Fast Facts

Join hand2mind as an Account Manager, Key Accounts to protect and grow an expanding portfolio of B2B clients in a supportive and rewarding environment focused on hands-on learning materials.

Responsibilities: Manage B2B key accounts, develop relationships with clients, oversee customer service teams, and collaborate with internal departments on client projects and product rollouts.

Skills: Minimum 5 years of B2B account management experience, strong analytical skills, proficiency in Microsoft Office, and knowledge of Microsoft D365 ERP is preferred.

Qualifications: Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience, with experience in custom manufacturing/distribution fulfillment preferred.

Location: Job is based in Vernon Hills, IL, USA with no remote options specified.

Compensation: $100000 - $115000 / Annually

About hand2mind:

We bring learning to life! Trusted by teachers for more than 55+ years, hand2mind creates engaging, classroom-tested materials that empower children to learn by doing. We are a 150-person strong, family-owned company that's been voted one of the Chicago Tribune's Top Workplaces for the last four consecutive years. In addition to building high-quality, hands-on learning materials for the classroom like VersaTiles® and Cuisenaire® Rods, we also develop educational toys for the home that make learning math, reading, social-emotional learning, and STEM fun and interactive. As a company, we are committed to our employee’s personal and professional development. That’s why we offer a competitive benefits package, a supportive culture, and a variety of training and development opportunities. We are looking for professionals who are truly just kids at heart! We hope you’ll come join our award-winning team today!

Team & Position Description:

We are currently seeking an Account Manager of Key Accounts to join our team of custom solutions experts. In this role within hand2mind’s B2B Publisher Services business unit, you will be responsible for protecting and growing an expanding portfolio of clients aligned to our corporate strategy and capabilities. In this Account Manager role, you will ensure that the unique needs and contractual obligations of our company’s top revenue producing clients are consistently exceeded. Developing trusted relationships at all levels within client organizations (junior to C-level), you will serve as the liaison between our clients and our Operations and Customer Support teams and provide them guidance on client product and operational needs and business development activities.

What you’ll do day to day:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned B2B key accounts. Develop and maintain relationships deep within existing client networks while executing strategic account plans, conducting technical and consultative sales support calls onsite and via conference calls, and proactively identify and resolve critical issues encountered by our clients and the hand2mind team. 
• Assume an accountable leadership role in driving a first-class client experience that creates lasting relationships, builds competitive barriers to entry, and meets or exceeds our company’s contractual performance obligations.
• Partner with the VP of Publisher Services and Director of Product Management to facilitate the internal onboarding of new clients and the rollout of new products and services for new and existing clients through communication of client specifications, initial product forecasts, and service-level requirements with appropriate internal team members.
• Oversee the successful management of the Publisher Services’ customer service team responsible for daily order management of client fulfillment orders and project-based services.
• Collaborate with manufacturing, logistics, supply chain, and quality team to ensure client needs are clearly defined and understood for the successful execution of complex, large-scale customer projects.
• Develop and present quarterly business review presentations tailored to the needs of each client/prospect that highlights hand2mind’s performance against customer SLA metrics and opportunities, wins and losses during the quarter, and opportunities for process improvements between company and client.

What we’re looking for (Key Performance Objectives):

• Within 90 days, demonstrate full comprehension of hand2mind’s service level commitments, product portfolio, and services for each key account, and proficiency in extracting and interpreting our service levels metrics from PowerBi reports and dashboards. 
• Within 90 days, Learn all steps in the templated, on-boarding process of new clients and product lines that involve the cross-functional cooperation and action between kit development, customer service, supply chain, warehouse operations, and planning in preparation for manufacturing and order fulfillment of client products. Successfully lead at least one cross-functional on-boarding meeting during this period.
• Demonstrate proficiency in navigating D365 Sales Order and CE (Case Management) software modules as measured by the ability to look up customer-specific order status and unresolved customer cases.
• Within 6 months, assume primary contact responsibilities for assigned tier-two accounts and demonstrate ability to resolve customer issues/tasks assigned to you through MS Project and CE and/or re-assign or escalate client issues to appropriate stakeholders for successful resolution.
• Within 6 months, prepare at least two client QBR presentations that include hand2mind’s performance against clients; service level agreements, h2m and client wins and losses during the last quarter period, and opportunities for process improvements or cost savings in collaboration with the client.
• By one year, take over responsibility of at least two client Operations Calls (Amplify’s weekly “scrum” calls; MOS weekly planning calls) that focus on clients’ open order pool, large-scale order fulfillment projects, open client issues (“cases”).
• By one year, demonstrate ability to co-lead and serve as back-up lead for conducting client weekly production schedule and forecast consumption calls. 

Requirements/Ideal Attributes:

• Bachelor’s Degree or equivalent work experience
• Minimum 5 years of experience serving as the primary contact for B2B clients in the day-to-day servicing of key accounts to ensure successful outcomes against agreed upon client service level measures. 
• Experience in a custom manufacturing and/or complex distribution fulfillment environment is preferred. Working knowledge of Microsoft D365 ERP software a plus.
• Above average mathematical and analytical skillset.
• High proficiency working in a computer environment and various software technology
• Microsoft Office or Google Suite experience with strong, intermediate-level Excel skills 

We are a drug-free workplace and an EEO employer.

Please note: This role will be filled by our internal recruitment team, so no assistance is needed from any outside staffing agency at this time.

Compensation Range: $100,000 – $115,000 annual salary – Actual compensation may vary due to other factors such as: years of experience, skill set and location. Total compensation includes profit sharing bonus potential, 401k matching, and a variety of other benefits (details can be found here). 

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