At a Glance
- Tasks: Nurture key customer partnerships and drive growth opportunities.
- Company: Join a leading organisation with a focus on innovation and collaboration.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, generous holiday, health perks, and a supportive work environment.
- Other info: Enjoy a hybrid work model and excellent career development opportunities.
- Why this job: Make a real impact by managing strategic accounts and building lasting relationships.
- Qualifications: Experience in account management and strong relationship-building skills required.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 58500 ÂŁ per year.
We’re looking for an experienced Key Account Manager to join our Commercial team and play a pivotal role in nurturing and growing long‑term customer partnerships. In this role, you’ll work closely with some of our most strategic customers, deeply understanding their needs and ensuring they gain maximum value from working with Thatcham Research. You’ll act as a trusted partner, balancing strong relationship management with commercial ownership, and collaborating closely with internal teams to deliver meaningful outcomes for our customers and the business.
As the Key Account Manager, you'll:
- Build and maintain strong, trusted relationships with key customer stakeholders, including senior decision‑makers
- Develop and deliver strategic account plans aligned to customer objectives and organisational goals
- Identify and drive growth opportunities within existing accounts, including renewals, upsell and cross‑sell
- Act as the primary point of contact for your accounts, managing escalations and ensuring excellent customer experience
- Lead commercial conversations including forecasting, pricing discussions, contract negotiations and renewals
- Own opportunities end‑to‑end, working closely with delivery, operations, product, finance and marketing teams
- Track and report on account performance, pipeline, KPIs and customer health metrics
- Capture all customer interactions, opportunities and account details accurately within the CRM
- Share customer insight and feedback internally to support continuous improvement and product development
Skills & experience that will set you up for success in this role:
- Proven experience in key account management, client relationship management or a similar commercial role
- Strong commercial acumen, with confidence managing complex accounts, contracts and financial metrics
- Excellent negotiation and influencing skills, able to balance customer value with commercial outcomes
- Experience in account planning, forecasting and strategic growth planning
- Ability to build credibility and rapport with senior stakeholders, including C‑suite level
- Confident communicator with strong stakeholder management and relationship‑building skills
- Analytical and data‑driven, with the ability to translate insight into action
- Comfortable working autonomously while collaborating with cross‑functional teams
- High attention to detail and a structured approach to managing opportunities and accounts
- Experience using CRM systems such as Salesforce or Microsoft Dynamics
- Willingness and ability to travel domestically and internationally as needed (desirable)
- Industry experience within automotive or repair sectors is beneficial but not essential
- Ability to speak Chinese is an advantage but not required
Perks & Benefits:
- Salary - Circa £45k base salary plus up to 30% performance‑based OTE dependent on skills & experience.
- 10% non-contributory pension
- 29 days holiday (inclusive of Christmas shutdown) + public holidays
- Group Life Assurance (equal to 4Ă— basic salary)
- Group Income Protection (after 6 months’ service)
- Salary Sacrifice schemes (cycle to work, home & tech scheme)
- Enhanced and competitive parental leave for all parents, regardless of gender or family structure
- Moneyhealth’s Financial Coaching & Wellbeing Platform
- Health Cash Plan (cash back on eligible medical treatments)
- Benenden Health Care (opt‑in benefit)
- Reward & Recognition Programme
- Discounted gym membership
- Sports & Social club
- Payroll charitable giving
- Subsidised on‑site restaurant
- Free on‑site parking
All applicants must have Right to Work in the UK.
Key Account Manager employer: Thatcham Research
Contact Detail:
Thatcham Research Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Key Account Manager
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Get out there and connect with people in the industry. Attend events, join online forums, or even reach out to current Key Account Managers on LinkedIn. Building relationships can open doors that a CV just can't.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for those interviews by knowing your stuff! Research the company, understand their key accounts, and think about how you can add value. Show them you’re not just another candidate; you’re the one they need!
✨Tip Number 3
Follow up after interviews! A quick thank-you email can go a long way. It shows your enthusiasm and keeps you fresh in their minds. Plus, it’s a great chance to reiterate why you’re the perfect fit for the role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got some fantastic opportunities waiting for you, and applying directly can sometimes give you an edge. Let’s get you that Key Account Manager role!
We think you need these skills to ace Key Account Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your Application: Make sure to customise your CV and cover letter for the Key Account Manager role. Highlight your experience in managing key accounts and building relationships, as this is what we’re really looking for!
Showcase Your Achievements: Don’t just list your responsibilities; share specific examples of how you’ve driven growth or improved customer satisfaction in previous roles. We love seeing quantifiable results!
Be Authentic: Let your personality shine through in your application. We value genuine communication, so don’t be afraid to show us who you are and why you’re passionate about this role.
Apply Through Our Website: For the best chance of success, make sure to apply directly through our website. This way, we can easily track your application and get back to you quicker!
How to prepare for a job interview at Thatcham Research
✨Know Your Accounts Inside Out
Before the interview, dive deep into the key accounts you’ll be managing. Research their business models, recent news, and challenges they face. This will help you demonstrate your understanding of their needs and how you can add value.
✨Showcase Your Relationship-Building Skills
Prepare examples of how you've successfully built and maintained relationships with senior stakeholders in previous roles. Highlight specific instances where your relationship management led to positive outcomes for both the client and your company.
✨Be Ready for Commercial Conversations
Brush up on your negotiation skills and be prepared to discuss pricing strategies and contract negotiations. Think about how you can balance customer value with commercial outcomes, as this is crucial for a Key Account Manager role.
✨Demonstrate Your Analytical Skills
Be ready to talk about how you've used data to drive decisions in past roles. Prepare to share examples of how you've tracked account performance and translated insights into actionable strategies that benefited your clients.