Continental

Key Account Manager - Performance Tires

Continental • $100K — $120K *
Manufacturing & Automotive
5 - 7 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, engineering or a related field
  • 5+ years of related industry experience
  • Experience launching a new product, channel or business from the ground up
  • Significant experience in the U.S. replacement tire market
  • Experience with distributor, dealer, e-commerce or alternative-channel business models
  • Strong financial and commercial acumen
  • Ability to lead complex cross-functional teams
  • Willingness to travel frequently for customer and industry events

Responsibilities

  • Build and lead the U.S. go-to-market strategy for ultra-high-end performance tires
  • Manage strategic key accounts and develop profitable sales paths
  • Own revenue and unit volume performance; create forecasts and pipelines
  • Develop pricing and customer programs with Finance and Sales leadership
  • Create a channel-priority strategy emphasizing high-touch accounts
  • Translate insights into product and service recommendations
  • Develop sales tools and training for installers and service advisers
  • Establish KPIs and report on market performance to senior leadership

Benefits

  • Immediate Benefits
  • Robust Total Rewards Package
  • Paid Time Off and Volunteer Time Off
  • Tuition Assistance
  • Employee Discounts including tire discounts
  • Competitive Bonus Programs
  • Employee 401k Match
  • Diverse & Inclusive Work Environment
  • Hybrid Work
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Growth Opportunities for personal and professional development
Full Job Description
Job Description

HOW YOU WILL MAKE AN IMPACT

Build and lead the go-to-market strategy for a new ultra-high-end performance tire channel in the U.S. replacement market. This role acts as the commercial entrepreneur for the channel, developing the business from the ground up, personally managing strategic accounts, and delivering profitable sales growth across approved sellout paths. The position owns revenue and unit-volume performance, helps establish the annual operating budget and commercial targets, and leads execution through influence across U.S. and global functions.
• Develop and execute the end-to-end U.S. go-to-market plan for the ultra-high-end replacement channel, including market segmentation, customer prioritization, route-to-market design, launch sequencing and multiyear growth plans.
• Personally identify, prospect, open, negotiate, develop and manage strategic key accounts. Pursue any sellout path aligned with the approved strategy, including exotic and ultra-luxury vehicle dealerships, elite independent installers, specialty distributors, performance shops, e-commerce partners, driving experiences, clubs and track-related partners.
• Own annual and long-range revenue and unit-volume plans. Build forecasts, sales pipelines, account plans and corrective actions; monitor sell-in, sellout, market share, conversion and repeat purchase performance.
• Develop pricing, trade terms and customer programs in partnership with Finance and Sales leadership. Protect premium brand positioning while driving sustainable growth and targeted margin performance.
• Create a disciplined channel-priority strategy that initially emphasizes high-touch, technically credible accounts and controlled fulfillment before broader distribution expansion.
• Translate customer, installer and market insights into product, fitment, inventory, service, training and lifecycle recommendations. Maintain technical credibility regarding staggered fitments, load and speed requirements, performance attributes and target vehicle applications.
• Develop sales tools, account education, installer standards, service-adviser training and premium customer-experience requirements that support safe, accurate and consistent product representation.
• Build strategic partnerships and event activations that generate measurable trial, qualified leads, account introductions and sales conversion, rather than awareness alone.
• Coordinate with global teams to share U.S. market requirements, leverage global capabilities and ensure alignment with product development, certification, manufacturing and brand strategy.
• Establish channel KPIs and provide clear business reviews to senior leadership, including opportunities, risks, competitive activity, inventory needs, forecast accuracy and recovery plans.
• Represent the company at customer meetings, industry events, enthusiast gatherings, driving programs and track-focused activities; travel frequently within the United States.

Qualifications

WHAT YOU BRING TO THE ROLE
  • Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, engineering or a related field
  • 5+ years of related industry experience
  • Demonstrated experience launching a new product, channel or business from the ground up
  • Significant experience in the U.S. replacement tire market
  • Experience with distributor, dealer, e-commerce or alternative-channel business models
  • Strong financial and commercial acumen across pricing, forecasting, unit volume, revenue, margin and budget planning
  • Demonstrated ability to lead complex cross-functional and global teams without direct authority
  • Ability and willingness to travel frequently and participate in customer, track, enthusiast and industry events, 50% of the time
  • Legal authorization to work in the U.S. is required. Continental is only able to offer visa support for internals individuals who currently hold an existing valid employment visa
  • Can offer a relocation package if needed


ADDITIONAL WAYS TO STAND OUT
  • 7+ years of related industry experience
  • Ultra-high-performance, exotic, luxury, motorsports or premium automotive market experience
  • Technical knowledge of tire performance, vehicle applications, fitment requirements and replacement-market dynamics
  • Established relationships with exotic-vehicle dealerships, specialty performance retailers, distributors, driving organizations or enthusiast communities
  • Experience using market, vehicle-parc, account and sell-through data to prioritize geographic markets and customer investments


Additional Information

THE PERKS
  • Immediate Benefits
  • Robust Total Rewards Package
  • Paid Time Off
  • Volunteer Time Off
  • Tuition Assistance
  • Employee Discounts, including tire discounts
  • Competitive Bonus Programs
  • Employee 401k Match
  • Diverse & Inclusive Work Environment with 20+ Employee Resource groups.
  • Hybrid Work
  • Employee Assistance Program
  • Future Growth Opportunities, including personal and professional
  • And many more benefits that come with working for a global industry leader!

All your information will be kept confidential according to EEO guidelines.

Ready to drive with Continental? Take the first step and fill in the online application.

About Continental

Continental AG is a German multinational automotive parts manufacturing company. The company produces tires, brake systems, interior electronics, automotive safety, powertrain and chassis components, and other parts for the automotive and transportation industries. Continental AG was founded in 1871 and is headquartered in Hanover, Germany. The company operates in over 60 countries and has over 233,000 employees.
Learn more about Continental
Size
233,000 employees
Industry
Founded
1989

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