Customer and Sales Manager

SUMMARY:
We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Customer & Sales Manager to lead our customer engagement and sales strategy. This role is ideal for a dynamic professional who is passionate about building strong client relationships, driving revenue growth, and delivering exceptional customer experiences.

POSITION INFO:
Position/Title: Customer and Sales Manager
Reports Too: Customer Executive
Function Sales Location Coastal (PE and KZN)
Number of Direct Reports 1 or 2

Overall Responsibility:
Overall responsibility for managing the relationship with key customers, agents and other key stakeholders and in so doing execute successfully against the national and regional business plans with key objective of meeting and or exceeding the sales budget.

Main responsibilities of Focus Area:
Strategy and Execution
Deliver regional plans in line with business and national customer plans ensuring clear objections and action plans are in place
Communicate objectives and regional plans to sale agents as well as internal sales supervisors and ensure alignment in execution
Deliver three months rolling plans setting clear monthly customer and sales priorities, volume commitments and dealing parameters in support of target achievement.
Monitor success of execution and adapt plans as and when required
Monitor competitor activity, pricing and promotional strategies and provide market intelligence to head office.
Drive distribution expansion and gap closure across all priority sku’s and key categories Identify and implement new business opportunities within existing and emerging channels
Lead customer engagement and negotiation discussions with regional/national buyers
Monitor competitor activity, pricing and promotional strategies and provide market intelligence to head office.

Budget management
Manage trade spend, promotional budgets and customer investment to ensure optimal ROI
\Monitor monthly sales performance vs budget, identifying risks and implementing corrective action.
Drive achievement of volume, revenue targets within region
Ensure accurate forecasting and demand planning in collaboration with supply chain
Manage customer claims, deductions and accruals to ensure financial accuracy and compliance

Team Management
Supervision and training/Development of staff and merchandising agents
Agree annual KPI's with direct reports and manage performance against these commitments.
Collborate effectively with key functions within the organisations
Lead, coach and develop agents within the region
Conduct regular field visits to ensure execution standards and provide training
Drive accountability through clear KPI tracking and performance management
Facilitate regular sales team reviews and performance feedback sessions.

Relationship Management
Develop customer relationships to drive business strategy with key buyers and key accounts ops managers.
Weekly meetings with DC demand planners
Weekly meetings with sales agents and internal team
Regular meetings retailer regional managers
Quarterly meeting to review current catman solutions

Promotional Activities and Innovation Strategy
Deliver spend productiviltiy through promotional and ad-hoc budgets in order to drive to sales.
Deliver alternative strategies to increase sales.
Be nimble in capitalising opportunities in trade promo calendars
Provide insights for improvements and new ways of driving sales.
Develop a thorough understanding of company products as well as competing products.

Key Account Management
Understand regional customer’s needs & strategy – develop regional plans based on this that are aligned to the overall company objective
Develop specific strategies for Key Account Customers ensuring alignment to business and channel strategy.
Set product, promotional and pricing strategies specific to the customer.
Negotiate trading terms and service expectations where required – key customers would still be managed by me
Manage suggested RSP at account level.
Identify and prioritize customer growth opportunities.
Accountable for forecasting at regional Level and setting and delivering overall Key Account Customer targets.
Manage, coordinate, and ensure implementation and execution across respective regions
Ensure achievements of the following deliverables:
1) Annual targets and objectives,
2) Monthly sales volume / value targets by region,
3) Aligning return on investments with strategic direction.
Implement price increases.
Interpret and analyse data from IRI/Nielsen, formulate plans according to weakness and opportunities.
Looks for opportunities to improve Planograms, place supplemental displays and POS material.
Action new listings/launches of products.
Development of detailed account plans that deliver profitable growth
Development of regional specific scorecards that are reviewed with agents on a regular basis, improvement plans are actioned where required.
Monthly/Quarterly reporting on KPI as set.
Breakdown and deliver on trade and financial sales volume targets by area / channel / sku
Customer reviews by brand per key account.
Translate market share objectives into forward share objectives for specific Key Account, by category.

Customer Relationship Management
Build and maintain strong relationships with key decision makers across key accounts
Conduct regular customer performance reviews and business planning sessions

Reporting & Insights
Analyse sales performance data and market trends to identify growth opportunities
Provide accurate and timely sales reporting to management
Track distribution, share of shelf and promotional performance.
Develop actionable insights to improve performance and market share

Minimum Requirements Qalification:
Tertiary qualification in sales, marketing or business management
Experience: minimum of 5 years regional sales management experience within the FMCG environment
Experience: minimum of 5 years regional Key Account Management experience within the FMCG environment
Experience: Experience within Wholesales pecific Boxer. Shoprite, PNP and Spar would be an advantage
Experience in Entrepreneurial environment will be an advantage Valid Driver's Licence

Skills/Competencies Required
Strong business acumen (numeric and literacy)
Ability to motivate and lead a team
Analytical thinking and problem solving skills
Networking and marketing skills – Relationships with customers
Customer orientation skills
Negotiating and influencing skills Innovative thinker
Conflict handling skills
Emotionally resilient and able to manage stress (Emotional intelligence)
Detail Oriented
Strong interpersonal skills / respect for people
Fast-paced and action oriented

Please note if you do not hear from us within 3 week, do consider your application unsuccessful.