Key Account Manager

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is a world famous brand with offices across the globe. Within Fender Musical Instruments Corporation’s ("FMIC") Sales team, you will have direct contact with key account customers, where you will create, build, and maintain strong business relationships.

An American icon, Fender was born in Southern California and has built a worldwide influence extending beyond the studio and the stage. A Fender is more than an instrument, it’s a cultural symbol that resonates globally.

We are searching for a Key Account Manager to join our team working with Guitar Center. This position will be dedicated to a key account focused on Fender and Squier brands with the goal of achieving annual targets by building successful, long-term business development strategies to be executed in collaboration with the account.

This is a remote role with monthly travel to Los Angeles, CA and quarterly travel to Kansas City, MO.  Preference is for the Key Account Manager to sit in Los Angeles Metro or the Greater Phoenix area.

Essential Functions:

• Leading important FMIC product lines under the Fender and Squier brands with an ownership mentality while confidently serving as the key day-to-day contact for Guitar Center Merchandising and Inventory Management contacts.
• Proactive planning and execution that takes data, insights, and feedback from the account to create actionable opportunities for both the account and the Fender/Squier business.
• Build strong relationships with the account’s management team and key stakeholders to build trust and strengthen partnerships across the organization.
• Ability to meet daily, both remotely (Zoom, phone, etc) as well as in-person with key cross-functional partners at the account to ensure we are meeting and exceeding the account's needs while actively proposing innovative strategies to profitably grow FMIC business.
• Track and measure key account metrics weekly and report to leadership with recommended next steps.
• Identify opportunities for wins, up-sell opportunities, and collaborate with internal fulfillment and external sales teams to ensure goals are achieved.
• Build strong internal network with cross-functional business partners in operations, supply chain, demand planning, sales operations, and product line management teams to build support for important initiatives.
• Assist with multiple incoming requests and escalations as needed.
• Support strategic go-to-market plans that include close collaboration of forecasting for new product introductions (NPI) across FMIC and the account.
• Drive product differentiation plans (dealer exclusives/limited models) through all product lines with FMIC product management and the account.
• Identify new business opportunities and drive growth through sales and marketing activities by collaborating with account’s Merchandising, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Training teams.
• Responsible for coordinating all areas of distribution in which the account participates including online and in-store sales.
• Responsible for field marketing to provide analysis of key trends and competitive activity.
• Ability to think creatively to find solutions in the face of obstacles and challenges.
• Extreme attention to detail and the ability to follow through, and a bias for taking action to solve problems.
• Additional duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• A minimum of 5 years of sales and territory management is required
• Highly motivated and target-driven with a proven track record in sales
• Highly effective time management, planning, and multitasking ability
• Excellent communication skills with the ability to build productive and professional relationships
• Knowledge of finance, P&L, inventory management, and forecasting
• Ability to thrive in both a team environment and individually
• High level of drive and ambition to succeed
• Proficient in Microsoft Office, Familiarity with BW, BEX, and SAP a plus
• Ability to maintain professionalism and effective communication at all levels of FMIC and its customers

About Fender Musical Instruments:

Fender Musical Instruments Corporation (FMIC) is one of the world’s leading musical instrument manufacturers, marketers and distributors, whose portfolio of brands includes Fender®, Squier®, Presonus®, Gretsch®, Jackson®, EVH®, Charvel®, Bigsby®, and Groove Tubes®, among others. For more information, visit www.fender.com. FMIC offers a competitive benefits package which includes medical, dental, 401(k), paid time off, and an equipment purchase program to help you get the band back together. Fender Musical Instruments Corporation is an equal opportunity employer and considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, gender, age, color, religion, disability, veterans’ status, sexual orientation, or any other protected factor.

Fender is required by law in certain jurisdictions to include a pay scale in the job posting for this position.  “Pay scale” means the salary or hourly wage range that Fender reasonably expects to pay for this position; it is neither a promise nor a guarantee of the compensation that the successful candidate will receive.  The pay scale for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that Fender considers in making compensation decisions, including, without limitation: skill set, experience, and training, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs.  If this is a remote position, the pay scale disclosed herein may be adjusted further based upon the applicable geographic differential associated with the location from which the successful candidate will work.  Please note that it is not typical for a Fender employee to be at or near the top of the pay scale for their role – especially as a new hire – and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.  Subject to the foregoing, the current pay scale for this position is $80,000.00 - $120,000.00