Key Account Manager- HVAC/R Industry

Job Title:  Key Account Manager - HVAC/R Industry

Location: Naperville, IL

Employment Type: Direct Hire 

Industry: Electronics, Appliances, HVAC/R, and Industrial Manufacturing

Compensation: $110K-$130K/Year

Schedule: 40 Hours/Week 

About the Opportunity:

• Build and strengthen strategic relationships with major HVAC/R customers to drive long-term business growth.
• Identify and develop new business opportunities, applications, and customer programs.
• Act as the primary point of contact between customers and cross-functional internal teams.

Why You'll Love Working Here:

• Supportive, team-driven culture that values collaboration, transparency, and accountability.
• Opportunity to grow your career with a global workforce solutions leader serving multiple industries.
• People-first environment that encourages employees to bring their authentic selves to work.
• Strong focus on partnership, innovation, and delivering meaningful results for clients and candidates.

Why This Opportunity is Exciting:

This role offers the chance to join a company that prioritises both people and performance-where your contributions directly impact client success while giving you room to grow and develop professionally.

About Acara Solutions

Acara is a premier recruiting and workforce solutions provider-we help companies compete for talent. With a legacy of experience in various industries worldwide, we partner with clients, listen to their needs, and customize visionary talent solutions that drive desired business outcomes. We leverage decades of experience to deliver contingent staffing, direct placement, executive search, and workforce services worldwide.

Sound like a good fit?

TODAY

What You'll Do:

• Develop and execute account strategies for key HVAC/R customers
• Serve as the primary commercial interface between customers and internal teams (Project Management, R&D, operations, quality)
• Identify and drive new business opportunities, including new applications and platforms
• Lead and coordinate RFQs, quotations, and contract negotiations
• Support product development projects with a strong customer focus
• Ensure customer satisfaction across all phases (development, launch, series production)
• Monitor market trends, competitor activities, and technology developments in HVAC/R
• Deliver sales targets, margin objectives, and long-term growth plans.
• Develops long-term account strategies
• Builds trusted relationships at all levels (including C-level)
• Active stakeholder management on the customer side
• Builds and maintains strong networks
• Confident in price and contract negotiations
• Resolves conflicts constructively
• Translates customer problems into solutions / manages rapidly changing customer requirements
• Revenue and margin management
• Forecasting and business case development
• KPI-driven working approach
• Sells solutions rather than products
• Persistence in long sales cycles.
• Develops tailored concepts for customers when needed
• Works effectively under pressure and with targets
• Proven track record of managing large OEM customers (e.g., HVAC manufacturers, system integrators)

Job Requirements

What You'll Bring:

• Bachelor's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics
• 5+ years of experience in the HVAC/R industry, preferably in roles such as:
  • Key Account Management
  • Technical Sales / Business Development
  • Application Engineering with commercial responsibility
• 5+ years of experience in cross-functional collaboration (engineering, supply chain, quality)
• 5+ years of experience in intercultural sales and collaboration
• 5+ years of experience working in matrix organizations and global project teams

What Sets You Apart: 

• Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering or Electrical Engineering or Mechatronics
• Strong understanding of sales cycles in B2B industrial environments, including RFQ processes, pricing negotiations, and long-term contracts
• Strong engineering mindset
• Knowledge of electronics (hardware/software, embedded systems, control units)
• Understands customers as true business partners
• Strong understanding of market, competition, and trends
• Understands the customer's business model
• Focus on revenue, growth, and profitability
• Strong closer with excellent negotiation skills
• Ability to set clear priorities
• Creator of 'future business.'
• Thinks like a management consultant for their customers
• Acts as an orchestrator within their own organization
• Skilled negotiator
• Relationship management and stakeholder alignment
• Technical sales and solution selling
• Contract negotiation and pricing strategy
• Project and risk management
• Intercultural competence
• Self-driven and results-oriented
• Strong commercial acumen combined with technical understanding
• Excellent communication and negotiation skills, including C-level exposure
• Ability to manage complex, multi-year sales projects
• Customer-centric mindset with a focus on long-term partnerships
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking

Additional Information:

• Upon offer of employment, the individual will be subject to a background check.
• Willingness to travel (national and international)

After you , you may receive a call or message from our AI Talent Scout about this role or other opportunities that match your skills and preferences. AI agent role is to help speed up your hiring process by answering questions, confirming basic information, and identifying whether there's a mutual fit.

The call or chat may be recorded so that our recruiting team can review it - they make all final hiring decisions, while AI agent simply helps move you forward faster. The best part? They are available 24/7, so you can connect whenever it's convenient for you.

Aleron companies (Acara Solutions, Aleron Shared Resources, Broadleaf Results, Lume Strategies, TalentRise, Viaduct) are an Equal Opportunity Employer. Race/Color/Gender/Religion/National Origin/Disability/Veteran.

Applicants for this position must be legally authorized to work in the United States. This position does not meet the employment requirements for individuals with F-1 OPT STEM work authorization status.