Global Client Manager - Pharma

About the opportunity

In North Europe Continent (NEC), we started a dedicated Pharma vertical five years ago and have grown it into a stand-alone growth vertical. Now we are looking for a Global Client Manager Pharma to take the next step with us: winning new global pharma customers and growing them into long-term, integrated partnerships.

You will join a team focused on temperature-controlled, GDP-compliant solutions that solve real pain points in our customers’ supply chains across Ocean, Air, Cold Chain, Customs and Landside. Together with our Supply Chain Development team and with the help of AI, we analyze customer flows and transport modes to optimize their supply chains even further. The role gives you broad exposure across Maersk. Every day you will work with customers as well as Sales, Product, Quality, Customer Experience and Success Departement, Finance, and regional and global teams.

This is an exciting time for Pharma at Maersk. With your network, hunting mindset and experience, you will help shape how the vertical grows globally and build lasting relationships with customers and colleagues around the world.

Purpose of the role

As Global Client Manager Pharma, you build and grow your own portfolio of global pharmaceutical and healthcare customers. You bring an established network with existing access to decision-makers at large pharma companies, and you are a true hunter: comfortable starting from scratch, opening doors and turning new logos into a solid customer portfolio within your first 12 months. Once a customer is won, you switch to farming: you develop and expand the relationship globally, growing the business across areas, products and sites. 

For every customer you win, you are the single commercial point of contact across their entire supply chain, turning their priorities into a joint business plan and delivering integrated, GDP-compliant logistics solutions across Ocean, Air, Cold Chain, Customs and Landside.

You guide a global virtual team across areas, products and functions, making sure the customer experiences one Maersk – from executive strategy to day-to-day execution.

Key responsibilities

1. Client strategy & joint business planning

• Develop and own multi-year global account plans covering Ocean as well as Logistics & Services products.
• Build Joint Business Plans with the customer, including growth targets, key initiatives and KPIs.
• Define the global value proposition per customer and align it with the Pharma & Healthcare vertical strategy.
• Map each customer’s main growth lever (e.g. Air, Cold Chain, 4PL) and align the right internal sponsor.

2. Integrated growth & cross-selling

• Drive profitable growth and share of wallet across products and areas, not just Ocean.
• Position end-to-end solutions such as Pharma Cold Chain Management, GxP cold storage (e.g. MV2), Air Freight, Customs and Landside.
• Work with Solution Engineering and Product to design customer-specific solutions and business cases.
• Identify and qualify new opportunities, including new customer entities, regions and sites.

3. Tenders, contracts & negotiations

• Lead global RFQs end-to-end: strategy, pricing alignment, submission, negotiation and award.
• Negotiate global agreements (incl. MSAs, Quality Agreements, commercial and credit terms) within approval frameworks.
• Ensure successful business onboarding and contract compliance across all areas throughout the contract period.

4. Executive relationship management

• Build trusted, multi-level relationships with procurement, logistics, supply chain, quality and executive leadership.
• Run Quarterly Business Reviews and executive sponsor meetings; position Maersk as a strategic partner.
• Act as the senior escalation point for commercial, operational and contractual topics.

5. Global account team orchestration

• Guide and align the virtual account team: Regional Account Managers, Program Management, CX, CSP, Product, Solution Engineering, Quality and Legal.
• Drive clear ownership and governance: who leads what, by when, with regular internal account reviews.
• Push execution to regional ownership so Regional Account Managers deliver without escalation.

6. Quality, compliance & GDP

• Ensure full adherence to Maersk’s GDP/GxP requirements and complete all mandatory pharma training.
• Translate customer quality requirements (audits, QAAs, lane risk assessments, deviations/CAPA) into clear internal actions with the Quality team.

7. Commercial & financial health

• Own account profitability, forecast and pipeline accuracy in Salesforce.
• Drive resolution of billing, dispute and AR topics together with CX and AR/Collections to protect the relationship and cash flow.

Your profile

Must-have

• 8+ years in B2B account management or business development in logistics / supply chain, of which ideally 3+ years in pharma or healthcare.
• Established network and existing access to decision-makers at large global pharma companies; proven hunting track record in winning new logos, and experience farming them into large, multi-country accounts.
• Proven track record managing global accounts and leading complex, multi-country tenders.
• Strong understanding of GDP/GxP and temperature-controlled logistics.
• Experience guiding virtual teams in a global matrix organization and influencing without formal authority.
• Excellent negotiation skills and financial acumen (GP, margin, credit terms, AR).
• Confident communicator at C-level; fluent English (additional languages an advantage).
• Willingness to travel internationally.

Nice-to-have

• Multi-modal background (Ocean plus Air and/or Contract Logistics / Cold Storage).
• Experience with customer-side procurement, quality or supply chain functions in pharma.
• University degree in Business, Supply Chain, Logistics or Life Sciences.

Critical competencies

• Strategic partnering and insight selling
• Supply chain expertise to grow share of wallet across products
• Stakeholder management and connector mindset
• Ownership, accountability and proactive escalation
• Negotiation skills and understanding of procurement tactics

Maersk is committed to a diverse and inclusive workplace, and we embrace different styles of thinking. Maersk is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applicants without regard to race, colour, gender, sex, age, religion, creed, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, marital status, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, medical condition, pregnancy or parental leave, veteran status, gender identity, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. We will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with all legal requirements.

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