Job Description

The primary duties of the Key Account Manager – Distribution are to lead long-term planning and relationship management for key strategic partners to influence national sales growth. They build and maintain strong relationships with specific distribution accounts. The Key Account Manager – Distribution has influence over revenue and strategy by collaborating cross-functionally and providing customer insights that shape business decisions.

You’ll be DISRUPTIVE through these duties and responsibilities: 

• Sales Strategy & Execution
  • Develop, own, and oversee the execution of strategies within defined high-value accounts, leveraging the Consultative Sales Thought Process (CSTP) to identify opportunities and tailor solutions for distributors, customers, and/or end-users.
  • Oversee and optimize defined key account management, developing strategic plans for customer engagement, scheduling high-impact visits, and ensuring market coverage to drive sales growth and business expansion.
  • Develop and lead the training sessions and product demonstrations, that enhances brand awareness and sales performance.
  • Proactively own and manage relationships with Direct Distributors/Dealers, ensuring alignment on sales goals, inventory planning, promotional execution, and market development initiatives.
• Customer Engagement & Sales Enablement
  • Lead and grow key relationships within defined core accounts through strategic communication, proactive engagement, and long-term partnership development to foster loyalty and maximize market influence.
  • Build and execute key account business plans in partnership with cross functional teams by analyzing market data, identifying growth opportunities, and aligning strategies with organizational goals.
• Product & Business Acumen
  • Maintain a deep understanding of the marketplace, including user needs, conversion opportunities, applications, products, competition, and distribution channels, to develop a strategy for their defined market.
  • Drive positive mixed management to improve overall profitability
• Market & Data Insights
  • Utilize and analyze CRM daily to manage customer data and planning, leveraging customer targets, category goals, conversion opportunities, strategic initiatives, and financial metrics to drive sales performance.
  • Research industry trends, competitor activities, and customer feedback to identify sales opportunities and provide recommendations to product marketing, sales leadership, and their supporting team members.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Influence
  • Lead and drive cross-functional collaboration by actively partnering with Milwaukee Tool team members (including Sales Specialists, Marketing, Service, Finance and CSC) to share best practices, provide feedback, and reinforce a “One Team” mentality.
  • Lead and influence both functional and cross-functional initiatives such as secondary accounts, trade shows, and MIT programs to accelerate business growth. Areas of focus include POS trends, forecasting, inventory management, and additional commercial initiatives.
• Leadership & Talent Development
  • Coaching and informal mentorship

Functional / Technical Expertise

• Data Analysis
  • Leverage advanced analytics to proactively shape strategic priorities, uncover growth opportunities, and guide executive-level decision-making across the organization.
• Sales Process & Execution
  • Strategic thinking and long-term account planning across assigned key accounts through cross functional collaboration between internal and external stakeholders
  • Ability to lead cross-regional and multi-functional projects
  • Ability to manage business operations autonomously and drive results independently as needed
• Sales Systems & Tools
  • Advanced product and application knowledge leveraged to drive strategic sales decisions
  • Proficiency in administrative tools, including Microsoft Office Suite and Applications, Workday, CONNECT+ (Oracle), Delzer, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, PowerBI, RGA, CONCUR, Sproutloud and Qcommission
• Financial Acumen
  • Ability to leverage financial data and ROI analysis to support sales strategies, demonstrate value, and influence customer buying decisions (Financial Selling)
  • Ability to drive top-line outcomes for Milwaukee Tool and both the top-line and bottom-line for the customer

The TOOLS you’ll bring with you:

• No direct reports
• Accountable for individual performance while positively indirectly influencing peers
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field (Equivalent experience may be considered in lieu of a degree)
• 4+ years experience in roles that requires end-user facing and direct account/distribution experience or comparable internal or external experience
• Must be willing and able to travel extensively (up to 75%), primarily by car and air to support assigned accounts and/or territories

Working Conditions

Physical Activity:

• Stand and/or walk for approximately 50-90% of the workday.
• Must be able to regularly lift, push, pull, or carry sales materials and products weighing up to 25 pounds. Occasional lifting of up to 75 pounds may be required during product demonstrations or event setup. For any items exceeding 75 pounds (up to 180 pounds), team lifting or mechanical assistance is required, in accordance with OSHA safety standards.
• Frequently set up and operate tool displays, requiring manual dexterity, bending, kneeling, crouching, or stooping.
• Ability to safely operate powered hand tools, which may involve strong torque and significant vibration.

Driving Requirements:

• Expected to drive to and from customer locations, potentially up to five hours at a time.
• Spend 10-50% of the workday sitting in a car and 4-10 hours per week at a desk.

Administrative & Computer Work:

• Enter data into a computer for approximately 4-6 hours per week.
• Possess and maintain a valid driver’s license and consistently meet all driving record requirements in accordance with company and regulatory standards.
• Demonstrate the ability to safely operate a vehicle under various conditions, ensuring compliance with all safety and operational guidelines.

Work Environment:

• Frequent exposure to outdoor weather conditions.
• Regularly exposed to loud noise levels.