Strategic Account Manager

Position Summary

The Defense Strategic Account Manager (SAM) is the primary commercial leader for assigned Defense customers and the portfolio-wide coordinator for Defense customer requests for quotation (RFQs), proposals, and quotations. The role is accountable for driving profitable revenue growth, maintaining and expanding customer relationships, and supporting the Commercial organization.

The SAM develops and executes the site-level Defense commercial and inside sales strategy, coordinates daily commercial operations, monitors KPIs, and promotes exceptional customer service. The position provides visible, hands-on support at the manufacturing plant while maintaining a strong external customer presence and translating customer demand into actionable plans for Tecomet operations. The successful candidate must bring relevant Defense industry experience, ideally from a contract manufacturer or a Tier 1 or Tier 2 Defense supplier.

The work environment is 50% of onsite at the manufacturing plant, partnering with site leadership and cross-functional teams on customer, commercial, operations and new-product-introduction priorities. The other 50% will be dedicated to customer engagement, customer visits, account strategy, opportunity development and related activity and travel.

Principle Responsibilities

Proposal & RFQ Governance

• Lead cross-functional teams to manage end-to-end Defense customer RFQ and proposal workflows.
• Validate bid accuracy regarding materials, labor, tooling, capacity, lead times, and margins.
• Coordinate bid/no-bid reviews and secure necessary executive approvals.
• Prepare, present, and negotiate long-term supply agreements and pricing contracts.

Account Management & Site Leadership

• Develop and execute strategic customer account plans and growth roadmaps.
• Maintain current customer data, pipeline metrics, and next actions within Salesforce.
• Coordinate daily site-level commercial operations and establish inside sales priorities.
• Provide commercial guidance, decision support, and coaching to the site customer service team.
• Serve as the commercial representative for on-site New Product Introduction (NPI) activities.

Demand & Financial Coordination

• Gather, validate, and communicate customer forecasts to the Demand Planning team.
• Reconcile forecasts with firm orders, backlog, past-due demand, and capacity.
• Track site KPIs including bookings, revenue, gross margin, and quote conversion.
• Analyze SKU-level profitability and collaborate with Finance on pricing actions.
• Manage monthly accounts receivable, collections, and required customer escalations.

Customer Performance & Escalations

• Own and resolve customer commercial escalations with aligned internal messaging.
• Lead customer business reviews, operational audits, and executive site visits.
• Manage post-award change controls for variations in scope, demand, or delivery.

Required

• Degree: Bachelor’s in Business, Engineering, Supply Chain, or equivalent field experience.
• Experience: 5+ years in Defense strategic account management, inside sales, or commercial management.
• Industry Focus: Direct contract manufacturing background, ideally with Tier 3/4 precision machining, forging, or casting.
• Technical Background: Management of complex RFQs, proposals, and negotiations for tight-tolerance, CNC-machined components.
• Compliance: Ability to operate in high-pressure environments while meeting security and export-control guidelines.

Preferred

• Domain Expertise: Advanced commercial experience in aerospace, defense, or complex missile programs.
• Contractual Knowledge: Background with long-term supply agreements, government flow-downs, and customer audits.
• Software: Proficiency with Salesforce and manufacturing ERP systems.

Key Competencies

• Relationship Management: Customer-focused professional capable of navigating long, complex sales cycles.
• Leadership: Proven ability to guide and influence cross-functional teams without formal authority.
• Communication: Strong negotiation skills paired with clear presentation and executive-summary capabilities.
• Professional Attributes: Analytical thinker demonstrating urgency, resilience, and strict attention to detail. [1]

Work Environment & Travel

• Location: Based at Tecomet Ballardvale in the Andover, Massachusetts area.
• Commute: Must reside within a reasonable driving distance of the primary facility.
• On-Site Presence: Split schedule requiring 50% on-site support and 50% external customer engagement.
• Travel: Up to 25% domestic travel for on-site client reviews, industry events, and audits.
• Physical & Safety: Ability to navigate office and manufacturing floors wh

Equal Opportunity Employer Minorities/Women/Protected Veterans/Disabled