Sales Account Manager - Aftermarket and Distribution

BASF is one of the largest chemical companies in North America, and they are seeking a Sales Account Manager - Aftermarket and Distribution to join their Performance Chemicals team. The role involves driving commercial account management for the aftermarket and distribution market channels, leading customer strategies, managing contract negotiations, and collaborating with cross-functional partners to ensure exceptional customer experiences and sustainable growth.

Responsibilities:

• Developing and implementing customer strategies that integrate commercial, technical and R&D priorities to drive profitability and strengthen partnerships
• Translating customer needs into actionable insights and initiatives that drive sustainable growth with Finished Transportation Lubricant customers; which will include commodity and specialty products operating in a very complex environment
• Working across a broad portfolio of Transportation Lubricants, while also supporting Coolants, Brake Fluids and other specialty components under BASF Fuel and Lubricant Solutions
• Partnering closely with Product Management to continuously develop and optimize pricing strategies aligned with prevailing market conditions and the Finished Transportation Lubricants business strategy
• Coordinating closely with Customer Service & Supply Chain to manage new customer setups, resolve account issues, and ensure accurate invoicing and order entry; acting as the primary sales liaison for customer-related inquiries and process improvements, providing regular, data-driven demand forecasts, communicating changes in customer demand, and supporting inventory planning to meet service-level targets
• Effectively utilizing business-enabling tools including CDM for forecasting, CPQ for pricing, and Salesforce for documenting customer visits, call reports, opportunities, risks, and account plans, while sharing insights cross-functionally to enhance customer steering and decision-making
• Actively monitoring market trends, competitive activity, macroeconomic developments, and governmental, legislative, and regulatory factors to inform key technical and business decisions
• Managing senior-level customer interfaces and cultivating long-term, strategic relationships to strengthen value creation, and customer loyalty
• Providing regular contributions grounded in customer input and market insights to support a collaborative forum among the Finished Transportation Lubricants team

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in business, or a related commercial field
• 5+ years of industry (lubricants, automotive, and/or chemical) experience with demonstrated success in account management, sales, or commercial leadership roles
• Strong business acumen, including pricing strategy, forecasting, pipeline management, and regional market dynamics
• Effective communication skills, with strong written and verbal skills, to influence customers and cross-functional stakeholders
• Customer-oriented mindset, strong problem-solving and negotiation skills, and experience initiating and driving new customer projects
• MBA or technical MS