings programs used in metal and wood-product manufacturing environments.

·       Perform technical audits of customer coating operations, including surface preparation, coating application, curing conditions, film appearance, adhesion, chemistry, and related quality-control practices.

·       Troubleshoot and coordinate resolution of customer concerns involving coating appearance, product- and process-related issues.

·       Support new-product trials, coating conversions, line startups, process changes, customer qualifications, and product-performance evaluations.

·       Coordinate with laboratory, technical, sales, operations, customer-service, and delivery teams to ensure customer needs and requirements are clearly communicated and service commitments are met.

·       Prepare timely and accurate service reports, technical-audit reports, test summaries, customer visit notes, corrective-action documentation, and follow-up recommendations.

·       Follow all company and customer environmental, health, safety, quality, and security requirements, including use of personal protective equipment.

·       Developing expertise in industrial coatings chemistry, application equipment, wood and metal finishing processes, quality-control methods, customer operations, and account-management practices through formal training, field mentoring, and hands-on experience.

·       Travel regularly and extensively to customer locations and provide responsive support for urgent customer issues when needed.

Required Qualifications:

Batchlor’s degree in chemistry or chemical engineering.

Strong analytical and mathematical aptitude.

Excellent communication skills.

Willingness to wear PPE and comply with safety regulations.

Valid driver’s license and willingness to travel regularly and extensively.

Proficiency with standard business software, including Excel, Microsoft Office applications, CRM systems, and technical-reporting tools.

Laboratory experience.

Preferred Qualifications:

A minimum of five (5) years of working experience.

Experience in the paint, coatings, structural steel, or wood products industry.

Manufacturing, quality-control, technical-service, or field-service experience.

Customer-facing technical-sales, account-management, or commercial experience.

Benefits:

Health Insurance via Blue Cross/Blue Shield

Simple IRA with 3% matching

Paid holidays, vacation, and personal days

Use of company car