Business Manager

Position Overview

The Business Manager is a role within Kimball Electronics (KE) Shared Services.  This position is located outside headquarters in Europe (Preference given to someone in Poznan, Poland), and it reports to the VP, Automotive Solutions, who is located remotely. This global position is responsible for managing and growing KE engagement with several automotive customers by developing long-term relationships and exceeding growth expectations.

Quick Summary

The person in this role will spend much of the time managing the current business portfolio by working closely with the Customer Focused Teams to meet and exceed quoted commercial targets for the project and customer and identifying and landing new business from their assigned customers through engagement with their globally dispersed sourcing, engineering and divisional teams. Activities will include a combination of effective marketing activities, successful communication of the KE package of value (POV), identifying influencers and decision makers while building strong relationships.  To be successful the candidate must be self-motivated, possess excellent communication skills, a positive attitude, and be able to land new opportunities.  The person in this role must also enjoy learning about and working with different cultures (US, Mexico, China, Thailand, Romania, and Poland) and build followership with customers as well as within the Kimball Electronics organization.

Basic Background Requirements

This position will require:

• Working independently and remote from Kimball Electronics facilities. 
  • This is a remote position, ideally based in Poland, Poznań area.
• The ability to identify influencers and decision makers to build connections and identify new opportunities.
• Experience with automotive customers and understanding automotive quality and regulatory requirements and what it takes to grow revenue at pace.
• The ability to lead specific project or account teams (without direct reports) in support of assigned customer needs.
• Detailed orientated and responsive to customer needs. Actively maintain CRM data with customer information, opportunities etc.
• Experienced in the development of cost models and proposals that surpass customer expectations
• Good appreciation of strategy development and build out of an execution plan
• Leading teams (without direct reports) through quote activity, new product introduction and product sustaining activities
• The ability to work with all levels of the organization (Customers and internal to KE)
• A willingness to travel extensively
• The candidate should have an entrepreneurial spirit with the ability to resolve issues and provide creative solutions
• Technically astute with Electronics Manufacturing Service (EMS) experience and knowledge of associated manufacturing processes
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience. Masters or MBA studies would be an additional asset.
• Establish and lead regular customer strategy reviews and Business reviews
• Very helpful but not required is an engineering degree or other technical training.

Key Performance Objectives

• Short Term: (0 to 3 months)
• Learn and understand key capabilities of Kimball Electronics facilities
• Develop a thorough understanding of use of CRM and associated reporting tools
• Understand the Kimball Business management process.
• Develop a deep understanding of the Kimball quote development process
• Assume responsibility for assigned customers and growth strategy
• Get familiar with assigned customers, products and commercial situation.
• Introduce to assign customers.
• Midterm: (3 to 18 months)
• Update Strategy Statement and review with internal stakeholders quarterly
• Be clearly seen as leader driving growth of assigned accounts
• Lead open commercial topics and develop a relationship with assigned customers.
• Longer Term: (>18 months)
• Consistently exceed revenue growth targets
• Be seen as the KE go to person within KE by your assigned customer
• Deliver a new opportunity win rate more than 70%
• Other (ad hoc priorities):
• Identify and lead improvement processes within the business management processes.

Kimball Electronics is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, genetic information, disability or protected veteran status.