at American Express Global Business Travel in Springfield, Illinois, United States
Job Description
Amex GBT is a place where colleagues find inspiration in travel as a force for good and – through their work – can make an impact on our industry. We’re here to help our colleagues achieve success and offer an inclusive and collaborative culture where your voice is valued.
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The Strategic Account Manager (SAM) role is a strategic leader at Amex GBT responsible for leading critical and highly valuable Meetings & Events business client portfolios and business development. In this role, they will be recognized as a valued advisor within their Meetings & Events client base and will demonstrate a strong industry knowledge to improve cross-functional approaches for the execution of our client servicing and sales strategies. The Strategic Account Manager is an innovative leader, responsible for managing client relationships, passionate about optimizing, and driving premium revenue.
This role has end to end responsibility and accountability for a portfolio of M&E business, delivering and exceeding on financial performance expectations, while also coordinating and supporting regional and global business objectives.
What You’ll Do:
+ Developing an account level strategy targeting opportunities within the client portfolio.
+ Performing the revenue growth strategies to drive incremental revenue through a combination of increased meetings, premium product revenue, advisory consulting, supplier relations initiatives and meetings management.
+ Researching the marketplace and competitor products and services to highlight the value that distinguishes AXP products, and specifically improves MI, benchmarking, and technology as critical value drivers.
+ Drive strategies crafted to increase revenue and drive customer behavior at a scalable level. Work with leaders to implement new and build ways to grow the business.
+ Possessing an in-depth understanding of key business drivers, organizational culture and the competitive position of the portfolio, understanding broad issues and the competitive landscape when driving sales strategies.
+ Building, maintaining, and growing relationships with internal business partners across the B2B organization, demonstrating key partnerships within Client Servicing, Business travel partners and Advisory/Consulting services, to drive growth and the implementation of innovative, value account solutions.
+ Leading business planning, quarterly and annual reviews, pricing strategies, and business negotiations on rebids for strategic accounts.
+ Contribute to content development for client innovation forums, and supports agenda ideas and content, guest speakers, panelists, and facilitators specific to driving premium revenue.
+ Researching the marketplace and competitor products and services to highlight the value that distinguishes GBT products, and specifically demonstrates MI, benchmarking, and technology as critical value drivers.
+ Developing an in-depth understanding of key business drivers, organizational culture and the competitive position of clients.
+ Leading the global efforts of assigned portfolio across 4 regions and 50+ markets; which includes guiding the regional market leads in their efforts to support the client global goals/initiatives.
+ Leading expansion efforts to deliver multiple revenue streams and further penetrate accounts, with a focus on driving expansion of premium revenue.
+ Increasing profitability by proactively identifying new opportunities and delivering innovative solutions that continue to make valuable contributions to our clients.
+ Developing creative pricing strategies and contributing to ongoing client P&L management.
+ Leading business planning, C-Level executive reviews, quarterly and annual reviews, and business negotiations on rebids for strategic accounts.
+ Enhancing the Amex GBT value proposition through policy consultation, researching white paper needs, technology road mapping, optimizing online solutions, and event content development.
+ Strong Relationship building skills with Clients.
What We’re Looking For:
+ Previous M&E / travel industry knowledge
+ Consultative competence and ability to influence.
+ Proven global sales leadership experience
+ Deep global M&E subject matter expertise with demonstrated track record of driving growth, leading a service focused operation, managing a P&L, and creating a destination for talent
+ Demonstrated skill and successful track record in growing client revenue
+ High-level of proficiency in common office software (MS Office)
+ Previous leadership experience at Regional / Local Operational and/or Commercial M&E
+ Experience of multiple industry clients and account types ie SMM, DOE, Variable labor, Congress, Commission Retention etc
+ Experience of managing large, multi-client sophisticated operational structures whilst delivering growth and successful business results
+ Sound financial competence and previous ownership of high spend P&L balancing income and cost
+ Ownership of high spend client accounts
+ Strategic ability and discernment with experience in creating, implementing and getting results against strategic plan
+ Considers broad range of internal and external factors when providing solutions
+ Ability to communicate, empower and inspire effectively with all levels of employee seniority and lead towards the vision
+ Gets results by challenging the status quo, championing new initiatives and implementing effective processes.
+ Able to lead change and establish a high standard of performance through development of short and long term plans
+ Responds appropriately and competently to demands of work challenges when confronted with change, adversity and other pressures
+ Demonstrated ability to analyze situations, negotiate and make decisions in a fast paced environment.
+ Recognize systematic and root causes and identify alternative solutions through analytical approaches
+ Proven track record to effectively lead during times of change and change track swiftly as required
+ Ability to build strong, open relationships and establish credibility as a trusted advisor and work with multiple teams to accomplish goals and objectives
+ Manage multiple tasks effectively
+ Superior organizational ability and excellent attention to detail
+ Ability to demonstrate the Global organization and adapt to local market requirements and needs.
+ Must have 3 to 5 years of global account/client management experience
+ Previous experience with global clients preferred.
+ Previous global oversight/account implementations experience a plus.
+ Demonstrated ability to quickly learn, understand, and articulate key product and value proposition knowledge in a variety of contexts.
+ Proven success in consultative selling is required, in addition to demonstrated success increasing client revenue and profitability.
+ Keen ability to communicate GBT’s value proposition up to and including the “C Suite”.
+ Demonstrated ability to create strategic vision, build action plans, set goals.
+ Proven innovative problem-solving abilities and decision-making skills required, in addition to project management, prioritization, and planning skills.
+ Strong financial competence and analytical demeanor required to use the key drivers of profitability.
+ Strong negotiation skills, including the ability to handle objections and achieve mutually beneficial solutions with proven success in RFP management/negotiations.
+ Demonstrated ability to proactively build and maintain a comprehensive network, both internally and externally, to successfully navigate through client organizations.
+ A sophisticated range of communication and presentation skills to present sophisticated ideas in a simple and compelling way to a wide variety of audiences.
+ Highly collaborat
