Senior Account Manager in Buffalo, New York at Hutchinson Industries Inc

Position Summary

We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Sales Executive to own and grow relationships with our largest Original Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) accounts in the defense sector. This role is responsible for driving revenue growth, managing complex, multi-year program relationships, and serving as the primary strategic point of contact between our organization and top-tier defense OEMs (e.g., prime contractors and major subsystem manufacturers). The ideal candidate combines deep technical fluency in defense manufacturing/procurement with proven strategic account management and new business development skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Strategic Account Ownership: Serve as the primary relationship owner for the company's largest OEM defense accounts, developing account plans that align customer program roadmaps with company capabilities.
• Revenue Growth: Meet or exceed annual sales targets and bookings goals through renewal, expansion, and new program capture within assigned accounts.
• Program Capture & Business Development: Identify, qualify, and pursue new program opportunities within existing OEM relationships and adjacent business units; support proposal development, pricing strategy, and contract negotiations.
• Cross-Functional Coordination: Partner closely with Engineering, Program Management, Quality, and Operations to ensure OEM requirements (specs, certifications, delivery schedules, AS9100/ITAR compliance, etc.) are met and communicated internally.
• Contract & Pricing Negotiation: Lead commercial negotiations including long-term agreements (LTAs), pricing, terms and conditions, and volume commitments with OEM procurement and supply chain teams.
• Forecasting & Reporting: Maintain accurate account forecasts, pipeline data, and program status reporting in CRM; provide leadership with regular updates on account health, risks, and opportunities.
• Relationship Management: Build and maintain multi-level relationships across OEM organizations — engineering, program management, procurement, and executive leadership.
• Market Intelligence: Track OEM program timelines, defense budget/appropriations trends, competitor activity, and industry developments (e.g., DoD acquisition programs, FMS opportunities) to inform account strategy.
• Trade Shows & Industry Events: Represent the company at industry conferences, OEM supplier days, and trade shows (e.g., AUSA, GVSETS, MDEX) to strengthen relationships and identify new opportunities.
• Compliance: Ensure all sales activities comply with ITAR/EAR export control regulations, DFARS requirements, and company ethics/compliance policies.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, or a related field (or equivalent experience).
• 7+ years of sales, business development, or account management experience in the defense/aerospace manufacturing industry, with direct OEM-facing experience.
• Demonstrated track record of managing large, complex accounts and closing multi-year/multi-million-dollar contracts.
• Strong understanding of defense procurement processes, DFARS/FAR regulations, and OEM supply chain requirements.
• Working knowledge of ITAR/EAR export control compliance.
• Excellent negotiation, presentation, and executive-level communication skills.
• Proficiency with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce) and Microsoft Office/Excel for forecasting and reporting.
• Willingness to travel domestically (and occasionally internationally) up to 30–40%.

Preferred Qualifications

• Existing relationships with major defense OEMs/primes (e.g., Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Boeing Defense, L3Harris).
• Technical background in manufacturing processes relevant to the company's product line (e.g., machined components, composites, castings/forgings).
• Experience supporting proposal responses (RFP/RFQ) and long-term agreement (LTA) negotiations.
• MBA or advanced technical degree.

Key Competencies

• Strategic account planning and consultative selling
• Cross-functional leadership and influence without direct authority
• Financial and commercial acumen (pricing, margin, contract structures)
• Resilience and persistence in long sales cycles typical of defense programs
• High integrity and discretion handling sensitive/controlled information