Job Description
Key Account Manager (Companion Animal Business Unit)
The Associate Director of Key Accounts is a leadership role responsible for managing and developing relationships with a company's most important clients, driving revenue growth, and ensuring customer satisfaction.
They develop strategic account plans, identify new business opportunities, and collaborate with internal teams across Canada and internationally to deliver exceptional service. Ultimately, they act as the primary point of contact for key accounts, overseeing all aspects of the client relationship and ensuring alignment with the company's strategic goals.
Key Responsibilities of the role include but are not limited to:
Relationship Management: Building and maintaining strong, long-term relationships with key clients, including C-suite executives.
Strategic Planning: Developing and executing strategic account plans to meet revenue targets and achieve client objectives.
Business Development: Identifying and pursuing new business opportunities within existing accounts, including upselling and cross-selling.
Collaboration: Working closely with internal teams (sales, marketing, operations, etc.) to ensure client needs are met and solutions are delivered effectively.
Performance Management: Monitoring account performance, tracking key metrics, and providing regular reports
Contract Negotiation: Negotiating contracts and agreements with key accounts, writing pricing proposals and ensuring profitability and mutual benefit.
Issue Resolution: Addressing client concerns and resolving any issues that may arise, ensuring client satisfaction and retention.
Industry Knowledge: Staying current on industry trends, competitor activities, and market conditions to identify potential risks and opportunities.
Mentorship: In some cases, mentoring and coaching other members of the account management team.
Skills Required:
Strong Sales and Negotiation Skills: Essential for building relationships, closing deals, and managing contracts.
Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and execute long-term account strategies.
Communication and Interpersonal Skills: Crucial for building rapport with clients and collaborating with internal teams.
Leadership and Teamwork: Ability to lead and motivate teams, both within the account management function and cross-functionally.
Problem-Solving and Analytical Skills: Essential for identifying and resolving client issues and making data-driven decisions.
Industry Knowledge: Understanding of the specific industry and market dynamics is required.
Qualifications:
Bachelor's degree in animal science, Business or related discipline.
Minimum of five (5) years Sales and/or Marketing or related experience.
At least two (2) years of experience leading initiatives or projects, with demonstrated accomplishments in influencing outcomes without direct authority.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office including Word, Excel, PowerPoint.
Fluency in French is required (for candidates based in Quebec only).
Must have a valid driver's license.
Must be available for overnight travel (25%)
This job posting is for an existing vacancy position.
We may use artificial intelligence and automated tools to support our recruitment process. AI tools are used to support, but not replace, human judgment. All hiring decisions are made by our hiring managers.
We are proud to be a company that embraces the value of bringing diverse, talented, and committed people together. The fastest way to breakthrough innovation is when diverse ideas come together in an inclusive environment. We encourage our colleagues to respectfully challenge one another's thinking and approach problems collectively. We are an equal opportunity employer, committed to fostering an inclusive and diverse workplace.
We encourage applications from all qualified candidates. In accordance with our accommodation policies and applicable provincial and federal accessibility legislation, we are committed to providing reasonable accommodation throughout the recruitment process.
Required Skills:
Account Management, Account Strategies, Adaptability, Business Development, Business Planning, Customer Needs Assessments, Customer Satisfaction, Identifying Sales Opportunities, Industry Knowledge, Market Analysis, Motivating Teams, Results-Oriented, Revenue Growth, Sales Forecasting Management, Service Excellence, Strategic Management, Strategic Planning, Strategic Thinking
Preferred Skills:
Current Employees apply HERE
Current Contingent Workers apply HERE
Secondary Language(s) Job Description:
Gestionnaire principal(e) de comptes (Unite d'affaires Animaux de compagnie)
Le ou la directeur(trice) associe(e), Comptes strategiques occupe un role de leadership responsable de la gestion et du developpement des relations avec les clients les plus importants de l'entreprise. Cette personne contribue a la croissance des revenus et veille a un haut niveau de satisfaction de la clientele. Elle elabore des plans strategiques pour les comptes cles, identifie de nouvelles occasions d'affaires et collabore avec des equipes internes partout au Canada et a l'international afin d'offrir un service exceptionnel.
En tant que principal point de contact pour les comptes strategiques, elle supervise tous les aspects de la relation client et assure l'alignement des activites avec les objectifs strategiques de l'entreprise.
Les responsabilites principales du poste comprennent, sans s'y limiter:
Gestion des relations clients : Etablir et maintenir des relations solides et durables avec les clients strategiques, y compris les membres de la haute direction.
Planification strategique : Elaborer et mettre en uvre des plans de comptes strategiques afin d'atteindre les objectifs de revenus et de repondre aux besoins des clients.
Developpement des affaires : Identifier et saisir de nouvelles occasions d'affaires au sein des comptes existants, notamment par des activites de vente additionnelle (upselling) et de vente croisee (cross-selling).
Collaboration interfonctionnelle : Travailler etroitement avec les equipes internes (ventes, marketing, operations, etc.) afin de repondre aux besoins des clients et de garantir la prestation efficace des solutions.
Gestion de la performance : Surveiller la performance des comptes, suivre les indicateurs cles et produire des rapports reguliers.
Negociation de contrats : Negocier les contrats et ententes avec les comptes strategiques, preparer les propositions tarifaires et assurer la rentabilite ainsi que les benefices mutuels.
Resolution de problemes : Repondre aux preoccupations des clients et resoudre les enjeux qui pourraient survenir afin d'assurer leur satisfaction et leur fidelisation.
Veille sectorielle : Se tenir au courant des tendances de l'industrie, des activites de la concurrence et des conditions du marche afin d'identifier les risques et les occasions potentielles.
Mentorat : Dans certains cas, encadrer et accompagner les autres membres de l'equipe de gestion des comptes.
Competences requises:
Solides competences en vente et en negociation : Essentielles pour etablir des relations, conclure des ententes et gerer des contrats.
Pensee strategique : Capacite a elaborer et a mettre en uvre des strategies de comptes a long terme.
Excellentes aptitudes en communication et en relations interpersonnelles : Indispensables pour etablir un lien de confiance avec les clients et collaborer efficacement avec les equipes internes.
Leadership et travail d'equipe : Capacite a diriger et a mobiliser des equipes, tant au sein de la fonction de gestion des comptes qu'au niveau interfonctionnel.
Capacite d'analyse et resolution de problemes : Essentielles pour cerner et resoudre les enjeux des clients et prendre des decisions fondees sur les donnees.
Connaissance de l'industrie : Bonne comprehension du secteur d'activite et de la dynamique du marche.
Qualifications:
Baccalaureat en sciences animales, en administration des affaires ou dans une discipline connexe.
Minimum de cinq (5) annees d'experience en ventes, en marketing ou dans un domaine connexe.
Au moins deux (2) annees d'experience a diriger des initiatives ou des projets, avec des realisations demontrees en matiere d'influence des resultats sans autorite hierarchique directe.
Maitrise de la suite Microsoft Office, notamment Word, Excel et PowerPoint.
La maitrise du francais est requise (pour les candidats bases au Quebec uniquement).
Permis de conduire valide requis.
Disponibilite pour des deplacements avec nuitees (environ 25 % du temps).
Cette offre d'emploi concerne un poste existant a pourvoir.
Nous pouvons avoir recours a l'intelligence artificielle et a des outils automatises pour soutenir notre processus de recrutement. Ces outils sont utilises pour appuyer, et non remplacer, le jugement humain. Toutes les decisions d'embauche sont prises par nos gestionnaires responsables de l'embauche.
Nous sommes fiers d'etre une entreprise qui valorise l'apport de personnes diversifiees, talentueuses et engagees. La facon la plus rapide de favoriser l'innovation est de reunir des idees diversifiees dans un environnement inclusif. Nous encourageons nos collegues a remettre respectueusement en question les points de vue des autres et a resoudre les problemes de facon collective. Nous sommes un employeur souscrivant au principe de l'egalite des chances et nous nous engageons a favoriser un milieu de travail inclusif et diversifie.
Nous encourageons les candidatures de toutes les personnes qualifiees. Conformement a nos politiques d'accommodement et a la legislation provinciale et federale applicable en matiere d'accessibilite, nous nous engageons a offrir des mesures d'accommodement raisonnables tout au long du processus de recrutement.
Search Firm Representatives Please Read Carefully
Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA, also known as Merck Sharp & Dohme LLC, Rahway, NJ, USA, does not accept unsolicited assistance from search firms for employment opportunities. All CVs / resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at our company without a valid written search agreement in place for this position will be deemed the sole property of our company. No fee will be paid in the event a candidate is hired by our company as a result of an agency referral where no pre-existing agreement is in place. Where agency agreements are in place, introductions are position specific. Please, no phone calls or emails.
Employee Status:
Regular
Relocation:
No relocation
VISA Sponsorship:
No
Travel Requirements:
25%
Flexible Work Arrangements:
Remote
Shift:
Not Indicated
Valid Driving License:
Yes
Hazardous Material(s):
n/a
Job Posting End Date:
07/23/2026
*A job posting is effective until 11:59:59PM on the day BEFOREthe listed job posting end date. Please ensure you apply to a job posting no later than the day BEFORE the job posting end date.