Sr. Key Account Manager

Senior Key Account Manager

Department:

Commercial Operations & Global Sales, Inventory and Operations Planning

Reports To:

Director, Commercial Operations & Global Sales, Inventory and Operations Planning

Location:

Remote option or onsite in either Marquette, MI or Bethlehem, PA (travel to sites and customers quarterly, approx. 20%)

FLSA Status:

Exempt

MAIN FUNCTION

The Senior Key Account Manager holds primary ownership of Exalta's most strategically significant original equipment manufacturer (OEM) accounts, serving as the senior customer-facing leader within the Commercial Operations team. This role requires substantial prior customer-facing experience within the OEM industry — medical device OEM experience strongly preferred — combined with demonstrated judgment managing complex, multi-site customer relationships at the executive level. The Senior Key Account Manager owns the customer Sales and Operations Planning (S&OP) cadence for assigned strategic accounts, serves as the senior escalation point for customer-impacting issues, and partners directly with the Director of Commercial Operations and Global SIOP to translate customer demand into the SIOP process. The role also carries responsibility for mentoring and developing Key Account Managers, strengthening the team's account strategy and execution. This position is designed to build the next generation of commercial leadership within a vertically integrated medical device manufacturing environment.

PRINCIPAL DUTIES / RESPONSIBILITIES

Strategic Account Leadership

• Own the end-to-end commercial relationship for Exalta's most strategically significant OEM accounts, serving as the senior point of contact across multiple product lines, programs, and sites.
• Lead the customer S&OP cadence for assigned strategic accounts, driving rollout, phased maturity, and ongoing governance in partnership with the Director of Commercial Operations and Global SIOP.
• Develop account-level strategic plans that align customer growth expectations with Exalta's capacity and operational constraints.
• Represent Commercial Operations in executive-level customer business reviews, contract discussions, and new program launch conversations.

SIOP Integration & Demand Ownership

• Serve as the senior demand data owner for assigned strategic accounts within the SIOP process; validate and reconcile the highest-exposure forecast inputs ahead of the monthly demand review gate.
• Own forecast accuracy performance for the largest accounts in the portfolio, identify variance drivers, and present trends into the SIOP executive alignment as needed.
• Partner with the Director of Commercial Operations and Global SIOP to ensure customer demand inputs are reflected accurately in the SIOP demand plan, surfacing capacity risk early.
• Support new product introduction onboarding for strategic account programs, coordinating across quality, planning, and operations at the program level.

Escalation & Customer Experience Ownership

• Serve as the senior escalation point for customer-impacting issues across assigned strategic accounts, providing strategic direction rather than case-level handling.
• Own root-cause resolution for significant service disruptions, partnering with planning, supply chain, and quality to protect delivery commitments.
• Drive proactive, executive-level communication with customers on constraint impacts, delays, or substitutions.

Team Leadership & Development

• Mentor and coach Key Account Managers on account strategy, escalation handling, and demand data ownership.
• Provide the Director of Commercial Operations and Global SIOP with structured input on Key Account Manager performance, account coverage, and development needs.
• Support onboarding and knowledge transfer for new Key Account Management team members.

Analytics, Reporting & Continuous Improvement

• Own KPI reporting for the Key Account Management team, consolidating on-time delivery, backorder, and fill rate performance across the portfolio.
• Identify systemic trends across accounts and lead continuous improvement initiatives in customer operations, demand management, and order fulfillment workflows.
• Contribute to ERP (Epicor) and Power BI reporting enhancements supporting Commercial Operations and SIOP objectives.
• Ensure all customer-facing operations comply with FDA, ISO 13485, ISO 9001, and company quality standards.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Customer Focus — advanced ability to build and sustain executive-level relationships with OEM customers.
• Leadership and Mentorship — proven ability to guide and develop Key Account Managers.
• Business Acumen — strong understanding of OEM contract manufacturing economics, capacity constraints, and account profitability drivers.
• Conflict Resolution and Negotiation — expertise managing complex, high-stakes customer issues to resolution.
• Analytical and Critical Thinking — ability to translate order, forecast, and fulfillment data into account strategy.
• Communication — executive-level written and verbal communication skills, able to represent Exalta credibly with customer Director- and Vice President-level stakeholders.

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrated ability to manage a portfolio of large, complex OEM accounts simultaneously, balancing strategic priorities with day-to-day delivery commitments.
• Executive-level written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to represent Exalta professionally in high-visibility customer settings.
• Advanced analytical ability to translate order, forecast, and fulfillment data into account-level strategy and risk mitigation.
• Proven skill mentoring and developing less experienced team members.
• Collaborative working style with a demonstrated ability to drive cross-functional follow-through at senior levels.
• Deep familiarity with demand planning, Sales and Operations Planning processes, and customer order management.
• Proficiency in enterprise resource planning systems (Epicor preferred), Microsoft Excel (advanced), and Power BI or equivalent reporting tools.

REQUIRED / PREFERRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain, or a related field required; Master's degree a plus.
• Minimum of five years of direct, customer-facing experience within the OEM industry required; medical device OEM or contract manufacturing experience strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated experience owning or supporting a formal Sales and Operations Planning or Sales, Inventory and Operations Planning cadence with strategic accounts.
• Prior experience mentoring, coaching, or informally leading account management team members preferred.
• Experience navigating FDA-regulated or ISO 13485 quality environments strongly preferred.
• Epicor enterprise resource planning experience preferred; exposure to order management or demand planning modules is an advantage.

WORKING CONDITIONS

This position operates in a professional office environment with periodic interaction with manufacturing and warehouse functions. Travel to customer sites and offices may be required (approximately 20%, generally on a quarterly cadence). Must be able to maintain composure and professionalism in high-visibility, executive-level customer escalation scenarios.

Originally posted on Himalayas