The Senior Director-Strategic Accounts - Global is responsible for leading and managing key customer relationships across the SSA Marine network, ensuring strategic alignment, commercial growth, and long-term value creations. This role plays a critical part in driving a customer-centric approach, fostering partnerships and implementing structures commercial frameworks that support SSA Marine’s strategic goals. The Director will drive the creation of scalable ancillary offerings tailored to regional and customer needs, while ensuring alignment with SSA’s broader commercial strategy and EBITDA goals.
Strategic Account Management & Customer Engagement
- Serve as the executive sponsor for SSA Marine’s most critical customer relationship.
- Develop, manage and execute account strategies that cultivate and drive long-term value, retention, and growth with high levels of customer satisfaction.
- Influence key stakeholders and cross-functional teams across terminal operations, finance, legal and Headquarters to deliver tailored solutions and exceptional service to strategic clients.
Commercial Strategy & Business Development
- Support portfolio optimization and strategic growth and pricing models adherence, including negotiation and renewal of high-value customer contracts.
- Collaborate with the VP of Commercial and cross-functional teams to implement commercial strategies that drive revenue growth, improve EBITDA and enhance customer value.
- Lead the development of RFQ/RFP responses and proposals for new business opportunities.
- Ensure commercial strategies are informed by market intelligence and customer feedback.
Partnership Development & Market Expansion
- Forge and manage high-impact strategic partnerships aligned with SSA Marine’s growth strategy
- Lead cross-functional collaboration with Carrix Business Development and regional leaders to evaluate market expansion and new service opportunities.
- Serve as SSA Marines executive representative at industry forums, trade associations, and key customer engagements to elevate brand presence and influence.
Strategic Planning & Execution
- Contribute to the development of the strategic plan, including capital investment and financial projections to achieve division’s ambitious growth targets.
- Align strategic account and partnership initiatives with broader corporate and divisional goals.
- Monitor and report on the progress of strategic initiatives, providing insights and recommendations to executive leadership.
Operational Collaboration & Implementation
- Work closely with operations teams to ensure alignment between commercial goals and service delivery.
- Define processes that support customer requirements and operational excellence.
- Support project implementation and ensure commitments are met across regions.
- Bachelor’s degree in business, Logistics, Maritime, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
- 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in the port, maritime, logistics, or transportation industry.
- Proven track record of managing complex customer relationships and delivering commercial results, including strategic account management, business development, and partnership leadership.
- Strong financial acumen and experience with strategic planning, forecasting, and capital planning.
- Exceptional interpersonal, negotiation, and executive communication skills.
- Ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence at all levels of the organization.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); CRM and project management tools a plus.
Supervisory Responsibilities: No
Work Environment:
- Required job duties are normally performed in a climate-controlled office environment.
- Exposure to computer screens and moderate noise levels typical of an office environment
- Frequency travel (up to 50%) to customer sites, industry events, and SSA Marine locations.
We are an Equal Opportunity Employer
Pay Range$165,000 - $215,000 per year
Compensation & BenefitsEligible employees (and their families) may qualify for medical, dental, and vision insurance, as well as having basic life and accidental death insurance, paid disability insurance, including paid parental leave if eligible, and an Employee Assistance Program. Employees will receive paid sick and vacation time, and company holidays if eligible. The company also offers paid bereavement leave, and paid jury duty. Eligible employees can enroll in our company's 401k plan, as well as a retirement plan. Employees will be eligible for discretionary and/or metric-based bonuses dependent on their position.Top Skills
What We Do
Founded by Fred R. Smith in 1949 as Bellingham Stevedoring Company, we began our first cargo handling operations in a small corner of Washington State. Driven by a pioneering spirit, our family-owned company saw steady growth over the years, expanding up and down the West Coast to operate a significant market share of the major international terminals in the eastern Pacific. Today, we have become a global enterprise spanning more than 260 locations across five continents.
We continue to broaden our reach by developing new locations and upgrading existing facilities, providing some of the most technologically advanced facilities in the world.
We partner to move commerce with efficiency, flexibility, and integrity.
With operations across five continents and a vast network of interconnected transportation solutions, we open new opportunities that accelerate the growth and pace of global business. Improving the customer experience is at the heart of everything we do, so we make purposeful investments in people, facilities and technical innovations that deliver the greatest customer value.
