As Lead Key Account Manager, you will play a leading role in driving business growth, maintaining and expanding relationships with key strategic customers, and contributing to the overall sales and business development strategy. This position requires a highly proactive approach to opportunity creation, a strong customer and market focus, and collaboration across multiple teams to deliver solutions that align with our customers’ needs and our wider strategic objectives. The role involves frequent travel within the UK and Ireland.

What you'll be doing:

• Act as account lead for one or more strategic customers / frameworks, owning the overall relationship, opportunity pipeline and delivery of agreed growth and margin targets.

• Develop, maintain and enhance strong relationships with existing and prospective customers, actively commencing new business opportunities and shaping demand for our portfolio.

• Lead the development and delivery of multi-year account plans, aligned with customers’ AMP and longer-term business plans, identifying and targeting key growth areas across products and services.

• Lead the preparation and submission of proposals and tenders, supported by the Tendering team and wider business, ensuring they address customer requirements effectively whilst maximising price, margin and commercial benefit for the Company.

• Take a visible leadership role in key customer and project development activities in the Sales process, including sales presentations, Lunch & Learn events, Scheme solution pitches and framework / strategic reviews, Site surveys and early-stage feasibility work.

• Act as a liaison between customers and internal teams to develop tailored solutions that meet project requirements and align with our manufacturing and delivery capabilities. Ensure alignment of customer expectations with deliverables, maintaining a focus on high-quality outputs, efficient service, and long-term relationship health.

• Drive growth in turnover and margin by increasing win %, average order value and share of spend within strategic customers; Broadening the range of customers, decision-makers and product lines engaged; Identifying and nurturing new customer relationships and routes to market where strategically relevant.

• Provide process and market expertise, acting as a reference point and mentor for other Key Account Managers and Key Account Manager – Associates across the UK and Ireland, including: Coaching on opportunity strategy and deal qualification; Supporting joint customer visits and presentations; Sharing best practice on account planning and use of sales methodologies (e.g. Miller Heiman)

• Provide Sales Forecast and Business Development Reporting, including but not limited to weekly team updates, monthly progress vs planned activities on key customer account plans and quarterly forecast for planning and budgetary purposes, including identified new business themes and propositions.

Who we are looking for:

• Excellent commercial acumen and strong organisational skills, with extensive and credible track record in sales preferably within the water industry or closely related sectors. Ability to negotiate effectively and manage risk/reward trade-offs at account and project level, ensuring effective management of multiple complex priorities and long sales cycles. Experience of structured sales methodologies (e.g. Miller Heiman or similar).

• Demonstrable experience selling engineering solutions to UK utility companies and/or associated Tier 1 contractors, ideally including frameworks and complex, multi-stakeholder deals.

• Experience in technical environments or engineering-related industries is an advantage. A solid grasp of wastewater processes, asset lifecycle challenges in the water sector, and the ability to interface confidently with technical and commercial customer stakeholders is strongly preferred.

• Strong strategic thinking skills, with the ability to translate customer drivers and market trends into actionable account and business development plans. Experienced in preparing and leading proposals for technical solutions / services for customers, including major bids and competitively tendered frameworks.

• Ideally degree qualified or with appropriate equivalent qualification supported by experience. (Fluent in English is essential). Previous experience using a CRM system in a sales role is essential; previous experience of ERP systems is preferred.

• Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to engage confidently with stakeholders at all levels, including senior leadership and executives within customer organisations. A collaborative leader and team player, able to influence and work effectively across teams and departments, and to support the development of colleagues in the Sales function.

• Proficient in sales forecasting and reporting, with strong analytical abilities and a disciplined approach to CRM and data quality. Proficient in using Microsoft software required for the role, e.g. Office, Word, PowerPoint, Excel and Teams.

• Ability to travel extensively and adapt to varied work environments. Frequent travel within the regions the role is responsible for and occasional travel across the UK and Ireland is required.

Additional information

Frequent travel within the regions the role is responsible for and occasional travel across the UK and Ireland is required. As a minimum visits to Head Office are expected every three months on a rolling basis (4 times a year), more frequent visits are encouraged to support with team building and healthy working relationships with colleagues.
This is a home-based role, however we have office and meeting space available in Indian Queens, Wolverhampton and Wombwell for use as and when needed.

About us

ELIQUO HYDROK is an award-winning, established and growing, market leader. We provide water treatment solutions that keep seas and rivers clean and drinking water safe. From flood water management to sewage filtration systems, we provide innovative, environmentally considerate, cost-effective, and practical solutions to municipal water companies.

We’re passionate about our people, offering a range of benefits to our valued employees, including hybrid working and a Medicash healthcare plan. You will be part of a team of 180+ colleagues delivering high-quality, essential services underpinning water infrastructure and environmental improvement across the UK.

Inclusion & Diversity

At Eliquo Hydrok, we are committed to fostering a culture of Fairness, Inclusion and Respect across all areas of our business. We actively promote equality and diversity, and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind - whether based on gender, race, disability, age, religion, sexual orientation, or employment status. Our goal is to ensure that every individual, regardless of background, feels respected, valued, and empowered to reach their full potential. To support fairness in our recruitment process, we ask all applicants to complete an Equal Employment Opportunity (EEO) survey after applying. This helps us monitor and improve our practices, ensuring equal access to opportunities for everyone.

Benefits

• Flexible/hybrid working options available

• Medicash Health Plan

• Company Pension

• Sick Pay

• On-site parking

• Cycle to Work Scheme

• Company Events

• Appraisal and Personal Development programme