Domnic Lewis is hiring for a Key Account Manager – Defence Segment position for a leading automotive wheel manufacturing organization.

Job Title: Key Account Manager – Defence Segment

Qualification: B.E. in Mechanical/Automobile Engineering (Mandatory); MBA in Marketing preferred

Experience: 12–15 Years

Location: Pune, Maharashtra (PNT)

Key Account Manager – Defence Segment:

- Bachelor’s degree in Mechanical or Automobile Engineering, with 12–15 years of experience in the automotive components industry, particularly in military vehicle components and Defence OEM account management.
- Strong experience in business development, sales management and key account management within the Defence sector.
- Proven experience handling Defence OEMs and military vehicle manufacturers, including Tata Advanced Systems, Ashok Leyland Defence Systems, Mahindra Defence, BEML, VFJ and HVF.
- Strong knowledge of Defence sector procurement processes, government tenders, GeM portal registration, online bidding and techno-commercial proposal submission.
- Experience in identifying new business opportunities, tracking upcoming tenders and increasing market share with Defence OEMs.
- Experience in managing sales targets, Annual Operating Plans (AOP), Business Plans (BP), customer forecasts and delivery schedules.
- Strong understanding of plant validation, certification and approval processes involving competent authorities such as DRDO.
- Experience in price negotiations, raw material cost compensation, inflation recovery, price revisions and profitability improvement.
- Ability to manage customer receivables, overdue payments, credit limits and account reconciliation.
- Experience in competitor analysis, market intelligence, business forecasting and share-of-business tracking.
- Robust coordination skills with Engineering, Quality, Finance, PPC, Operations and Supply Chain teams.
- Knowledge of IATF 16949, ISO 14001 and Defence PSU-specific quality and process requirements.
- Strong negotiation, presentation, analytical, decision-making and problem-solving skills.
- Good communication skills in English, Hindi and Marathi.

Experience, Skills & Technical Requirements:

- Strong knowledge of Defence sector business development, sales processes and procurement procedures.
- Established relationships with key decision-makers, influencers and officials at Defence PSUs and private military vehicle OEMs.
- Experience in GeM registration, government tender tracking, bid preparation, online bidding and techno-commercial negotiations.




- Ability to evaluate tender requirements in coordination with Engineering, Costing and Finance teams.
- Experience in developing customer relationships and securing new business and resourcing opportunities.
- Strong understanding of AOP/BP planning, sales forecasting, volume tracking and customer delivery commitments.
- Experience in coordinating with PPC, Operations and SCM to ensure material availability, production planning and timely deliveries.
- Knowledge of customer account reconciliation, credit management, receivables collection and overdue payment recovery.
- Experience in raw material cost compensation, inflation recovery, price correction and profitability management.
- Understanding of VA/VE initiatives, cost optimization and EBITDA improvement.
- Experience in competitor tracking, market analysis, vehicle production volume monitoring and market share assessment.
- Knowledge of Defence plant certification, registration, validation and customer-specific compliance requirements.
- Familiarity with IATF 16949, ISO 14001 and other applicable quality management systems.
- Strong organizational agility, negotiation, project management, analytical and presentation skills.
- Ability to manage multiple customer requirements, business priorities and deadlines while maintaining ethical business practices.

Typical Duties & Responsibilities:

- Drive business development activities in the Defence segment by identifying new opportunities with military vehicle OEMs, Defence PSUs and private manufacturers.
- Visit Defence OEMs to introduce the organization’s products, understand customer requirements and develop long-term business relationships.
- Monitor OEM development plans, upcoming vehicle programs and tender opportunities to identify new business and resourcing prospects.
- Track tenders on government procurement platforms and ensure timely submission of complete techno-commercial proposals.
- Coordinate with Engineering, Costing and Finance teams to evaluate tender requirements, prepare competitive quotations and finalize commercial offers.
- Engage with customers to understand offer competitiveness and negotiate technical and commercial terms.




- Build relationships with key decision-makers and influencers to improve business acquisition opportunities.
- Monitor competitor activities and market developments and develop strategies to improve business competitiveness.
- Manage sales performance in line with the Annual Operating Plan (AOP) and Business Plan (BP).
- Track tender volumes, customer forecasts, production schedules and monthly sales performance against targets.
- Coordinate with PPC, Operations and SCM teams to ensure raw material availability, production planning and timely customer deliveries.
- Monitor production and delivery schedules to minimize delays and avoid liquidated damages (LD) penalties.
- Develop contingency plans to manage fluctuations in customer demand and maintain schedule adherence.
- Include anticipated new business volumes in AOP/BP planning to support resource allocation.
- Reconcile customer accounts regularly and follow up on due and overdue payments.
- Monitor customer-wise credit limits and ensure compliance with company policies and documentation requirements.
- Secure quarterly or tender-based compensation for raw material price increases and other cost escalations.
- Negotiate and recover process inflation costs and implement price corrections for legacy parts with low or negative EBITDA.
- Drive VA/VE initiatives with Engineering to improve profitability, reduce costs and maintain competitiveness.
- Prepare market intelligence reports covering Defence sector vehicle volumes, OEM production trends, competitor activities and market share.
- Coordinate with Engineering and Quality teams to ensure compliance with Defence PSU processes, plant validation requirements, IATF 16949, ISO 14001 and other applicable standards.
- Ensure adherence to company policies, ethical business practices, the code of conduct and compliance requirements.
- Escalate unreasonable customer demands or requests for inappropriate favours through the appropriate channels.

Travel Requirement: Frequent travel required.

- The role is based in Pune, Maharashtra, and involves frequent visits to Defence OEMs, military vehicle manufacturers, Defence PSUs and customer locations.
- Travel may be required at short notice, depending on customer meetings, tender deadlines, business development opportunities and account management requirements.
- Occasional visits to manufacturing facilities may be required for customer coordination, plant validation, production planning and quality-related discussions.

📌 Key Account Manager – Defence Segment (Pune)
🏢 Maxion Wheels
📍 Pune