About this role
The Opportunity:
Avantor is seeking a high-energy, customer-focused Major Account Manager who brings value to every interaction. In this role, you will partner closely with customers and internal teams to develop solutions that address complex scientific, operational, and business needs within the Education & Medical Research (E&MR) market. Success is not defined simply by what you sell, but by how you sell through strategic thinking, consultative engagement, collaboration, and trusted customer relationships.
This is a full-time position supporting Education & Medical Research customers throughout the greater Raleigh-Durham-Chapel Hill, North Carolina region. The role requires being onsite with customers five days per week, and candidates located within the assigned territory are preferred.
As a Major Account Manager, you will have the opportunity to consultatively sell Avantor's extensive portfolio of products and services to both existing and prospective customers, including universities, academic research institutions, teaching hospitals, medical research centers, and other scientific organizations. This opportunity is ideal for someone who has a passion for science, strong interpersonal skills, and the ability to build relationships with a diverse range of stakeholders and decision-makers.
What We're Looking For
Education
- Bachelor's degree preferred, preferably in Science, Business, or a related discipline.
Experience
- Ability to understand technical customer applications, research workflows, laboratory operations, and business needs.
- Strong relationship-building, communication, negotiation, strategic planning, and organizational skills.
- Willingness to travel to customer locations five days per week.
- Must hold a valid driver's license in good standing.
Technology
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and Teams preferred.
- Experience with Salesforce, SAP C4C, and/or QlikView preferred.
Preferred Qualifications
- 5+ years of experience in a complex B2B sales environment involving multiple stakeholders and solution-based selling.
- Experience supporting customers within higher education, academic research, healthcare research, life sciences, biotechnology, or laboratory environments preferred.
- Demonstrated record of sales success and sustainable account growth using a consultative and strategic selling approach.
- Experience working in a fast-paced, goal-oriented environment requiring significant collaboration with customers, manufacturers, and internal teams.
- Demonstrated ability to apply established selling methodologies such as SPIN or Consultative Selling.
- Excellent communication, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills.
How You Will Thrive and Create an Impact
As a Major Account Manager, you will:
- Own and expand strategic customer relationships by serving as the primary point of contact for universities, academic medical centers, research institutions, and laboratory environments throughout the territory.
- Develop a deep understanding of customer objectives , including research priorities, funding initiatives, operational challenges, procurement processes, and laboratory needs to strengthen retention, partnership, and long-term growth.
- Drive strategic account growth by leveraging customer insights, sales data, and market trends to identify opportunities, uncover whitespace, influence demand, and expand Avantor's share of wallet.
- Lead with a consultative approach , helping customers advance research, scientific discovery, and educational initiatives through tailored solutions and value-added partnerships.
- Build relationships across multiple stakeholder groups , including principal investigators, laboratory managers, procurement teams, department leadership, facilities teams, research administrators, and executive leadership.
- Coordinate cross-functional account execution by bringing together local and global Avantor teams, suppliers, and external partners to deliver integrated solutions and achieve customer and revenue objectives.
- Own account planning, forecasting, and performance management , using disciplined account strategies and data-driven insights to achieve key performance indicators and business objectives.
- Develop senior-level stakeholder relationships and lead strategic customer conversations that position Avantor as a trusted advisor and partner.
- Navigate complex customer interactions with professionalism and influence, using active listening, consultative questioning, organization, and relationship-building skills to establish trust and alignment.
- Analyze sales and account performance data to identify opportunities, inform strategy, support business decisions, and continuously improve account performance.
- Operate with autonomy and accountability , effectively managing competing priorities, customer expectations, and complex account environments.
- Lead commercial negotiations , developing pricing strategies, contract structures, and long-term agreements that create sustainable value for both Avantor and its customers.
Ultimately, this role is about becoming a strategic partner to Education & Medical Research customers by understanding their missions, anticipating their needs, connecting the right Avantor capabilities to their priorities, and creating measurable value through every customer interaction.
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Disclaimer:
The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by employees assigned to this classification. They are not intended to be construed as an exhaustive list of all responsibilities, duties and skills required of employees assigned to this position. Avantor is proud to be an equal opportunity employer.
Why Avantor?
Dare to go further in your career. Join our global team of 14,000+ associates whose passion for discovery and determination to overcome challenges relentlessly advances life-changing science.
The work we do changes people's lives for the better. It brings new patient treatments and therapies to market, giving a cancer survivor the chance to walk his daughter down the aisle. It enables medical devices that help a little boy hear his mom's voice for the first time. Outcomes such as these create unlimited opportunities for you to contribute your talents, learn new skills and grow your career at Avantor.
We are committed to helping you on this journey through our diverse, equitable and inclusive culture which includes learning experiences to support your career growth and success. At Avantor, dare to go further and see how the impact of your contributions set science in motion to create a better world. Apply today!
EEO Statement:
We are an Equal Employment/Affirmative Action employer and VEVRAA Federal Contractor. We do not discriminate in hiring on the basis of sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, religious creed, national origin, physical or mental disability, protected Veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state/province, or local law.
If you need a reasonable accommodation for any part of the employment process, please contact us by email at recruiting@avantorsciences.com and let us know the nature of your request and your contact information. Requests for accommodation will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Please note that only inquiries concerning a request for reasonable accommodation will be responded to from this email address.
For more information about equal employment opportunity protections, please view the Know Your Rights poster .
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We will use the personal information that you have submitted to us in order to consider your application for the relevant role.
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3rd Party Non-Solicitation Policy:
By submitting candidates without having been formally assigned on and contracted for a specific job requisition by Avantor, or by failing to comply with the Avantor recruitment process, you forfeit any fee on the submitted candidates, regardless of your usual terms and conditions. Avantor works with a preferred supplier list and will take the initiative to engage with recruitment agencies based on its needs and will not be accepting any form of solicitation.