Global Account Director - Specialized Services

United Kingdom Source: WhatJobs

£120,000–£180,000

Job Title: Global Account Director - Specialized Services

Job Location (Short): Hounslow, HNS, GBR, TW6 3UA

Who we are

Headquartered in Singapore, SATS Ltd. is one of the world’s largest providers of air cargo handling services and Asia’s leading airline caterer. SATS Gateway Services provides airfreight and ground handling services including passenger services, ramp and baggage handling, aviation security services, aircraft cleaning and aviation laundry. SATS Food Solutions serves airlines, institutions, and operates central kitchens with large-scale food production and distribution capabilities for a wide range of cuisines. SATS is present in the Asia-Pacific, the Americas, Europe, the Middle East and Africa, powering an interconnected world of trade, travel and taste. Following the acquisition of Worldwide Flight Services (WFS) in 2023, the combined SATS and WFS network operates over 215 stations in 27 countries. These cover trade routes responsible for more than 50% of global air cargo volume. SATS has been listed on the Singapore Exchange since May 2000. For more information, please visit

The Role

SATS Group are developing a specialized services portfolio, building on our cargo handling capabilities at over 200 airport locations worldwide. The purpose of this portfolio is to use our assets and capabilities to support additional parts of the end-to-end cargo journey and additional players in the supply chain, including freight forwarders.

The Global Account Director Specialized Services will be the centralized, single point of commercial contact for a group of assigned global freight forwarders. They will be responsible to create and implement a customer development plan that maximizes revenue for SATS Group, leads to a strong strategic win-win partnership between us and our strategic accounts and increases customer stickiness. In the process, they will work very closely with our New Product Development (NPD) team across the ideating, piloting and scaling of specialized services positioning Global Freight Forwarders as anchor customers to drive product growth. This role requires exceptional ability to influence across matrix organizations, develop strategic relationships and align internal and external stakeholders around shared objectives. The role reports directly to the Global Head of Strategic Accounts – Gateway Services.

Key Responsibilities:

Sell established specialized services effectively to assigned Strategic Accounts, deliver against annual targets for assigned accounts.
Identify opportunities/gaps in the market, generate product ideas, work closely with NPD in ideation, pilot and scaling of specialized services.
Create and implement a multi-year Customer Development Plan for each assigned strategic account, that maximizes revenue opportunities for SATS Group, increases customer stickiness and develops a global strategic partnership.
Conduct regular QBRs, using them as an opportunity to enhance our strategic partnership and build new business in addition to reporting professionally on our SLAs/KPIs.
Work closely with Executive Sponsors, regional and local P&L owners, regional and local commercial teams to ensure that our approach and interaction with strategic accounts is well aligned and has the support of the regional and local teams.
Develop key commercial contacts within the countries so that they become part of the extended account team serving our strategic accounts.
Communicate account strategies clearly and regularly within the organization, build support for the assigned accounts from all key functions such as Ops, IT, Finance, etc.
Keep pipeline and account management activities up to date through the provided pipeline management tools/CRM system.
Act as the escalation point for major issues/complaints from the assigned customers. Co-ordinate internally to resolve such issues and respond promptly to customers to close out the complaints.
Ensure that the global customer contracts database is up to date, ensure the organization is proactively working on key renewals and orchestrate the internal resources, communication and support required to ensure key contracts are renewed with a win/win outcome.
Work closely with the regional P&L and commercial teams on the annual target setting process for the assigned accounts, ensuring alignment and buy-in on the targets.
Follow up on outstanding receivables escalations as required

Job Requirements

Minimum 10 years of global account management experience in the cargo handling/freight forwarding industry with a specific focus on air freight solutions.
Excellent track record of delivering high revenue growth of assigned accounts and increasing customer stickiness through strategic initiatives.
Excellent, proven relationships with key decision makers at global freight forwarders
Extensive working experience in a matrix environment between functional and P&L, the ability to build organizational relationships to meet customer goals.
Excellent communication & presentation skills, experience working and communicating with senior leaders
Deep understanding of global sales processes, global account workflow and experienced with using CRM systems
Operational working experience in cargo handling and understanding of customer issues
Operational working experience in air freight at a leading international freight forwarder