Job Description:

Candidate Opportunity Brief

Position: Strategic Accountant Manager

Reporting to: Head of Sales & Bids

Confidentiality: N/A

Ford & Stanley Executive Search (Part of the Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group) are a leading Executive search and talent advisory firm specialising in the following sectors:

• Rail & Transportation
• Civils & Construction
• Manufacturing & Supply Chain
• Technology & Cyber Security
• Logistics & Intermodal Freight
• Defence

Our search directors, search consultants and in house research team specialise in retained opportunities at the highest level of organisational leadership and management.

Our success is based upon a blend of trust-driven relationships, robust market knowledge, and working practices that ensure the best possible alignment of organisational need with experience and personal ambition.

Working with business leaders on bespoke assignments for over a decade, we understand exactly what our customers expect from an executive search and talent advisory service – whether there is a pressing business need for an executive interim or that of a long-term permanent appointment - Ford & Stanley Executive Search provide the solution.

We have been exclusively appointed by Our client on a retained search for a Strategic Accountant Manager.

This brief is designed to give candidates a deeper insight into the opportunity inherent within the role, the challenges the role presents, and provide access to the detail that sits behind the job specification. 

Client Opportunity Statements:

“Our client is seeking a commercially focused Strategic Account Manager to take ownership of its rail and engineering customer portfolio, with direct accountability for pipeline generation, bid conversion and long-term contract value.

“This is a high-impact role sitting at the centre of business growth, requiring someone who can lead complex bids from qualification through to award while operating confidently with senior stakeholders.”

“A key focus of the role will be strengthening client relationships and increasing repeat or follow-on business, particularly across high-value, regulated and compliant procurement environments. This opportunity would suit a proactive, commercially aware sales and bids professional who is comfortable managing multiple priorities, influencing stakeholders and working closely with commercial teams to drive pricing discipline, margin performance and revenue growth.”

 

Client Company Overview

Out client is a UK rail engineering and services group. Operating across both the passenger and freight sectors, the business provides a broad range of services including rolling stock maintenance, wagon manufacturing, engineering design, component overhaul and asset support solutions.

Part of the wider Group, our client brings together over a century of rail industry heritage with modern engineering and operational expertise. The organisation supports customers throughout the full asset lifecycle and has established relationships with train operators, freight operators, rolling stock owners and infrastructure organisations across the UK and Ireland.

Headquartered in Derby, Our client employs approximately Around 200 people and continues to invest in growth, capability and customer service across its portfolio businesses. By combining the strengths of its constituent companies, the group offers customers a single integrated engineering partner with the scale, expertise and operational flexibility to support complex rail projects and long-term asset management requirements.

Key deliverables within the first 12 months include:

• Build a clear view of each key account including mapping decision-makers, procurement cycles and buying behaviours to identify where and when Our client can win work.
• Establish strong relationships with internal stakeholders throughout the business.
• Make clear steps towards securing additional revenue and market share within the selected accounts.

Essential Hard Skills (Skills & Experience)

• Past experience in large strategic account management (Multi million pound spend in accounts).

• Proven ability to manage large accounts that mandate the requirement for complex relationships.

• Previous experience in similar, project and engineering based environment from an account management perspective.

• Experienced working within a business that operates a high-value and low-volume sales cycles.

• Desirable: Able to articulate their experience and ability surrounding conflict and dispute resolution.

 

Essential Soft Skills (Attributes & Behaviours)

 

• Driven, ambitious and proactive in their approach. 

• Resilient and comfortable operating in challenging environments.

• Strong communicator and able to manage multiple relationships.

• Collaborative and keen to work closely with internal stakeholders.

 

 

Working Arrangements & Location:

 

• Initially, the expected split is around 80% office and 20% customer-facing. After an initial induction period, we are expecting the role to be split 50/50.

Search timescale Agreement

Stage

Agreed Date

Situational Discovery (Role Scoping Meeting)

Completed – 26th of June 2026

Timescale Agreement & Delivery Plan - Issued to Client

30th of June 2026

Candidate Opportunity Briefing Document – Client Sign Off

1st of July 2024

Search ‘Go Live’

29th of June

Mid-Search Review / Progress Update Meeting with Client

13th of July

Shortlist Presentation & Review Meeting with Client.

24th of July

First Stage interviews between Candidates & Client.

Week commencing 27th July

Psychometric Assessment (If applicable)

N/A

Final Stage Interviews between Candidates & Client

Week commencing 3rd of August

Decision to offer successful candidate

10th of August

Likely Candidate Start Date

Likely 3 month Notice

Mid Notice Engagement Session between Candidate & Client

September 2026

 

 

Ford & Stanley Executive Search Pre-Submission Process:

 

• First Engagement: A short engagement and introductory conversation to position the opportunity, gauge candidate early interest level and arrange a time and date for a more detailed discussion. NDA sent (if applicable) upon receipt of signed NDA - Candidate Opportunity Brief shared.

• Candidate Discovery: An open, conversational and consultative discussion where candidates and executive search consultant explore and discuss the opportunity brief. Candidates are assessed on their suitability for the role in the context of the key essentials and challenged on how the opportunity lines up with their career aspirations, motivations, financial expectations and personal circumstance. The search consultant will utilise the information captured during candidate discovery to start to build your profile on suitability. Recommendations may be made at this point for adjustments or updates to your CV.

• The ‘shortlist’: Shortlisted candidates, having taken time to reflect on the opportunity and undertake subsequent research on the clients business are reengaged where they are asked to provide additional specific information on their suitability (if/where applicable). Final checks of key notes, package details and logistical alignments made. Finishing touches are then made to your profile prior to submission along with our notes and recommendations.

 

Interview Process:

• 1st stage – Candidate Discovery: An open, conversational and consultative discussion where interested candidates are assessed on their suitability for the role in the context of the above and challenged on how the opportunity lines up with their career aspirations, motivations, financial expectations and personal circumstances.
• 2nd stage – The “shortlist”:  Candidates are asked to reflect on the candidate discovery discussion, take time to reflect on the opportunity and undertake subsequent research on the client business, reporting back on their thoughts, questions and providing additional specific information on their suitability (if applicable).

Good to know:

 

• This role has been newly created due to growth, reflecting an increased focus on delivering a quality service to accounts identified as key contributors to the business.
• In total, there are seven key accounts that have been identified as moving into ownership of the Account Manager.
• These accounts contribute roughly 19m revenue, with clear expectations to expand value over time.
• It’s intended that the incoming Account Manager will have the autonomy to lead on customer relationships and be a consistent touch point for the account throughout project lifecycles in addition to having ownership of the below:
• Strategic account ownership
• Revenue growth and cross-selling
• Contract and commercial governance
• Customer engagement and relationship management
• KPI management and performance monitoring
• Service improvement
• Irish Rail and Porterbrook sit predominantly within the group, with the remaining accounts more aligned to the other business, though opportunities exist across the wider group.
• Three of the seven accounts are in an early lifecycle stage, having recently delivered successful projects and enjoying the relationship with the business.
• Separately, four of the accounts are more established and complex, requiring greater time investment and stakeholder management.
• Across the portfolio, individual account values typically range between c.£3m–£7m, with some accounts currently lower but with significant project pipeline still to be delivered.
• There is a recognised need to enhance customer communication, particularly across delivery, timelines, and issue resolution.
• One of the primary missions of the role is to ensure that the customer has a ‘voice’ throughout the business to ensure service levels are where they need to be.
• The successful individual will operate with high levels of autonomy, influencing internal stakeholders and shaping account strategy at a senior level.
• It’s worth noting that there is a Sales & Bids Co-ordinator within the team that may well transition their reporting line into this role.
• The incoming Account Manager will be afforded the time to understand and build a full picture with additional close mentorship from the Head of Sales and Bids to enable them to deliver the below.
• Improved customer satisfaction
• Increased revenue
• Increased margin and profit
• Better commercial control
• Enhanced operational collaboration
• Expert in market share analysis for each account (through strategic account plans/planning)
• Strategic Alignment: The creation of a Key Account Manager role is directly aligned with our clients Group’s strategic priorities:
• Revenue Growth
• Improved Profit Generation
• Customer Retention and Satisfaction
• Market Positioning and Reputation
• 5 year strategy and growth targets (As this free’s up the Head of Sales & Bids to focus on brand new markets, product streams, customers)
• Current Challenges and Drivers for Change:
• Fragmented account ownership
• Customer complaints (Quality)
• Poor communication and account management
• Survey feedback (Responsiveness / Service)
• Missed commercial opportunities
• Lack of structured governance

 

 

Key Responsibilities:

• Structured bid/no-bid governance to maximise conversion
• Win strategies aligned to scoring criteria, value for money, and social value
• Pricing discipline in collaboration with commercial leads
• Forecast accuracy and monthly revenue reporting
• Continuous improvement of bid quality and conversion performance
• Take the lead in the management and development of relationships
• Increased win rate and upselling that in turn increases the % line share of work awarded
• Manage and report the overall performance of the accounts with the operations team
• Develop account plans that in turn generates improved account awareness & opportunities
• Lead and manage, weekly, monthly, quarterly calls/meetings
• Provide monthly reports on account progress, opportunity and industry/ market position
• Ensure the CRM system (HubSpot) is used to manage strategic account pipelines and KPI’s

Executive Search Delivery Team:

• Tom Norton– Head of Executive Search: (Co-Client Recommendations/Advisory, Offer Negotiations, Consulting, Networking, Headhunting)

• Josh Winfield – Research Manager: (Headhunting, Shortlisting, Networking, Research, Search, Longlisting, Interviews, Data & Market Intel)
• Tilia Kozluk – Executive Assistant: (Data, diary management and coordination

 

About Ford & Stanley Executive Search:

Please see supporting appendix: Executive Search Candidate Journey

Ford & Stanley Talent Services Group Ltd is a Disability Confident employer that is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination. We will treat everyone equally irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy.

Services advertised by Ford & Stanley Executive Search are that of an executive search and talent advisory business.