The Role
Manages a strategic defense customer account while leading Lean Six Sigma quality and continuous improvement initiatives. The role oversees KPIs, root cause analysis, corrective actions, process controls, improvement projects, SLA performance, business reviews, operational planning, and client relationships across the USA, UK, and Canada. It also coordinates cross-functional teams, supports workforce planning, develops business cases, and travels to customer sites as required.
Summary Generated by Built In
Opportunity: Strategic Account Manager (Defense) Location: Sterling Heights, MI or Lima, OH
The Strategic Account Manager will participate in the management of operations and client relationships with a large and strategic defense customer. This role will also involve liaising between customers and cross-function internal teams to ensure the timely and successful delivery of our solutions according to customer needs.
RESPONSIBILITIES
- Lead quality and continuous improvement initiatives across the strategic account, partnering with operational leaders in the USA, UK, and Canada to improve service performance, consistency, and customer satisfaction.
- Apply Lean Six Sigma methodologies to identify process gaps, reduce variation and waste, and deliver measurable improvements in quality, productivity, and cost.
- Partner with operations and quality teams to investigate service failures and nonconformances, conduct root cause analysis, and implement corrective and preventive actions to prevent recurrence.
- Establish and monitor quality and continuous improvement KPIs, incorporating performance trends, corrective actions, and improvement results into Monthly and Quarterly Business Reviews.
- Develop and prioritize improvement projects based on customer requirements, operational performance, and business impact; define objectives, timelines, ownership, and measurable outcomes.
- Collaborate with internal teams and the customer to standardize best practices, strengthen process controls, and sustain improvements across locations.
- Collaborate with the operations team to ensure efficient and effective coordination of operational changes, as well as minimize impact on business processes.
- Ensure the timely and successful deliver of solutions according to customer needs and objectives.
- Counsel operations team on meeting the SLA commitments and development of intake proposals, as well as assist in operational planning against budgeted commitments.
- Work with operational leaders across the USA, UK & Canada.
- Work with operations team to forecast future skill needs to acquire and develop a workforce with the appropriate mix of business knowledge, technical skills, and competencies.
- Provider leadership, coaching, and direction as it pertains to policies and procedures.
- Manage the content of the Monthly and Quarterly Business Reviews working with internal partners to ensure professional quality documents are deliver to the client.
- Build and maintain relationships with the client to develop a clear understanding of the business' needs, ensuring cost-effective delivery of services.
- Be an advocate of the client balancing the current and future needs of the client and contractual commitments of the company.
- Achieve objectives through collaboration and influencing rather than directives.
- Travel to sites in Canada, US, and UK as required.
- Lead quality and continuous improvement initiatives across the strategic account, partnering with operational leaders in the USA, UK, and Canada to improve service performance, consistency, and customer satisfaction.
- Apply Lean Six Sigma methodologies to identify process gaps, reduce variation and waste, and deliver measurable improvements in quality, productivity, and cost.
- Partner with operations and quality teams to investigate service failures and nonconformances, conduct root cause analysis, and implement corrective and preventive actions to prevent recurrence.
- Establish and monitor quality and continuous improvement KPIs, incorporating performance trends, corrective actions, and improvement results into Monthly and Quarterly Business Reviews.
- Develop and prioritize improvement projects based on customer requirements, operational performance, and business impact; define objectives, timelines, ownership, and measurable outcomes.
- Collaborate with internal teams and the customer to standardize best practices, strengthen process controls, and sustain improvements across locations.
SKILLS & EXPERIENCE
- Strong hands-on experience applying Lean Six Sigma methodologies, including DMAIC, root cause analysis, process mapping, and statistical analysis, within a manufacturing, logistics, or supply chain environment.
- Demonstrated success leading cross functional improvement projects that deliver measurable gains in quality, service performance, productivity, and cost.
- Experience developing quality metrics, implementing corrective and preventive actions, and establishing process controls to sustain improvements.
- Ability to translate operational data into actionable recommendations and communicate improvement priorities and results to customers and senior leaders.
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification preferred
- 5-8 years' Client/Vendor Relationship Management experience with strong negotiating skills
- 3-5 years' experience in manufacturing supply chain environment
- Experience applying conflict resolution techniques to prevent and mitigate issues.
- Experience working effectively and collaboratively with employees at all levels/areas of the organization.
- Strong business acumen and knowledge of business concepts, including strategy development and financial analysis.
- Strong MS Office skills.
- Experience working with ERP and WMS systems and with projects involving system integration.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
- You align team members through clear articulation of direction and expectations.
- You deliver on accountabilities through a reasonable appropriation of time and resources.
- You apply critical thinking an analytical skills when problem solving.
- You utilize tools and processes effectively to support people and business operations.
- You can build professional business cases and present them to gain support and approval from internal and external stakeholders.
- Must be US Passport holder with the ability to maintain security clearance
- Prior military service preferred.
- Strong hands-on experience applying Lean Six Sigma methodologies, including DMAIC, root cause analysis, process mapping, and statistical analysis, within a manufacturing, logistics, or supply chain environment.
- Demonstrated success leading cross-functional improvement projects that deliver measurable gains in quality, service performance, productivity, and cost.
- Experience developing quality metrics, implementing corrective and preventive actions, and establishing process controls to sustain improvements.
- Ability to translate operational data into actionable recommendations and communicate improvement priorities and results to customers and senior leaders.
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification preferred.
EDUCATION
Bachelor's Degree in a related field
Why Join Us
- Work in an environment where safety is our first priority
- The opportunity to build a career with a growing company
- Comprehensive benefits including medical, dental and vision
- Life and disability insurance
- Wellness programs to support your family’s well-being
- A 401(k) plan with company match
- Company team wear allowance
- Company sponsored social events
- Community volunteering
Skills Required
- Bachelor's degree in a related field
- Hands-on Lean Six Sigma experience, including DMAIC, root cause analysis, process mapping, and statistical analysis
- Experience in manufacturing, logistics, or supply chain environments
- Success leading cross-functional improvement projects with measurable quality, service, productivity, and cost results
- Experience developing quality metrics, corrective and preventive actions, and process controls
- Ability to translate operational data into recommendations and communicate with customers and senior leaders
- 5-8 years of client or vendor relationship management experience
- 3-5 years of manufacturing supply chain experience
- Strong negotiating and conflict resolution skills
- Experience collaborating with employees at all organizational levels
- Strong business acumen, including strategy development and financial analysis
- Strong Microsoft Office skills
- Experience with ERP and WMS systems and system integration projects
- Strong analytical, critical-thinking, problem-solving, and business-case presentation skills
- Lean Six Sigma Black Belt certification
- US passport holder with ability to maintain security clearance
- Prior military service
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The Company
What We Do
Metro Supply Chain is a third-party logistics (3PL) provider that designs, builds, and operates end-to-end supply chain solutions for businesses across North America, the UK and Europe. Its services include warehousing, inventory management, order fulfillment, transportation, last-mile delivery and supply chain consulting. In the United States, it provides fulfillment for direct-to-consumer and business-to-business brands, including pick-and-pack, reverse logistics, wholesale distribution and cross-border logistics.
