Strategic Account Manager

Who are LRQA?

LRQA stands for dedication to clients, market firsts, and deep expertise in risk management. We’ve grown to become a leading global assurance provider, bringing together outstanding expertise in certification, customised assurance, cybersecurity, inspection and training.

While we’re proud of our heritage, it’s who we are today that really matters, because that’s what shapes who we and our clients can become tomorrow. By staying true to our shared values and combining decades of collective experience, we support our clients in building a safer and more sustainable future.

LRQA currently operates across 50 countries, has more than 2,500 colleagues, generates £315m in revenue, and supports more than 60,000 clients across a diverse range of sectors and markets.

Role Purpose

Reporting into the Head of Sales, Strategic Account UK/IRR (HSAM), the purpose of the Strategic Account Manager is to:

• Develop and win new business opportunities with existing and target strategic accounts.
• Build and maintain strong strategic relationships with key individuals in client accounts.
• Lead the strategic sales priorities and implementation for accounts, based on opportunities, framework and service agreements, to maximise revenue delivery and growth.
• Introduce new products and services which are added to the LRQA portfolio through acquisitions and new product development.
• Support strategic bids and be a major contributor to the bid process and team.
• Be the local lead and representative for colleague’s accounts, where geographical strategic support is needed, including liaison with Strategic Account Managers (GAM’s) to drive sales and pipeline opportunities.

Key Responsibilities

• Results driven delivery - You will manage a selection of strategic accounts and be responsible for winning business from a target group of logos, with an annual combined revenue value of £0.5-3m initially, depending on mixture of existing and new client priorities, working on growing this significantly year on year.
• Results driven delivery - You will be responsible for creating the implementation strategy for new sales in your accounts and working with LRQA teams as needed to achieve success. Retention, revenue growth and new logo wins will be the key performance indicators use to measure success.
• Account Management skills - You will be responsible for the development and delivery of strategic account plans, which maximise the LRQA opportunity for revenue, in line with group growth objectives and priorities.
• Pipeline management skills - You will need to manage your client pipelines to ensure that they are sufficient to meet the relevant targets, engaging with GAM colleagues and other local SAM’s to maximise the opportunities you develop, through local relationships and contracts
• Preparation and delivery of account plans -  You will ensure that any strategic account under the management of your team, has an up to date, viable account plan, which is driving the strategic growth initiatives for the account and which can be clearly articulated by the relevant sales person, at any time.
• Contract renewals - You are responsible for managing the retention of all business with your named accounts, minimising the risk of loss to the LRQA business, through timely intervention in any process, preventing the re-tendering of business where possible and re-securing the contract where needed.
• Market knowledge and strategic prioritisation - You will maintain a strong strategic knowledge of the market(s) you operate in, ensuring you are able to maintain a strong level of communication with client personnel.
• Contribution to Sales Meetings and Performance summaries - From sales management meetings to BA leadership team meetings, you will be responsible for the production of sales and pipeline reports, performance summaries and updates on specific project actions.

The successful candidate should be able to demonstrate the following:

• Indepth knowledge of the certification sector – preferably with more detailed experience in specific sectors.
• Communication, strategic planning and presentation experience.
• Excellent relationship building skills with internal and external stakeholders.
• Able to work with C-Suite decision makers and develop requirements through a consultative approach.
• Used to working for a global matrix based organisation
• Able to travel through UK/Ireland where required.