Description:

Role Summary:

The Account Manager Key Accounts will own end-to-end delivery and commercial success for strategic domestic retail accounts. You will be the single-point owner for customer relationships, order execution, profitability, and operational excellencecovering merchandising, sourcing, production follow-up, quality, and logistics. This role requires a strong mix of commercial acumen, supplier management, process discipline, and people leadership to deliver high-quality products on time and sustain long-term client partnerships.

Key Responsibilities:

Client & Account Ownership:

- Act as the primary relationship owner for assigned domestic retail key accounts.

- Understand client assortment, seasonal plans, performance KPIs, and commercial objectives.

- Drive customer satisfaction through proactive communication, timely updates, and issue resolution.

Merchandising & Commercials:

- Lead product assortment planning, costing, margin negotiations, and commercial approvals.

- Collaborate with merchandising team to define specifications, tech packs, samples, and seasonal ranges.

- Negotiate terms (pricing, payment, lead-times) with clients and suppliers to protect margins and timelines.

Sourcing & Production Management:

- Source suitable suppliers and negotiate commercial & lead-time commitments.

- Oversee sample development, PP meetings, quality checkpoints, and bulk production sign-offs.

- Monitor production timelines, expedite as needed, and ensure on-time dispatch.

Quality & Compliance:

- Ensure product quality through vendor audits, inline inspections, and pre-shipment checks.

- Enforce compliance to client-specific standardslabelling, packaging, safety, and regulatory requirements.

- Drive corrective actions and root-cause analysis for quality or delivery lapses.

Logistics & Dispatch:

- Coordinate dispatch planning, carrier selection, and inventory management to meet delivery schedules.

- Manage forward/planned shipments, stock reconciliations, and return/claim processes.

P&L & Commercial Accountability:

- Own P&L for assigned accountsmanage margins, markdowns, chargebacks, and cost-to-serve.

- Deliver periodic account financials, forecasts, and reconciliation with finance teams.

Supplier & Stakeholder Management:

- Build and maintain robust supplier relationshipsperformance reviews, capacity planning, and risk mitigation.

- Collaborate cross-functionally with Merchandising, Sourcing, QA, Operations, Finance, and Logistics to deliver seamless execution.

Process, Reporting & Continuous Improvement:

- Implement and enforce SOPs, checklists, and governance for order-to-delivery processes.

- Maintain accurate MISorder trackers, KPI dashboards (OTD, fill rate, defect rate, lead times, conversion).

- Lead continuous improvement initiatives to reduce lead-time, cost, and quality incidents.

Team Leadership:

- Coach and mentor junior account or merchandising executives; lead by example in stakeholder engagement and process discipline.

- Drive a customer-first culture focused on delivery, accountability, and measurable outcomes.

Required Qualifications & Skills:

- 13-14 years experience managing domestic retail key accounts in a buying house, sourcing, or retail environment.

- Proven experience across merchandising, sourcing, production follow-up, quality checks, and logistics.

- Strong commercial acumenpricing, negotiations, margin management, and P&L accountability.

- Excellent stakeholder management, negotiation, and communication skills.

- Strong analytical skills with ability to prepare MIS, forecasts, and financial reconciliations.

- Demonstrated supplier management and process implementation capabilities.

- Comfortable working in a fast-paced, high-volume execution environment.

Education: Bachelors degree in Business, Fashion Merchandising, Textile, or related field. MBA preferred.

Success Metrics (KPIs)

- On-time delivery (OTD) and fill-rate targets for assigned accounts.

- Account-level margin and P&L adherence.

- Reduction in quality defects and chargebacks.

- Supplier performance (on-time, quality, lead-time adherence).

- Client satisfaction and retention metrics.