Sales Account Manager

Yazaki is a global leader in the research, development, and delivery of vehicle power and data solutions.

Yazaki works with virtually every major auto manufacturer globally, and we've strived to maintain strategic and stable growth throughout our 84-year history. Today, we're looking for energetic people with the potential to perform and the ability to strengthen - and thrive in - the positive work environment we pride ourselves on.

Location: Canton, MI, USA  

Yazaki is looking for an Account Manager to join our Ford team in Canton, MI.  The ideal candidate will enjoy working in a collaborative and action-driven environment making lasting impacts on the organization. 

The ideal candidate will Serve as lead commercial activities for Ford North America Business including, but not limited to, Pricing negotiations, agreement interpretation, recoveries, commercial statement of work elements, and commercial metric tracking.  Additionally, the ideal candidate will also lead interface for the responsible project with customer (purchasing, product development, program team). Furthermore, the ideal candidate will be part of the program team and ensure that all commercial deliverables are met timely and work very closely with cross functional teams. 

What you will be doing:

 Customer Satisfaction

• Define customer needs/wants/expectations and ensure customer requirements are communicated throughout the organization.
• Cultivate and maintain appropriate customer relationships with key customer individuals.

• Provide data for sales metric tracking and compile for presentation as necessary. 
• Ensure all appropriate commercial requirements are in place prior to launch.

• Coordinate major customer entertainment events (golf outings, concerts, black ties, SAE, Convergence, etc.) as necessary.
• Understand and report changes to customer processes/structure/decision makers.
• Be knowledgeable on Yazaki’s product offerings and trends.
• Understand competitive environment to effectively evaluate sales price and purchase price data
• Support and contribute to Customer Value Management activity and ensure ideas are properly tracked in Customer system.

Accounts Receivable

• Support Finance in Customer Purchasing-related collection issues.
• Follow-up with customer to resolve open issues to ensure we meet the YNA A/R targets. 

Productivity / Profitability

• Provide notification to Sales Manager or directly to Finance to initiate accruals.
• Achieve profit enhancement objectives consistent with USOEM BU profitability demands.
• Support the execution of sales strategy (both long and short-term) to meet business unit objectives.
• Understand the impacts to current program profitability and determine if corrective actions are necessary.

Program Support

• Serve as central point of contact for commercial and strategic issues with customer (Buyer, program team, Finance, other).
• Schedule regular Open Issues meetings with buyer and keep pulse on results of routine customer meetings, such as program team meetings, program finance meetings, change control, lean deployment, etc.
• Maintain, track, report Permanent Resolutions (PR) in BEAMS and support program financial tracking in coordination with Program Manager.
• Receive POs from customer and verify accuracy (contract review).
• Maintain visibility with customer assembly plants during launch and support customer visitations to manufacturing affiliates and subcontractors as required.
• Support additional program related meetings such as Monthly Program Reviews, YPMS Functional Reviews and EMAs, and Financial Reviews.

Customer Quotations

• Lead the presentation of timely and accurate customer quotations (RFQ submissions) and be accountable for the accuracy of quotes prior to submission to the customer and for the receipt of correct PO for existing business.
• Interface with appropriate departments and manufacturing to obtain pricing, packaging, and tooling.
• Lead the negotiations of commercial issues (i.e., design changes, target related issues, sequencing, Engineering Resource Payment, Commercial Statement of Work Items, etc.).
• Maintain accurate commercial data in all required tracking tools.
• Submit and negotiate customer responsible extraordinary expense claims, Engineering Resource Payment and tooling costs, Receive P.O. for submission to finance.
• Support the technical and commercial review of the quote packages, kick-off meetings and prepares quote response.

Advanced Business Development

• Identify new business opportunities within the scope/charter of electrical distribution systems or vehicle information products with Sr. Sales Manager as required.
• Lead or support regional and global activities on new business opportunities including presentation of the business case and timing to US OEM BU management for strategic approval. 

Additional Responsibilities:

• Train and mentor less experienced Account Managers on responsibilities, procedures and processes.
• Provide guidance and define priorities to the Sales group during the absence of the Sales Manager.

What you will bring to the table:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required 

• 3-5 years Sales Account Management Experience
• Minimum 5 years automotive sales related experience

• Domestic and international travel as required 

• Participate on meetings outside of regular working hours 

• Excellent financial, analytical, negotiation, communication and presentation skills 
• Commercial experience in wire harness is preferred 

What we can provide you:

• A collaborative learning environment that will help you reach your maximum potential
• A diverse team of experts
• Supportive leadership and team members to help you do your best work
• Opportunities to build your professional network
• An engaging and supportive work culture
• Competitive compensation and benefits package including incentive compensation, 401K match, tuition assistance and a generous holiday schedule
• Hybrid work schedule

Yazaki North America is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all persons regardless of race, color, religion, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, handicap, veteran status, or other legally protected status or characteristic. Equal opportunity extends to all aspects of the employment relationship. Yazaki North America complies with federal and state equal employment opportunity laws and strives to keep the workplace free from all forms of harassment.