What are the responsibilities and job description for the Operational Key Account Manager position at Kuehne+Nagel?
It's more than a job
When you work in Freight Logistics and Operations at Kuehne Nagel, you play a key role in optimising processes and ensuring that inventory and shipments move efficiently. But that is not all. Your work also helps ensure that vital medicines reach patients on time and supports other essential deliveries, from wind turbines to semiconductors. At Kuehne Nagel, our contribution counts in more ways than we imagine.
How you create impact
The Operational Key Account Manager serves as the primary operational point of contact for assigned customers, both within North America and globally. This role is responsible for managing customer relationships, translating operational requirements into execution, driving service excellence, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives in partnership with internal Kuehne Nagel teams.
What's in it for you
At Kuehne Nagel we strive daily to inspire, empower, and deliver not only to our customers, but also to our colleagues. We offer a dynamic global work environment with opportunities for excellent training programs and career mobility. Base salary is part of a competitive total rewards package that includes health and welfare benefits, a 401k retirement savings plan, tuition reimbursement, and incentive compensation for eligible roles. Individual pay may vary from the target range and is determined by a number of factors including experience, skills, job location, internal pay equity, and other relevant business considerations. Kuehne Nagel reviews pay ranges regularly to ensure competitive and fair pay based on industry market data. TD1
Kuehne Nagel participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used to assist in specific processes [e.g. screening applications, interview scheduling]. These tools analyze information to support decision-making, but final decisions are made by human reviewers.
Who we are
Logistics shapes everyday life - from the goods we consume to the healthcare we rely on. At Kuehne Nagel, your work goes beyond logistics; it enables both ordinary and special moments in the lives of people around the world.
As a global leader with a strong heritage and a vision to move the world forward, we offer a safe, stable environment where your career can make a real difference. Whether we help deliver life-saving medicines, develop sustainable transportation solutions or support our local communities, your career will contribute to more than you can imagine.
We kindly advise that placement agencies refrain from submitting unsolicited profiles. Any submissions of candidates without prior signed agreement will be considered our property and no fees will be paid.
Kuehne Nagel is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEO”) and to compliance with all federal, state, and local laws that prohibit workplace discrimination and unlawful retaliation. Kuehne Nagel strictly prohibits all discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, color, age, national origin, ethnicity, religious creed or belief, physical or mental disability, marital or familial status, legally protected medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical condition), gender (including gender identity and gender expression), sexual orientation, citizenship status, protected activity (such as opposition to or reporting of prohibited discrimination or harassment. Kuehne Nagel will also make reasonable accommodations for disabled applicants and employees, including accommodations for pregnancy and childbirth, and for the sincerely held religious beliefs of applicants and employees depending upon individual circumstances unless such accommodation would create an undue hardship on Kuehne Nagel.
When you work in Freight Logistics and Operations at Kuehne Nagel, you play a key role in optimising processes and ensuring that inventory and shipments move efficiently. But that is not all. Your work also helps ensure that vital medicines reach patients on time and supports other essential deliveries, from wind turbines to semiconductors. At Kuehne Nagel, our contribution counts in more ways than we imagine.
How you create impact
The Operational Key Account Manager serves as the primary operational point of contact for assigned customers, both within North America and globally. This role is responsible for managing customer relationships, translating operational requirements into execution, driving service excellence, and supporting continuous improvement initiatives in partnership with internal Kuehne Nagel teams.
- Build and maintain trusted relationships with customers in North America and globally, serving as the primary operational contact and escalation point.
- Clarify, negotiate, and formalize customer operational requirements and service expectations.
- Design and implement customer‑specific operational solutions to drive satisfaction, loyalty, and cost optimization.
- Serve as subject matter expert on Kuehne Nagel services, supporting new business opportunities and customer growth.
- Lead onboarding and implementation of new business, joint initiatives, and customer‑driven projects.
- Represent customer needs internally across Kuehne Nagel operations, ensuring accurate execution and alignment.
- Develop, maintain, and ensure adherence to SOPs; manage operational escalations and address compliance gaps.
- Support RFQs, spot rate requests, and rate card maintenance in partnership with Key Account Management.
- Maintain accurate customer setup in operational systems, including EDI, automation, alerts, and master data.
- Monitor billing, visibility, and internal compliance to address A/R and service issues.
- Define and formalize KPIs with customers and internal stakeholders.
- Develop, analyze, and present KPI reporting and operational performance data at agreed intervals.
- Identify root causes of performance gaps and drive corrective actions with local and regional operations.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives in collaboration with business units.
- Prepare and present operational performance, KPI results, and improvement initiatives during customer business reviews at country, regional, and global levels.
- Partner with Global and Regional Key Account Managers in preparation of customer presentations and materials.
- 5 years of experience in sea and air freight forwarding.
- Strong knowledge of import/export forwarding operations, systems, processes, and security requirements.
- Proven experience in customer relationship management within complex, multinational environments.
- Ability to influence internal teams through leadership, collaboration, and trust.
- Strong analytical skills with a proactive, improvement‑driven mindset.
- Experience onboarding new business using structured implementation best practices.
- Ability to drive customer compliance through effective communication of international trade regulations.
- Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
- German language proficiency is considered an asset.
What's in it for you
At Kuehne Nagel we strive daily to inspire, empower, and deliver not only to our customers, but also to our colleagues. We offer a dynamic global work environment with opportunities for excellent training programs and career mobility. Base salary is part of a competitive total rewards package that includes health and welfare benefits, a 401k retirement savings plan, tuition reimbursement, and incentive compensation for eligible roles. Individual pay may vary from the target range and is determined by a number of factors including experience, skills, job location, internal pay equity, and other relevant business considerations. Kuehne Nagel reviews pay ranges regularly to ensure competitive and fair pay based on industry market data. TD1
Kuehne Nagel participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S. Employers can only use E-Verify once you have accepted a job offer and completed the Form I-9.
Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used to assist in specific processes [e.g. screening applications, interview scheduling]. These tools analyze information to support decision-making, but final decisions are made by human reviewers.
Who we are
Logistics shapes everyday life - from the goods we consume to the healthcare we rely on. At Kuehne Nagel, your work goes beyond logistics; it enables both ordinary and special moments in the lives of people around the world.
As a global leader with a strong heritage and a vision to move the world forward, we offer a safe, stable environment where your career can make a real difference. Whether we help deliver life-saving medicines, develop sustainable transportation solutions or support our local communities, your career will contribute to more than you can imagine.
We kindly advise that placement agencies refrain from submitting unsolicited profiles. Any submissions of candidates without prior signed agreement will be considered our property and no fees will be paid.
Kuehne Nagel is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity (“EEO”) and to compliance with all federal, state, and local laws that prohibit workplace discrimination and unlawful retaliation. Kuehne Nagel strictly prohibits all discrimination on the basis of race, ancestry, color, age, national origin, ethnicity, religious creed or belief, physical or mental disability, marital or familial status, legally protected medical condition, genetic information, military or veteran status, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical condition), gender (including gender identity and gender expression), sexual orientation, citizenship status, protected activity (such as opposition to or reporting of prohibited discrimination or harassment. Kuehne Nagel will also make reasonable accommodations for disabled applicants and employees, including accommodations for pregnancy and childbirth, and for the sincerely held religious beliefs of applicants and employees depending upon individual circumstances unless such accommodation would create an undue hardship on Kuehne Nagel.