Overview

The Account Director has overall responsibility for a specific account including growth in orders, share of customer spend, and customer satisfaction. The manager leads an account team including direct reports. The role will be located in the Bay Area, California (including San Francisco, Oakland, San Jose, Walnut Creek, Fremont, San Ramon, Livermore).

Responsibilities

The Account Director is expected to represent and grow the Hitachi Energy relationship with their account from a US perspective, engaging regionally or globally when applicable. As the leader on the account, the Account Director mobilizes Hitachi Energy resources as an integrated team spanning all of Hitachi Energy’s businesses.

• Become a valued, long-term strategic partner with the customer’s senior executives.
• Execute the strategic account process.
• Engage with the business units to deliver the strategic account value propositions.
• Leverage Hitachi Energy’s technology to help solve the customer’s business issues in order to achieve competitive advantage and grow their bottom line.
• Be the window into Hitachi Energy for the customer and mobilize Hitachi Energy through access to both senior Hitachi Energy management and worldwide resources.
• Ensure that all transactions and relationships are carried on with high ethics and integrity.
• Make it easier to do business with Hitachi Energy.

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• Achieve or go beyond order targets for the account.
• Execute the strategic account process, including the delivery of business unit value propositions.
• Maximize customer satisfaction and loyalty.
• Maximize the share of customer’s wallet for Hitachi Energy.
• Ensure that all transactions and relationships are carried on with high ethics and integrity.
• Serve as a lynchpin within Hitachi Energy for the resolution of major customer issues.

Primary Tasks

Manage the Total Customer Relationship

• Manage the total customer relationship with Hitachi Energy.
• Develop the relationship between Hitachi Energy and the Strategic Account at all levels within Hitachi Energy and with the customer. Initiate and maintain C-Level relationships.
• Apply a high level of business acumen, including an understanding of the customer’s business drivers, industry, economic trends, issues and competition.
• Act as focal point for problem resolution and monitor the Customer Complaint Resolution Process.
• Maximize the consistency of customer experience throughout all contacts with Hitachi Energy.

Account Planning and Management

• Lead the development and implementation of the account plan and coverage plan including: executing an executive relationship strategy, prioritizing opportunities, identifying a target for each solution element (project) and identifying the key personnel required.
• Leverage channels to maintain and improve customer satisfaction and to maximize revenue.
• Plan, facilitate and conduct complex negotiations.
• Drive growth in the assigned account.
• Develop and maintain detailed knowledge of the customer’s strategy, past purchasing behavior, organization including decision makers, influencers, sponsors and anti-sponsors.
• Develop and maintain detailed knowledge of Hitachi Energy’s strategy, current and emerging solution capabilities and strategic direction for solution capabilities.

Leadership and Coaching

• Assume a people leadership role and facilitate team selling within a virtual organization.
• Identify local/specialist sales resources and ensure they are properly trained on the strategy and status of the account.
• Manage resources to ensure successful enactment of the strategy and operational plan.
• Execute and coach using expert understanding of sales processes.

Active Projects Participation

• Lead the formation of capture teams and the development of Sales X-Ray.
• Direct account solution projects and keep current via project communications / steering committee participation.
• Monitor and maintain an awareness of all key Hitachi Energy client activities, including the representation of client issues, needs and concerns throughout Hitachi Energy.
• Consistently deliver solutions that are considered high impact, complex, strategic and high-value by both the customer and Hitachi Energy.

Teamwork and Communication

• Provide regular reports, briefings and reviews as required using the agreed processes.
• Actively participate in the Account Director community to share ideas, expertise and lessons learned with other Account Directors and teams, to promote cross-Hitachi Energy learning and to identify new solution possibilities.
• Create and maintain internal relationships with key business partners at all levels of the organization.
• Hitachi Energy is also your customer in this role; supporting our business objectives, reaching financial goals, and advocating for all business units and internal stakeholders is a must.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a technical (engineering) or business discipline required. MBA preferred.
• 12+ years of experience preferred.
• Diversity of experience – multiple products, customers, countries, market segments, etc.
• Proven ability to work in a matrixed team environment.
• Must be able to motivate and influence others.
• Prior experience running a P&L preferred.
• Experience with customers including sales, problem resolution, relationship building required.
• Strong business acumen.
• Salary range based on experience & location: $200,800 - $301,200

Hitachi Energy is a global technology leader in electrification, powering a sustainable energy future through innovative power grid technologies with digital at the core. Over three billion people depend on our technologies to power their daily lives. With over a century in pioneering mission-critical technologies like high-voltage, transformers, automation, and power electronics, we are addressing the most urgent energy challenge of our time – balancing rising electricity demand, while decarbonizing the power system. Headquartered in Switzerland, we employ over 50,000 people in 60 countries and generate revenues of around $16 billion USD. We welcome you to apply today.