Strategic Account Director - Product Development & Innovation Consulting at Cambridge Design Partnership

Job description

Cambridge Design Partnership is an employee-owned product and innovation consultancy operating internationally with offices in North Carolina and Cambridge (UK). Our scientists, engineers, designers and commercial teams work together to solve complex problems for leading businesses across the Consumer and Med-tech markets. We are now seeking a Strategic Account Director to manage our high value client accounts in the Consumer market across a designated territory. You will engage client companies that require an external engineering partner to accelerate new product development from concept through commercialization. The work we do for clients includes the development of new products, technical innovation, and engineering consulting. Our clients are market leaders across food and beverages, home care, personal care, personal hygiene, health and beauty. We help them innovate across fast moving product formats as well as durable appliances and devices. This is a senior role, responsible for the commercial growth, strategic development and long-term value of key accounts. You will direct the account strategy, and act as trusted partner to your clients. The role demands a proactive, growth mindset with a focus on long-term client partnership over transactional sales. Job Duties and Responsibilities • Identify and progress qualified opportunities for new project activity to ensure predictable revenue growth • Expand relationships up and across the client organisations to reduce single-thread risk • Develop and maintain structured stakeholder maps and engagement plans across technical, operational, procurement and executive stakeholders • Actively contribute to the evolution of CDP’s markets and service strategy by translating account management insight into actionable recommendations • Share learning and best practice across accounts to raise overall performance Requirements To succeed in this role, you will be able to demonstrate: Essential: • Bachelor’s degree in engineering, or a related technical field • Experience working in a company providing engineering consulting or outsourced product development • Previous ownership and growth of complex high-value B2B accounts • Evidence of using deep understanding of client strategy and competitive positioning to identify innovation opportunities Desirable: • Ability to shape pricing strategy and manage commercial negotiations • Disciplined pipeline management and forecast accuracy Benefits We’re an employee‑owned innovation partner with a growing US team. We bring ideas to life-from insight to engineering to pilot manufacture—across consumer and healthcare.

Requirements

Must-haves

Job Duties and Responsibilities
Identify and progress qualified opportunities for new project activity to ensure predictable revenue growth
Expand relationships up and across the client organisations to reduce single-thread risk
Develop and maintain structured stakeholder maps and engagement plans across technical, operational, procurement and executive stakeholders
Actively contribute to the evolution of CDP’s markets and service strategy by translating account management insight into actionable recommendations
Share learning and best practice across accounts to raise overall performance
To succeed in this role, you will be able to demonstrate:
Bachelor’s degree in engineering, or a related technical field
Experience working in a company providing engineering consulting or outsourced product development
Previous ownership and growth of complex high-value B2B accounts
Evidence of using deep understanding of client strategy and competitive positioning to identify innovation opportunities
Ability to shape pricing strategy and manage commercial negotiations
Disciplined pipeline management and forecast accuracy

Nice-to-haves

None flagged.

Application prep

Use the role’s language and application details while tailoring your materials.

Platform: workable
Effort: medium