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Key Account Manager, Automotive
About APPLIED Adhesives:
We have you covered.
Nobody knows more about adhesives than APPLIED Adhesives. We are passionate about solving complex challenges with innovative adhesive products and offerings. APPLIED is the industry leader in helping manage costs, reduce waste, and make entire operations run more efficiently. From adhesives, equipment, parts, and service, we have you covered.
With world-class adhesive products, equipment, and parts along with visionary leadership, unparalleled expertise, and an agile, responsive service team, we’re not happy simply staying put. Every day, we leverage our technical expertise and passion for problem solving for the benefit of our customers and the future of our company.
We have countless victories that we could celebrate, but we’re more interested in looking forward than back. We’ve collected the talent and skills to continue innovating new product solutions and applications in emerging industries. We have the fortitude to not only accept challenges, but to seek them out. And we have the confidence and determination to become the most sought-after adhesive solutions partner.
Come join us!
The Role:
The Key Account Manager, Automotive is responsible for managing and growing relationships with Applied’s most strategic automotive OEM, Tier 1, and Tier 2 customers. This role owns enterprise-level and multi-plant customer engagement across automotive platforms and is accountable for driving profitable growth, expanding solution adoption, and strengthening long-term partnerships within the automotive manufacturing environment.
The Key Account Manager, Automotive serves as the primary commercial leader for assigned automotive accounts, aligning customer manufacturing, quality, and cost objectives with Applied’s adhesive materials, equipment, parts, and service solutions across body-in-white, interior, powertrain, battery, and other automotive applications.
This position requires regular travel (50% - 70%) to automotive customer facilities and Applied locations.
This is a remote role, but you must live in CST or EST time zones to be considered for this role.
Key Responsibilities:
- Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned automotive OEM and Tier supplier accounts across multiple plants and regions.
- Develop and execute comprehensive, multi-year automotive account strategies aligned with platform launches, production cycles, and customer business objectives.
- Build strong relationships with customer stakeholders at plant, engineering, purchasing, quality, and corporate levels.
- Drive revenue growth by expanding material, equipment, service, and parts adoption within existing automotive platforms.
- Identify opportunities to support new vehicle programs, model refreshes, electric vehicle (EV) initiatives, and process changes.
- Expand Applied’s footprint across additional plants, lines, and applications within assigned accounts.
- Lead RFQ, sourcing, and contract negotiations aligned to automotive purchasing cycles and cost targets.
- Partner with internal teams to develop competitive, value-based proposals that address performance, uptime, and total cost of ownership.
- Manage long-term agreements, renewals, pricing programs, and expansion opportunities tied to platform awards.
- Lead RFQ, sourcing, and contract negotiations aligned to automotive purchasing cycles and cost targets
- Partner with internal teams to develop competitive, value-based proposals that address performance, uptime, and total cost of ownership
- Manage long-term agreements, renewals, pricing programs, and expansion opportunities tied to platform awards
You Are Ideal for This Role If You:
- Are automotive-focused, growth-oriented mindset with strong commercial and operational acumen.
- Have excellent communication and relationship-building skills across technical and executive audiences.
- Are a strategic thinker with the ability to translate platform opportunities into disciplined execution.
- Are highly organized, self-motivated, and comfortable owning complex, long-cycle account outcomes.
Physical Requirements:
- Must be able to remain in a stationary position.
- Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery.
- Able to communicate information and ideas so others will understand.
Experience and Qualifications:
- Associate’s degree or equivalent experience required. Bachelor’s degree preferred.
- 8+ years of sales experience in automotive space required. At least 3 years of Key Account Management experience in industrial setting required.
- Ability to create consistent revenue, margin, and share-of-wallet growth within assigned automotive accounts required.
- Must be able to successfully penetrate new vehicle platforms, plants, and applications.
- Must have strong customer retention and preferred-supplier relationships.
- Flawless execution of automotive agreements, launches, and change management initiatives required.
- Proven experience managing and growing automotive OEM and/or Tier supplier accounts preferred.
- Strong understanding of automotive manufacturing environments, platforms, and launch processes preferred.
- Experience leading RFQs, contract negotiations, platform awards, and long-term growth initiatives preferred.
- Ability to influence cross-functional teams without direct authority preferred.
Why Work for Us:
- Medical, Dental and Vision Benefits
- 401k Match
- Flexible and Team-Oriented work environment
- Generous PTO policy
- Tuition Reimbursement
- Employee Assistance Program
- Career and talent development opportunities as well as opportunities for personal growth
Leading with Integrity, Collaboration, and Passion
In today’s dynamic business landscape, these core values serve as the compass guiding our actions and decisions. Whether it’s demonstrating leadership, fostering collaboration, igniting passion, upholding integrity, or maintaining a relentless customer focus, these principles shape our mission, vison and values, and drive our commitment to excellence.
Our Core Values:
Leadership
We are the leaders we wish to follow at work and in our communities.
Collaborative
One team delivering exceptional value and service.
Passion
We enthusiastically pursue excellence.
Integrity
We choose to be ethical and trustworthy.
Relentless Customer Focus
Our customers are at the heart of everything we do.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. Typical work is in a climate-controlled environment requiring regular use of computer and electronic equipment.
We are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.
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