OEM - Key Account Manager

Job Description OEM Key Account Manager

1. Position Purpose

Own and accelerate growth of strategic OEM accounts by developing deep customer relationships, understanding their business and technology needs, and driving Schneider Electrics automation solutions across the OEM’s design, engineering, manufacturing and machine lifecycle.

The OEM KAM will be responsible for creating a sustainable account growth strategy, increasing share of wallet, winning new applications, protecting existing business and systematically displacing competitors such as Rockwell, Beckhoff and B&R.

2. Key Responsibilities

A. Strategic Account Management

• Develop and execute a 3-year strategic account plan for assigned OEMs.
• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders:
• Promoters / Owners
• CXO / Business Heads
• Engineering Heads
• Automation / Controls Heads
• R&D / Machine Design teams
• Procurement
• Plant / Operations teams
• Understand the OEM’s business model, growth plans, machine platforms, end markets and geographic expansion.
• Map the complete OEM ecosystem and identify key influencers, decision makers and technical specifications.
• Establish Schneider Electric as a strategic technology partner, beyond a component supplier.

B. OEM Growth & Share of Wallet

• Own the account growth target and pipeline for assigned OEMs.
• Identify opportunities to increase Schneider Electric content per machine.
• Drive cross-selling and penetration across:
• PLC / PAC
• HMI
• Drives
• Motion
• Robotics
• Industrial communication
• Software / SCADA
• Digital / connected machine solutions

C. New Machine & Application Development

Identify new High-Performance machine platforms and applications where Schneider can be designed in.

• Engage early in the machine design / R&D cycle to influence architecture and specifications.
• Build application-level value propositions rather than product-level selling.
• Identify opportunities for standardisation of Schneider Electric solutions across the OEM's machine platforms.
• Develop lighthouse machines / reference architectures with the OEM.

D. Competitive Displacement

• Develop a clear competitive battle plan for each strategic account.
• Identify competitor footprint, installed base, pricing, technology preference and relationship strength.
• Drive targeted displacement of key competitors.
• Establish win/loss intelligence and convert learnings into account actions.
• Build differentiated value propositions based on:
• Total cost of ownership
• Machine performance
• Engineering productivity
• Time to market
• Energy efficiency
• Digitalisation
• Global support
• Lifecycle value

E. Specification & Prescription

• Influence OEM engineering standards and machine architecture.
• Ensure Schneider solutions are included in:
• Approved vendor lists
• Machine standards
• Engineering standards
• BOM standards
• Reference architectures
• Work closely with Offer Marketing, Presales, Segment Marketing and technical specialists to create account-specific solutions.
• Drive early-stage specification to improve conversion probability.

F. Relationship & Ecosystem Management

• Build relationships across the entire OEM value chain:
• OEM
• System Integrators
• Panel Builders
• Machine End Users
• Distributors
• Technology partners
• Identify opportunities where OEM machines can become entry points into end-user accounts.
• Coordinate with National Sales and regional teams to ensure consistent execution.

G. Pipeline & Sales Execution

• Maintain a robust qualified OEM opportunity funnel.
• Conduct regular opportunity reviews with sales and presales teams.
• Ensure accurate forecasting and timely closure of opportunities.
• Drive win-back actions for lost / inactive OEM accounts.

3. Required Competencies

Commercial

• Strategic account management
• Consultative selling
• Value selling
• Negotiation
• Opportunity management
• Business planning
• Forecasting

Technical

Strong understanding of industrial automation, preferably across:

• PLC / PAC
• HMI
• Drives
• Motion
• Robotics
• Industrial Ethernet / communication
• SCADA / software
• Machine automation architectures

Strategic

• Competitive intelligence
• Market and application understanding
• Customer business acumen
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders
• Ability to translate customer challenges into technology / business solutions

Leadership

• Strong collaboration across Sales, Offer Marketing, Presales, BD and Segment teams
• Ability to lead virtual teams without direct authority
• Strong ownership and execution discipline
• High level of customer orientation

4. Experience & Qualification

Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering- Electrical / Electronics / Instrumentation / Automation preferred.

Experience:
12 + years of experience in industrial automation, OEM business, key account management, application engineering, sales or business development.

Experience with machine builders / OEMs in segments such as:

• Packaging
• Material Handling
• Hoisting
• Pumping
• Food & Beverage
• Pharma
• Textile
• Automotive
• Intralogistics
• Special Machines

will be an advantage.