Sr. Key Account Manager, Retail

Location: Menomonee Falls, WI

Workplace Category: Hybrid 

Travel Required: Yes, 30% - 60% travel depending on season.

Direct Reports: 0

Pay Range: 103,200 - 144,000

Visa Sponsorship: Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States.  This position is not eligible for employment visa sponsorship now or in the future.  

Relocation: Not Applicable

Innovation is the heart of Brunswick.  See how your contributions will help transform vision into reality: 

Position Overview:  

The Sr. Key Account Manager (Sr. KAM) – Retail is a highly experienced commercial leader responsible for managing Navico Group’s most strategic and complex retail partnerships, driving sustainable growth, category leadership, and long-term value creation.

Building on the core KAM role, the Sr. KAM brings deep industry expertise, advanced retail and category knowledge, and a strategic mindset, enabling them to navigate complex customer structures, influence senior stakeholders, and lead high-impact initiatives.

In addition to owning key accounts, the Sr. KAM serves as a mentor and role model for developing KAMs, helping elevate capabilities across the retail organization. The role plays a critical part in shaping account strategies, advancing best practices, and ensuring consistent execution of the KAM framework across the team.

At Brunswick, we have passion for our work and a distinct ability to deliver.

Essential Functions:

Strategic Account Leadership (Complex Accounts)

• Own and lead Navico Group’s largest, most complex, and highest-value retail accounts
• Develop and drive multi-year Joint Business Plans aligned to strategic priorities of both Navico Group and retail partners
• Engage and influence senior stakeholders (buying directors, category leaders, executives) within retail organizations
• Navigate complex organizational structures to align decision-makers and accelerate growth initiatives

Advanced Business Planning & Performance Management

• Lead high-impact Quarterly Business Reviews (QBRs) with executive-level insights and forward-looking strategies
• Provide advanced analysis of performance trends, identifying risks, white-space opportunities, and investment priorities
• Drive accountability for delivery of commercial targets, initiatives, and profitability metrics
• Translate retailer and internal data into strategic recommendations with measurable outcomes

Data-Driven Commercial Excellence

• Leverage sophisticated POS analysis, shopper insights, and market data to influence retailer decisions
• Deliver advanced, insight-led recommendations on assortment strategy, pricing architecture, promotions, and category positioning
• Identify and drive category growth opportunities through data storytelling and strategic positioning
• Act as a thought leader internally on retail data utilization and best practices

Category Leadership & Merchandising Strategy

• Lead the development of best-in-class planograms and category strategies that maximize performance and brand presence
• Influence retailers at a category level, positioning Navico Group as a strategic category partner rather than a supplier
• Evaluate planogram effectiveness and continuously optimize based on performance metrics and shopper behavior
• Drive excellence in omnichannel merchandising, including in-store and digital retail environments

Growth Strategy & Execution

• Identify and lead complex growth initiatives, including:
  • New product introductions
  • Assortment expansion and rationalization
  • Omnichannel strategies
  • Strategic promotional planning
• Build clear, executable commercial plans with defined KPIs and measurable ROI
• Ensure flawless execution of strategic initiatives across internal and external teams

Mentorship & Team Leadership

• Act as a mentor and coach to KAMs, supporting their development in strategic selling, data analysis, and account management
• Share best practices, tools, and frameworks to elevate team performance
• Support onboarding and development of new KAM talent
• Act as a senior sounding board and escalation point for complex account situations

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead collaboration across internal teams (Marketing, Product, Supply Chain, Finance, Category Management) to deliver integrated account strategies
• Influence internal stakeholders to align resources and priorities with key account needs
• Serve as the voice of the customer at a strategic level, shaping internal decision-making

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Commercial Impact
  • Revenue growth and profitability across strategic accounts
  • Share growth and category leadership within retail partners
  • Delivery of long-term JBP targets and strategic initiatives
• Strategic & Execution Excellence
  • Quality and impact of QBRs and strategic recommendations
  • Success rate of growth initiatives and new product launches
  • Execution excellence across merchandising, promotions, and category plans
• Data & Insight Leadership
  • Effectiveness and adoption of advanced data-driven recommendations
  • Influence on retailer decision-making through insights
  • Internal impact on data-driven best practices
• Leadership & Team Development
  • Contribution to development and performance of KAM team members
  • Knowledge sharing and mentorship effectiveness
  • Cross-functional alignment and leadership influence

People Leader Responsibilities

• Set clear direction and deliver results aligned to business priorities, translating strategy into actionable plans for the team
• Build a high-performing, inclusive team through regular coaching, timely feedback, and clear accountability
• Own talent pipelines and succession plans, proactively developing future leaders and successors for critical roles
• Drive employee engagement, actively listening to feedback and taking action to improve team performance and experience
• Make fair, balanced, and data-informed decisions across hiring, development, compensation, and performance management
• Collaborate effectively across functions and divisions to deliver outcomes, remove silos, and enable enterprise-level success
• Lead through change with clarity, consistency, and resilience, ensuring alignment and momentum during periods of transformation
• Role model company values in everyday leadership behaviors, decision-making, and communication

Diversity of thought and experiences is fundamental when imagining the unimaginable. Certain skillsets/experiences are necessary; however, others can be developed along the way.

Required Qualifications: 

• Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or related field (or equivalent experience).
• 5+ years of sales experience in marine, outdoor, home improvement, automotive industries, or related industry.
• 3+ years selling technical or engineered products.
• Proven success managing large, complex retail accounts and multi-layered stakeholder environments.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word; Power BI a plus.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to interpret data and drive customer insights.
• Proven territory‑management experience, including call planning and pipeline development.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
• Solid understanding of basic financial statements.
• Strong strategic and day‑to‑day problem‑solving abilities.
• Proven track record of driving sales growth with customers.
• Strong creative problem‑solving and critical‑thinking abilities.
• Flexibility to adapt to rapidly changing markets.

Preferred Qualifications:

• MBA or Masters’s degree preferred.
• Meaningful sales or sales‑management experience in the marine or fishing industry. ​

Working Conditions:  

The employee must be able to perform the below essential functions of the position satisfactorily and, if requested, reasonable accommodations will be made to enable employees with disabilities to perform the essential function of their job, absent undue hardship.

• Office environment. Must be able to remain in a stationary position for a length of the time.  
• Ability to work long shifts with extended periods of standing and walking while at an event show.
• Constantly operates a computer and other office productivity machinery, such as a calculator, copy machine, and computer printer.  
• Working hours will vary to support customers
• The position will require travel by auto or airplane to support customer relationships. 
• Travel Requirements: 30% - 60% travel depending on season.