Strategic Account Manager - Infrastructure in Birmingham

Location: London and southeast

Package: Circa £60,000 + Bonus (up to 25% of salary) + Car + Benefits

Job Type: Full-Time, Permanent

Our client is a well-established national provider of site solutions and services to the UK construction and infrastructure sectors. As part of their continued development of major and strategic accounts, they are looking to appoint an experienced Strategic Account Manager to manage and develop a portfolio of important customers operating across projects throughout the UK.

Unlike a conventional regional sales position, this role is customer rather than territory led. You will take responsibility for a defined ledger of strategic accounts, following and developing those relationships across multiple projects and locations nationally. The customers will include major Tier 1 contractors and project-led organisations involved in significant construction, infrastructure and government-backed programmes. The objective is to develop a detailed understanding of each customer's organisation, project pipeline and procurement structure, ensuring opportunities are identified early and relationships are developed across multiple levels and locations.

The position would ideally suit somebody based in the Midlands, providing good access to the national motorway network, although location is flexible for an individual with the right background and experience.

Key Responsibilities:

• Take commercial responsibility for a defined portfolio of strategically important national customers.
• Manage and develop relationships with Tier 1 contractors and major project customers operating across multiple sites and projects throughout the UK.
• Develop comprehensive strategic account plans covering existing business, key contacts, project pipelines, current and potential spend, competitor activity and opportunities for growth.
• Build relationships across multiple levels and functions within customer organisations, including site and project teams, procurement, commercial departments and senior management.
• Develop relationships beyond individual sites or projects, establishing the business as a strategic supply partner across customers' wider national operations.
• Maintain detailed visibility of customers' current and forthcoming project pipelines, identifying opportunities at an early stage and following them from initial planning through to mobilisation and delivery.
• Identify opportunities to increase share of wallet, both by securing a greater proportion of existing requirements and introducing additional products, services and solutions.
• Work across regional boundaries, ensuring opportunities associated with national accounts are effectively coordinated regardless of where individual projects are located.
• Establish and maintain strong relationships with regional and operational teams internally, ensuring a consistent approach to the delivery and development of national accounts.
• Coordinate sales, operations, hire, transport and service functions to ensure major customers receive a consistently high standard of support across multiple locations.
• Lead or support commercial negotiations, pricing agreements, tenders and contract discussions, balancing account growth with appropriate margin and commercial return.
• Monitor account performance against agreed revenue, margin and growth objectives and identify actions required to maximise account potential.
• Identify opportunities to secure involvement in major construction and infrastructure projects at an early stage rather than relying solely on reactive enquiries.
• Develop a strong understanding of individual customers' procurement strategies, supply chains, frameworks and decision-making processes.
• Maintain awareness of competitor relationships and activity within key accounts and develop strategies to strengthen the company's position.
• Provide accurate forecasting, account development plans, pipeline information and commercial updates to senior management.
• Travel nationally as required for customer meetings, project visits and account development activity.

Candidate Profile:

We are particularly interested in candidates with experience gained within plant hire, tool hire, site accommodation/welfare, temporary site infrastructure, power generation or another closely related hire/service environment. You are likely to have worked as a Strategic Account Manager, National Account Manager, Major Account Manager, Key Account Manager or senior Business Development Manager, with experience managing substantial contractor accounts across multiple projects or regions. Previous experience dealing with Tier 1 contractors and major construction or infrastructure projects will be particularly relevant.

You should be able to demonstrate:

• A successful track record of managing and developing high-value strategic or national accounts.
• Experience working with customers operating across multiple sites, regions and major projects.
• Strong knowledge of the UK construction, infrastructure and/or hire sectors.
• The ability to map complex customer organisations and develop relationships beyond a single contact or location.
• A strategic approach to account development, including identifying forthcoming projects and opportunities well in advance.
• Strong commercial awareness, including experience of pricing, margin, tenders and contract negotiations.
• The ability to identify opportunities to broaden the range of products and services supplied and increase overall account penetration.
• The credibility to engage with senior procurement, commercial and operational decision-makers.

Package: £60,000-£65,000 basic salary, negotiable depending upon experience, plus company car and bonus scheme.