ABBOTT LABORATORIES National Distribution Account Manager - Abbott Point of Care (APOC) Salary in the United States

Abbott is a global healthcare leader that helps people live more fully at all stages of life. Our portfolio of life-changing technologies spans the spectrum of healthcare, with leading businesses and products in diagnostics, medical devices, nutritionals and branded generic medicines. Our 103,000 colleagues serve people in more than 160 countries.

Abbott Point of Care is a global leader in providing critical medical diagnostic and informatics products for rapid blood analysis that are intuitive, reliable, and cost-effective. Our i-STAT System is an advanced, portable diagnostic tool that provides real-time, lab-quality results within minutes to accelerate patient-care decision-making as well as optimize resource utilization for our customers and the patients that they serve. The i-STAT System has the industry’s most comprehensive menu of tests in a single, with-patient platform, including tests for respiratory, metabolic, coagulation, hematology, glucose, and cardiac function. By delivering lab-quality results in minutes, on just a few drops of blood, our i-STAT System fosters a collaborative, patient-centered environment while driving improved operational performance.

Primary Position Function/Overview

The National Distribution Account Manager (NDAM) will establish and maintain the primary divisional relationship between Abbott Point of Care (APOC) and assigned Distributors/National Accounts at all levels within the account, including senior level executives and key decision makers. Develop and implement overall Distributor and National Accounts strategy within assigned Distributors/National Accounts to support APOC goals and objectives. NDAM will serve as a decision maker, with approvals also required by C&P, Finance, Marketing and DVP US Commercial, for all contractual arrangements made between the Distributor and APOC, which will maximize APOC business efficiencies in the assigned accounts. Formulate negotiation strategies, exert influence, and leverage relationships to provide timely resolution of issues.

Position Location

• This is a remote based position. Qualified candidates must currently reside in a city that has a major airport.
• Relocation assistance is not authorized for this position.

Core Position Responsibilities

• Lead a team of National Account Managers while achieving sales and margin goals with key national accounts.
• Meet with Executive-level and key decision makers on consistent basis (customer visit reports to track and weekly updates to the stakeholder action plan); navigate how the APOC business model impacts distributors and the unique challenges they face in current healthcare market.
• Promote and sell all APOC programs, products, and services to key contacts. NDAM must be able to advocate all APOC products and programs before any group in the account. This requires being completely familiar, not only with APOC products, but with competitive products as well.
• Can identify and develop solutions to meet Distributor’s needs.
• Responsible for total customer contact to include branch offices, which may include decision-makers outside of corporate headquarters. Develop an in-depth profile including all key senior management staff in assigned accounts.
• Serve as key point of contact for distributor’s category and inventory management personnel. Penetrate accounts at deep levels to look for new value for APOC both top line and bottom line. NDAM is responsible to find, develop and implement these new opportunities.
• Manage APOC participation, partnering with Marketing, at conventions, trade fairs or meetings sponsored by Distributors.
• Coordinate Divisional activities for any Corporate partnership involvement in assigned accounts.
• Be the problem-solver for common or unique complaints originating from products, customer service, or competitive activity. Manage Distributor/National Account requests to ensure internal activities are cost justified and managed by appropriate decision makers. 
• Communicate all Distributor and National Account-related activities to Sales Team. Synthesize and share industry knowledge and competitive intelligence from the field and account visits to further shape APOC Distributor strategy.
• Present account information clearly and at an Executive level; engage audience in a dynamic fashion, maintain energy level and “sell” ideas using sound logic and articulated thought.
• Remain constantly alert for changing market conditions or any opportunity that would directly or indirectly impact the Division’s effectiveness; communicate to APOC leadership in timely manner. Bring forward recommendations for business process improvement based on Distributor feedback.
• Develop and be responsible for overall account strategy based on Division goals and objectives.
• Serve as the direct authority to establish Divisional contracts; work with appropriate personnel from Commercial Team and Finance to establish distributor programs based on thorough cost to serve analysis with clear performance criteria to appropriately compensate Distributor for services provided.
• Advise Marketing, C&P, Finance, Legal and Divisional Sales Management of Distributor contract terms to ensure direction, problems and opportunities are clearly understood and advantages are used to maximize sales and share gains.
• Analyze monthly distributor dashboards and investigate trends and outliers for assigned accounts, identify opportunities and maximize business efficiencies and margin improvement.
• Create, design and implement a team approach to selling within assigned distributor and national accounts. Proactively engage and lead a multi-department, cross-functional Distributor team; hold team accountable for supporting Distributor operations and maintaining meaningful relationships within Distributor Accounts. APOC functional areas and related distributor interaction include:
  • Commercial Operations: Chargeback claims and payments, pricing, volume and dollar analytics, new contracts and contract changes (return policies, fee changes, T&C’s), growth incentive metrics and payments.
  • Supply Chain and CS: Order management, inventory management such as low inventory, backorders, minimum order size.
  • Abbott Security, Fraud & Abuse: Questionable sales to possible diverters, end-user certificates for Distributors.
  • Supply Chain: Damaged product, backhaul, pallet configuration, truckload analytics, complete delivery, Distributor plant closings/consolidations, Distributor scorecards.
  • Marketing: Distributor forecasts, sales softness or volume spikes, product introductions/replacements/discontinuations, label & package changes, product mix.
  • Field Sales: Assisting with numerous local supply chain challenges related to distributed product (product shortages/outages/backorders, Distributor sales rep identification and connections, late shipments, split orders, damaged product, product quality issues).
  • Finance: Contract changes, pricing, LVCs, annual plan, forecasting, Demand planning.

Supervisory/Management Responsibilities

This position will lead a team of National Account Managers and must work closely in a matrix organization with APOC management as well as management within the assigned account. The NDAM will gain commitment from others and balancing the demands of multiple parties without direct staff is critical to success.

Position Accountability/Scope

• Accounts assigned will be major distributor and end-user customer accounts, national in scope, representing a significant portion of institutional sales and have far-reaching implications due to impact on APOC. Position will be the focal point for all APOC activity within assigned Distributor accounts, fostering strong business relationships with all account personnel. Candidate will have the ability to make decisions on the Division’s behalf; decision making authority must be consistent with Division goals, objectives, sales’ direction and account specific goals. 
• The candidate has the authority to act, direct and control the discounts determined and prices offered in the Distributor contract negotiation process and implement approved contracts, within the guidelines of Corporate Divisional and Departmental Policies. Performance against contract terms will be monitored to ensure contract compliance. 
• Must be able to identify and translate system executive management concerns and problems into business opportunities for APOC and revenue enhancement for the account. Must be creative in approach to developing business relationships with key account personnel. Must be able to determine who, when, where, and how to involve Division and Field management with senior level Distributor executive contacts. Must be able to analyze complex business opportunities and determine most profitable course for the Division. Success or failure in this position will impact the future of the business unit and all APOC sales are affected by their results.

Minimum Position Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree is required.
• 10+ years of progressive management experience in one or more of the following: sales, customer service, distribution services, commercial operations, marketing and business systems.
• Ability to travel 80% travel to manage accounts, Key Leaders/Stakeholders, and to attend industry conferences.

Preferred Position Requirements

• This position requires the individual to have been successful in customer service relationship management, sales management and significant distribution channel experience.
• An aptitude to assume responsibility for the set of factors customer requires. These include strong administrative, analytical and conceptual skills.
• An impacting presence supported by maturity, intelligence, high energy level, sensitivity, tenacity, and integrity.
• The candidate must not only have a complete understanding of how APOC does business, but also business itself with emphasis on understanding the distribution channel.
• The candidate must be a seasoned-experienced professional, have effective business skills, excellent communication/presentation/written skills, attributes/qualities which are representative of the company, team player/self-starter, and career commitment to Abbott.