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About Net Zero Careers
Net Zero Careers supports roles that ensure high-quality retrofit delivery and compliance across residential projects. Customer-facing roles like this are vital to ensure residents are informed, safe, and satisfied while supporting the UK's net-zero goals.
About Us
We are a fast-growing UK manufacturer of stainless-steel hot water cylinders and engineered hot water storage solutions. We design and manufacture unvented hot water cylinders, calorifiers, buffer vessels, volumisers, thermal stores, and high-volume pre-plumbed assemblies for leading heat pump manufacturers and heating-sector customers. As an ISO 9001-certified manufacturer, we are committed to delivering consistent quality, reliable supply, technical excellence, and outstanding customer support.
The Role
Due to continued growth and significant new OEM programmes, we are seeking an experienced Key Account Manager to manage a portfolio of our most strategic OEM customer relationships. This is not a traditional business development role. The focus is on the commercial and operational management of major accounts, supporting customers from product development and launch through to ongoing production, growth, and supply. You will act as the primary link between customers and our teams across Engineering, Production, Purchasing, Quality, Logistics, Aftersales, and Commercial functions. Success in this role requires the ability to build strong senior-level relationships while managing the detail behind forecasts, product changes, production planning, delivery performance, contracts, pricing, and customer satisfaction.
Key Responsibilities
Account & Relationship Management
- Act as the primary commercial and operational contact for key OEM customers.
- Build and maintain strong relationships across purchasing, engineering, quality, supply chain, product, sales, and senior management teams
- Develop account plans covering current business, future opportunities, risks, and growth initiatives. Lead customer review meetings, factory visits, business reviews, and commercial discussions.
- Ensure customers receive accurate, timely, and consistent communication.
Forecasting, Planning & Supply Management
- Manage short, medium, and long-term customer forecasts.
- Monitor demand, orders, production volumes, and delivery schedules.
- Work closely with Production, Purchasing, and Planning teams to align customer demand with manufacturing capacity.
- Identify and escalate risks relating to capacity, materials, labour, logistics, and delivery performance.
- Support production ramp-ups, volume increases, and new programme launches.
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New Product Introduction & Change Management
- Coordinate customer-facing aspects of new product introductions and production launches.
- Work with Engineering, Quality, Production, and Purchasing teams through development, testing, approval, and launch phases.
- Manage customer specifications, drawings, product variants, packaging requirements, and technical documentation.
- Ensure all product, component, and specification changes follow formal review and approval processes.
- Coordinate prototype approvals, sample submissions, and launch activities
Commercial Management
- Prepare quotations, proposals, pricing reviews, and account development plans.
- Monitor account revenue, margins, forecasts, and overall commercial performance.
- Support contract negotiations covering pricing, lead times, service levels, payment terms, and supply agreements.
- Ensure product and customer changes are commercially reviewed before implementation.
- Identify opportunities for additional products, programmes, and long-term growth.
Operational Performance
- Work with internal teams to ensure orders are delivered in full and on time.
- Monitor delivery, quality, forecast accuracy, complaints, warranty trends, and customer performance measures.
- Coordinate corrective actions and customer communications when service levels are impacted.
- Support resolution of quality, supply, and commercial issues while maintaining strong customer relationships.
Internal Collaboration & Reporting
- Lead internal account review meetings and ensure actions are completed on time.
- Provide visibility of future customer demand to Production and Purchasing teams.
- Maintain accurate records within CRM and ERP systems.
- Produce regular reports covering forecasts, sales performance, product launches, risks, and opportunities.
- Keep senior management informed of significant commercial, operational, and customer-related risks.
Essential Skills & Experience
- Proven Key Account Management experience within manufacturing, engineering, HVAC, building services, automotive, industrial products, or a similar OEM environment.
- Experience managing strategically important, high-value customer accounts.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing operations, including Sales, Engineering, Purchasing, Production, Quality, Logistics, and Aftersales.
- Experience managing forecasts, production demand, delivery schedules, and volume fluctuations.
- Knowledge of new product introductions, production launches, and customer projects.
- Ability to understand technical products, specifications, engineering drawings, and change processes.
- Strong commercial awareness, including pricing, quotations, margin management, and contract discussions.
- Excellent relationship-building, negotiation, and stakeholder-management skills.
- Strong organisational and project management abilities.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills.
- Experience using CRM, ERP, and manufacturing planning systems.
- Proficient in Microsoft Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint.
- Full UK driving licence and willingness to travel regularly to customer sites.
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Desirable Skills & Experience
- Experience managing accounts for manufacturers supplying major OEM customers.
- Knowledge of heat pumps, hot water cylinders, HVAC, plumbing products, or building services.
- Experience with technically configured products incorporating mechanical, electrical, and hydraulic components.
- Experience managing high-volume supply agreements and production ramp-ups.
- Understanding of production planning, manufacturing capacity, supply chain management, and material lead times.
- Knowledge of ISO 9001 quality systems and change-control processes.
- Project management or commercial qualification.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary dependent on experience.
- Company car.
- Comprehensive product and industry training.
- Opportunity to manage some of our most important OEM customer relationships.
- Involvement in major new product programmes and business growth initiatives.
- Ongoing professional development and career progression opportunities.
- Support from experienced Engineering, Production, Quality, Commercial, and Senior Leadership teams.
- A senior and influential role within a growing UK manufacturing business.
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