What are the responsibilities and job description for the Customer Service Representative/Account Manager position at The Atlas Group?
Overview:
The Manager of Account & Program Management is responsible for leading the customer-facing account activities and full program lifecycle management for key customers of Brenner Aerostructures. This role serves as the primary liaison between OEMs (commercial and defense), Brenner’s internal functions (sales, program management, operations, supply chain, quality, and engineering), and The Atlas Group corporate standards. The goal is to sustain and grow customer relationships, ensure contract and program execution aligns with delivery, cost, quality, and compliance targets, and promote incremental business opportunities.
Responsibilities:
Accounts & Customer Relationship Management
- Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned key customers, building and maintaining strong relationships across procurement, engineering, operations, program management, and senior leadership.
- Develop and execute account plans aligned with Brenner’s strategic goals and customer business objectives – identifying growth potentials, cross-sell, and value-added services.
- Monitor customer satisfaction, performance scorecards, and drive corrective action when performance (delivery, quality, cost) deviates.
- Collaborate with Business Development and Sales teams to support RFIs/RFPs, proposal development, contract negotiations, and expansions.
- Provide market intelligence and customer insights back to Brenner and The Atlas Group leadership (e.g., program roadmap, technology trends, competitor activity).
Program Management & Execution Oversight
- Manage the end-to-end lifecycle of assigned programs from contract award through manufacturing, delivery, and post-delivery support.
- Lead cross-functional program teams, including operations, quality, supply chain, engineering, and finance to ensure programs meet schedule, cost, and quality targets.
- Oversee program planning, milestone tracking, risk management, change control, and customer-facing program reviews (kick-off, PDR/DDR, production reviews).
- Ensure compliance with aerospace manufacturing standards including AS9100, ISO, Nadcap (as applicable), export control (ITAR/EAR), and customer-specific requirements.
- Monitor program financial performance—margin, cost variances, change orders, and ensure escalation of issues as needed.
Contract & Commercial Management
- Review and manage customer contracts, purchase orders, forecasts, and amendments.
- Ensure accurate acknowledgement of orders, alignment of scope, deliverables, pricing and terms.
- Lead internal cost-to-serve, profitability and quotation support for customer programs; identify cost reduction or value engineering opportunities.
- Partner with Legal and Finance to manage exposure, compliance, and reporting obligations.
Continuous Improvement & Business Growth
- Identify opportunities to drive program/process improvements across the account and within Brenner’s operations (Lean, Six-Sigma, value stream optimization) to enhance delivery, cost, and customer value.
- Work with the Director of Operations and senior leadership to align account priorities with the division’s strategic roadmap and capacity.
- Support new product introductions (NPIs) and business transitions into new platforms or customers, providing customer interface and internal coordination.
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities
- Strong relationship-building, commercial, and program management skills with the ability to engage at all levels within customer and internal organizations.
- Solid knowledge of aerospace manufacturing and supply chain environment (aerostructures, precision machining, chemical processing, bonding).
- Familiarity with aerospace quality and regulatory standards (AS9100, Nadcap, ITAR/EAR) and program management best practices.
- Proven track record in managing complex aerospace programs or major accounts – schedule, cost, and quality responsibility.
- Excellent analytical, financial acumen and decision-making capabilities.
- Effective communication, negotiation, and presentation skills.
- Proficient in ERP/CRM systems (e.g., Epicor, SAP), MS Office, and KPI/scorecard reporting.
- Ability to lead and work across multi-discipline teams, thrive in a high-mix/low-volume manufacturing environment.
Education and Experience
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Program/Operations Management or related field (required). MBA or advanced degree preferred.
- Minimum of 8–10 years of experience in aerospace or defense account management, program management or customer-facing roles, with at least 3 years in a leadership or team-lead capacity.
- Experience working with OEM customers, high-value contracts, and manufacturing programs; experience in aerostructures or precision manufacturing is a strong plus.
- Demonstrated success driving customer growth, program execution excellence, and cross-functional team leadership.
Physical Requirements
- Regular presence at customer sites and internal operations; ability to travel (~25–40%) as needed.
- Office and manufacturing floor environment; periodic walking in shop floor, visiting supplier or customer sites.
- Standard office ergonomics and occasional lifting up to 25 lbs for onsite materials, presentations, or field visits.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Customer & Account Metrics: Customer satisfaction/Net Promoter Score, account growth/revenue, account margin.
- Program Execution Metrics: On-Time Delivery (OTD) for customer programs, schedule adherence, cost variance to budget, quality escapes/customer returns.
- Financial/Commercial Metrics: Program margin, cost of poor quality/returns, contract compliance/change order capture rate.
- Continuous Improvement & Risk Metrics: % of programs with risk mitigation plans, reduction in schedule slips, number of value-engineering initiatives realized.
- Team & Leadership Metrics: Account team retention, internal/external stakeholder feedback, cross-functional collaboration success.
Position Impact
The Manager, Account & Program Management is critical to Brenner Aerostructures’ ability to deliver operational excellence, customer trust, and business growth. This role ensures that Brenner fulfills its commitment to The Atlas Group’s reputation for high-quality aerospace manufacturing, delivering precision, reliability and value to our OEM partners while safeguarding profitability and driving strategic initiatives.