National Account Manager

Husqvarna Group is a global leading producer of outdoor power products and innovative solutions for forest, park and garden care. Products include chainsaws, trimmers, robotic lawn mowers and ride-on lawn mowers.

Overview:
As the National Account Manager – Lowe’s, you will be responsible for the strategic direction and customer relationships while working directly with the General Manager for the account. A seasoned sales executive with extensive sales experience and a proven track record of delivering results is strongly desired.
Other main responsibilities
• Profitably manage the sales activities of a strategic mass account at Husqvarna Group.
• Accountable for achieving product placement, yearly sales targets, margins and on-line activities.
• Work one on one with the buyers to implement corporate approved pricing programs, new products and promotional programs.
• Establish a rapport and relationship with key merchants, brand team members, inventory planners, store personnel and other key customer contacts.
• Act as the voice of assigned account internally for sales growth opportunities to ensure that all account needs are being addressed.

Essential duties:
• Execute and develop a comprehensive sales and marketing strategy for the account through working directly with cross-functional teams,  achieve sales goals, margins and value creation.
• Execute the brand strategy for Husqvarna Group’s various brands by understanding and implementing key initiatives within the account that aligns with the key tenets of a brand’s consumer position and promise.
• Execute brand guidelines that have been established for channel, maintain consistency in marketing, packaging and pricing focused on the customer.
• Act as the internal contact for the customer.
• Prepare presentations for the sales team and deliver a complete package including pricing, promotion and sales forecasting.
• Provide input into the forecast.
• Setup new items into the account system, maintain price files in Husqvarna systems to ensure that all items are shipped with the correct unit cost.
• Develop and execute merchandising strategy in conjunction with the mass account team.
• Provide direct input on the P&L for the business.
• Communicate business trends and business updates to leadership team.
• Create competitive program offerings and pricing in the given market(s), encompassing, retail pricing, features/specifications, pricing (margin expectations), volume estimate (segment size) and market share.

Qualifications, education and experience:
Required
• BA in Marketing, Business or Sales Management.
• 10+ years of sales and marketing experience with a global consumer durable goods company.
• Sales and marketing experience with all channels of distribution.
• Intimate understanding of the power of strong brands and the role they play in establishing an emotional connection with a consumer.
Desired
• Advanced degree.
• Outdoor power equipment experience.
• First hand knowledge and sales management experience with national retail accounts.
• Channel marketing experience.

Skills and capabilities:
Required
• Demonstrated knowledge of a sales process and product creation process.
• Demonstrated knowledge on national account sales management, forecasting and supply chain.
• Demonstrated understanding of margin analysis, supply chain fundamentals, finance and credit procedures.
• Detail oriented.
• Proven sales performer with excellent negotiation skills.
• Highly motivated with strong initiative and a hands-on approach to accomplishing goals.
• Effective presentation skills, including a confident and positive speaking style and ability to present (using PowerPoint and other techniques) to management, distributor principals and dealers in a professional manner.
• Excellent written communication skills, including the ability to write in a well organized, cohesive and concise manner.
• Strong interpersonal skills, including the ability to develop high quality working relationships both internally and externally.
• Strong planning and organizational skills, including a demonstrated ability to manage multiple tasks and priorities simultaneously in a fast-paced work environment.
• Ability to be flexible and adaptive to internal processes and change, delays or unexpected events
• Proficient personal computer skills, to include MS Office software applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and database applications).
• Ability to work extended hours and travel as required.
Desired
• Knowledge of product use by end users.
• Demonstrated ability to use, operate and demonstrate all equipment types within sales portfolio.

Contacts and customers:
Internal
• Sales.
• Product Development.
• Legal.
• Marketing.
• Operations.
• Sourcing.
External
• Mass account.

Budget responsibility:
• Direct responsibility and control.
• Varies by account.

Measure of success:
Value this role delivers to the organization
Achieving account plan and, though while achieving revenue goals are important, focus on reducing complexity and reducing cost with the ultimate goal of achieving gross profit and operating profit targets.
Measurement of excellent contribution to the function or business could include the following key metrics
• Top line growth.
• Margin improvement.
• Complexity reduction throughout the value chain.
• Account development.
• Personal development.

Work environment:
To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Search job code #2224 (National Account Manager – Lowe’s)