Organization Profile:
Wakefield Canada is a privately owned, entrepreneurial company focused exclusively on servicing the Canadian Automotive and Commercial Heavy Duty aftermarket. With an employee base of over 200 people, Wakefield provides sales, marketing and distribution solutions to over 5000 customers in all segments, including retailers, warehouse distributors, automotive and heavy duty jobbers, franchised and independent installers, quick lubes, fleet companies, new car dealers and Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM).

Wakefield was founded in June 2005 out of a strategic partnership with BP Lubricants to assume stewardship of the Castrol brand, and all customer facing operations, exclusively, in Canada. Wakefield's Brand portfolio includes Castrol as its cornerstone brand and business, along with SuperClean, a line of cleaners and degreasers for which Wakefield is the exclusive trading partner in Canada.

With a large and experienced sales force, in-house team of marketing professionals, and a comprehensive, coast to coast, distribution network, Wakefield provides premium automotive brands, dedicated customer service and technical support, and industry leading marketing programs to help drive growth for both our customers and the brands we represent. Our vision at Wakefield is to be the Best Lubricant Company in Canada.

Job Summary:
The purpose of the Regional Key Account Manager is to maximize sustainable sales volume within a given profitability framework for their assigned geography and for key accounts/ distributor groups in their sales pipeline. This role will cultivate, develop, and maintain new and existing business through various channels while ensuring delivery of the business objectives. The Regional Key Account Manager is also focused on building lasting relationships with internal and external clients while representing Wakefield in a professional manner.

Key Accountabilities:

• Develop and maintain a comprehensive business plan for customers including objectives and plans for the most important accounts.
• Cultivate, develop and maintain new and existing business through various channels in the region. Maintain an updated sales pipeline of “Suspects” and current status and action plan for “Prospects”.
• Maximize sales and profit for assigned regional key accounts/distributor groups as well as prospect new key account/distributor group business through various channels. Work with Regional Sales Managers and Marketing to identify the key accounts/distributor groups to target and pursue.
• Partner with marketing and leadership as needed to develop and deliver compelling customer presentations, and/or unique offerings as appropriate to individual key account pursuit, ensuring alignment to Wakefield’s strategic objectives.
• Maintain ongoing partnership with Supply Chain to ensure clear plan for ability to deliver against sales commitments during proposal development.
• Ensure consistent framework of legal contracts supporting general product offering, and accountable for engaging appropriate Wakefield decision-makers to adapt for unique circumstances as required.
• As the Commercial/Industrial specialist within the region, provide Territory Sales Managers with support on lead generation, sales calls and distributor management, ensuring a coordinated selling approach.
• Account management responsibility for key accounts/dealer groups ensuring excellence in partnering and servicing these accounts, including responsibility for key account performance, problem-resolution, and working collaboratively with Wakefield resources across the business to ensure a premium customer experience.
• Execute the organization’s sales process, including utilizing Wakefield’s CRM platform to record sales activity and gather account specific information.
• strong relationships with our customers and communicate and follow-up in a timely manner, ensuring that any customer inquiries or problems are addressed and resolved. Conduct training sessions as required and share product updates with customers, along with new programs or initiatives. Participate or attend any promotions, trade shows or celebrations the client hosts (i.e. Grand openings, Customer Appreciation). Represent Wakefield at Trade Shows and Industry events as required.
• Maintain an awareness of market trends and opportunities that are aligned with the overall business objectives and goals of Wakefield.
• Attend all product knowledge training sessions.
• Special projects and participation as required.

• Energetic, enthusiastic, motivated, and driven by results.
• Strong planning and organization skills with a proven ability to multi-task, prioritize, and manage varied, time sensitive workloads.
• Demonstrated key account development and key account management skills and abilities.
• Strong presentation, written, and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to creatively solve problems with a mutually beneficial result for the client and Wakefield.
• Strong financial acumen and negotiating skills.
• Conceptual and strategic thinker.
• Superior product knowledge or the aptitude to learn about the products.
• Customer focused and dedicated to exceeding the expectations of internal and external clients.
• Ability to build and manage a pipeline of opportunities that are aligned with the overall organization strategy and assist the Territory Sales Manager’s executing actions to close these opportunities.
• Bilingual (French and English) would be an asset.

• No direct reports; demonstrated ability to influence without authority.

• College diploma or University degree in Business with a specialization in Sales or Marketing, or a diploma or degree in a related field is an asset.
• Minimum 5 years of Sales experience, either in a field sales role or a combination of field sales and key account management.
• Experience selling consumer and commercial automotive lubricants (or related industry) through distributors or direct channels preferred. Experience in selling consumer packaged goods an asset.
• Proven ability in territory sales management including creative and fact-based selling, merchandising, administration, and experience selling to direct and indirect buying headquarter accounts.
• Excellent Microsoft Suite experience. Experience with CRM is preferred.

• Field work with a home office base.
• National travel as required.