Strategic Account Manager, Retail

Lennox (NYSE: LII) Driven by 130 years of legacy, HVAC and refrigeration success, Lennox provides our residential and commercial customers with industry-leading climate-control solutions. At Lennox, we win as a team, aiming for excellence and delivering innovative, sustainable products and services. Our culture guides us and creates a workplace where all employees feel heard and welcomed. Lennox is a global community that values each team member’s contributions and offers a supportive environment for career development. Come, stay, and grow with us.

The Strategic Account Manager is responsible for developing and managing strategic relationships with national and regional channel partners to drive profitable growth, customer retention, and business performance. Under general supervision, this role serves as the primary relationship owner for assigned accounts, collaborating across internal functions and customer organizations to execute growth strategies, maximize sales opportunities, and deliver exceptional customer outcomes.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage and grow business relationships with one or more assigned national or regional channel partners.
• Develop and execute joint business plans with strategic accounts, including key performance indicators (KPIs), initiative roadmaps, and quarterly business reviews (QBRs) to drive growth, retention, margin performance, and customer satisfaction.
• Collaborate with channel partners on marketing initiatives, go-to-market strategies, product positioning, sales training, and expansion into new markets.
• Lead cross-functional coordination across internal teams including Marketing, Product Management, Supply Chain, Pricing, Finance, and Operations to deliver on customer commitments and resolve issues proactively.
• Influence stakeholders across matrixed organizations, both internally and externally, to align priorities, overcome obstacles, and achieve shared business objectives.
• Monitor market trends, competitive activity, and industry developments to inform account strategies and recommendations.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to strategic accounts, strengthening engagement, customer loyalty, and long-term growth.
• Support the development and implementation of training programs for field sales teams and participating centers, including readiness initiatives related to major industry changes and compliance requirements.
• Assist with contract negotiations and program governance to ensure sustainable growth, compliance, and alignment on customer commitments.
• Identify, develop, and advance new business opportunities with national channel partners through strategic account-based selling approaches.
• Maintain forecast accuracy, pipeline management, performance reporting, and risk/opportunity assessments for assigned accounts.
• Translate business data and analytics into actionable insights and executive-level recommendations.
• Recommend and implement sales and partnership strategies that drive profitable growth while balancing customer value and organizational objectives.

This position requires up to 50% travel throughout the United States and Canada.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor’s degree required, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Minimum of 1 year experience, preferred is 3–5 years of experience in account management, key account sales, channel partner management, or a related field.
• Experience within HVACR, manufacturing, durable goods, or closely related industries preferred.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Exceptional relationship-building, communication, negotiation, persuasion, and time-management skills.
• Demonstrated success influencing and leading within matrixed organizations without direct authority.
• Strong strategic thinking and business acumen, with the ability to identify opportunities, develop innovative solutions, and communicate compelling value propositions.
• Proven ability to manage executive-level customer relationships and facilitate alignment among multiple stakeholders.
• Strong analytical skills with experience using data and metrics to evaluate account performance, forecast results, identify risks, and drive strategic decisions.
• Knowledge of customer service principles, including needs assessment, quality standards, and customer satisfaction measurement.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to deliver impactful business reviews and presentations.
• Substantial industry and product knowledge, including awareness of market trends and regulatory developments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications and Customer Relationship Management (CRM) systems.