Team Lead & Key Account Manager - EPD

At Smartbox, we believe that real-life experiences help us thrive, connect, and become the best versions of ourselves. As Europe’s leading experience brand, we are entering an exciting new chapter - evolving from a gift box company into an experience company.

Mission

As Team Lead & Key Account Manager for Smartbox Italy - EPD, your mission is twofold: to lead, coach and develop a team of 3 Account Managers/Key Account Managers so they consistently deliver on partner retention and growth targets, and to personally manage a portfolio of our most strategic, top-tier partners as their trusted senior advisor.

You will set the standard for Account Management excellence in Italy - translating company strategy into clear team objectives, removing obstacles for your Account Managers, and stepping in directly on the highest-value relationships. You'll work together with the Head of Sales for Southern Europe to shape local commercial strategy, while ensuring day-to-day processes (pipeline hygiene, business reviews, KPI tracking) are embedded across the team.

Responsibilities

The role's duties are evaluated across the following dimensions:

People Management & Team Leadership:

• Manage, coach and develop a team of 3 Account Managers, including regular 1:1s, performance reviews, and individual development plans;
• Set clear priorities for the team in line with Smartbox Italy's commercial goals; monitor KPIs and course-correct proactively with gap-closing plans; and act as an escalation point for complex partner situations;
• Build team capability in negotiation, business reviews and account planning;
• Provide actionable, data-driven recommendations to Sales Leadership and for cross-functional projects, sharing AM team’s and partners’ feedback to influence product and commercial strategy;
• Foster a positive, high-performance team culture

Key Account Management (own portfolio):

• Own and manage a portfolio of top-tier Strategic partners, acting as their main point of contact and trusted advisor;
• Plan and lead quarterly business reviews for these strategic accounts, providing data-driven recommendations;
• Identify and close upselling, cross-selling and new business opportunities within the key account portfolio (e.g., improve partners’ availability, propose new experiences offering).

Requirements

Required skills and characteristics, which support the dimensions above, include:

• Minimum ~2 years of People Management experience in a Sales environment (mandatory) - proven track record of leading and developing a Sales/Account Management team;
• Proven experience in Key Account Management or B2B Sales, preferably in hospitality, travel, leisure or e-commerce;
• Strong coaching and leadership skills, with the ability to motivate a team toward ambitious targets;
• Excellent relationship-building and communication skills, comfortable engaging with senior stakeholders;
• Analytical mindset with proficiency in BI tools and Salesforce/CRMs; bility to lead quarterly business reviews and provide data-driven insights, both personally and through the team;
• Strong organisational skills to balance own account portfolio with team management duties;
• Creative and commercially minded, capable of identifying innovative growth opportunities;
• Fluent in Italian and professional working proficiency in English;
• Positive, proactive and collaborative attitude, showing adaptability and resilience.

What we offer

• Opportunity to join an international and growing Experience company
• Permanent contract/full-time
  
• Annual variable bonus: 30% of gross annual base salary
• CCNL applied: Terziario Distribuzione e Servizi (ex Commercio) - 1° livello
• Ticket Restaurant: 8€ per working day
• Remote working policy: 2 days of remote working per week
• Welfare program
• Employee discount on Smartbox products and corporate benefits platform
• Work x life pack and wellbeing initiatives