SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:
Sector: Cold-Chain Logistics & Temperature-Controlled Supply Chain
Reporting Line: Group Business Development Executive
Role Context
This role forms part of the organisation’s commercial and customer management function and requires a highly professional, commercially astute, and relationship-driven individual capable of managing strategic customer accounts within a complex logistics and operational environment.
This is not a purely relationship-management role. The position requires strong commercial capability, operational understanding, stakeholder management, and the ability to drive customer growth, service delivery, contract management, and long-term strategic account development.
Purpose of the Position
The Key Accounts Manager (KAM) is responsible for managing, maintaining, and growing strategic customer relationships across assigned customer portfolios.
The role serves as the primary point of contact for key customers and is responsible for developing and implementing customer-specific commercial strategies aligned to broader business objectives.
The successful candidate will oversee customer performance management, contractual compliance, annual commercial reviews, strategic account growth, customer retention initiatives, and collaborative business improvement projects.
The role works closely with internal operational, logistics, customer support, supply-chain, and commercial teams to ensure alignment between customer expectations, operational delivery, and business growth objectives.
Organisational Placement & Stakeholder Engagement
This role forms part of the Customer Team and reports directly to the Group Business Development Executive, with indirect reporting alignment to the Chief Commercial Officer (CCO) and Managing Directors (MDs).
The position works cross-functionally with:
- Operations & Logistics
- Customer Support
- Supply Chain
- Commercial Teams
- Internal Subject Matter Experts (SMEs)
The role requires continuous collaboration between operational and commercial teams to ensure customer service excellence, operational efficiency, customer retention, and long-term account growth.
Key Responsibilities
- Customer Strategy & Commercial Growth
- Develop and implement customer-level commercial strategies aligned with broader organisational growth objectives.
- Drive customer retention, account growth, and value optimisation across assigned customer portfolios.
- Manage customer contracts, including renewals, commercial negotiations, and annual price reviews.
- Ensure annual rate escalations are achieved in line with company targets and commercial objectives.
- Identify up-selling opportunities and implement strategic account growth initiatives.
- Drive collaborative customer initiatives and innovation projects together with internal SMEs and operational teams.
- Develop long-term customer engagement and growth strategies aligned to organisational objectives.
- Customer Relationship Management
- Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned key customer accounts.
- Build, strengthen, and maintain long-term strategic customer relationships.
- Ensure high levels of customer engagement, responsiveness, and service delivery.
- Maintain a customer-centric approach while balancing operational and commercial objectives.
- Manage customer expectations proactively and professionally.
- Facilitate effective communication between customers and internal operational teams.
- Performance Monitoring & Service Delivery
- Lead regular customer performance review meetings.
- Monitor customer performance metrics, operational trends, service levels, throughput volumes, and account performance.
- Support the implementation and management of customer-specific KPIs and reporting structures.
- Address and resolve operational, service-delivery, logistical, and customer-related issues in collaboration with relevant support teams.
- Ensure service delivery remains aligned with contractual obligations and customer expectations.
- Escalate critical customer issues internally where required to ensure effective resolution.
- Reporting & Commercial Analysis
- Prepare and present detailed reports, presentations, and strategic recommendations to internal and external stakeholders.
- Track and analyse key performance indicators including:
- Customer satisfaction
- Account profitability
- Volume and throughput growth
- Revenue growth
- Operational performance trends
- Analyse operational and commercial data to identify opportunities, risks, and performance improvement areas.
- Provide accurate customer reporting and business insights to senior stakeholders.
- Internal Stakeholder Management
- Work closely with Customer Support, Logistics, Supply Chain, Operations, and Commercial teams to ensure seamless customer service delivery.
- Ensure alignment between customer expectations and operational execution.
- Support collaboration between departments to improve operational efficiency and customer outcomes.
- Maintain strong professional relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.
- Leadership & Team Development
- Provide leadership, guidance, coaching, and support to direct reports where applicable.
- Build and maintain a culture of accountability, collaboration, customer focus, and high performance.
- Support professional development and performance improvement within the team environment.
- Promote alignment with the organisation’s commercial and customer service objectives.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- Growth in volume and value of assigned customer accounts.
- Achievement of profitability targets across assigned accounts.
- Achievement of annual rate escalations in line with company targets.
- Customer retention and satisfaction levels.
- Successful implementation of customer growth and value-add initiatives.
- Identification and implementation of cost efficiencies in collaboration with customers and internal teams.
- Operational service-delivery performance aligned to customer expectations and contractual requirements.
Minimum Requirements
- Relevant Degree in Logistics, Economics, Business, Sales, or a related field.
- Minimum 5+ years’ experience in Key Account Management or customer-facing commercial roles.
- Proven experience managing large, strategic, or complex customer accounts.
- Strong understanding of supply-chain and logistics processes.
- Proven experience within a logistics, cold-chain, warehousing, distribution, or supply-chain environment.
- Strong experience in customer relationship management and commercial account growth.
- Experience managing customer contracts, annual commercial reviews, and pricing negotiations.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite.
- Experience working on WMS and ERP systems within a logistics or supply-chain environment.
- Strong reporting, analytical, and presentation skills.
- Ability to engage effectively with both operational and executive-level stakeholders.
- Additional Requirements
- Ability to operate effectively within a fast-paced, operationally demanding environment.
- Ability to manage pressure, competing priorities, and strict deadlines.
- Strong operational awareness and customer-service focus.
- Willingness to travel as operationally required.
- Valid South African driver’s licence and own reliable transport may be advantageous.
Key Competencies & Attributes
- Strong commercial acumen and customer-management capability.
- Comprehensive understanding of temperature-controlled supply-chain and logistics operations.
- Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving ability.
- Ability to interpret operational and commercial data and develop actionable strategies.
- Excellent negotiation and contract-management skills.
- Strong conflict-resolution and stakeholder-management capability.
- Customer-centric mindset with a strong service orientation.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Strong interpersonal and relationship-building ability.
- Ability to manage multiple stakeholders, priorities, and timelines simultaneously.
- Strong reporting and presentation capability.
- Ability to resolve operational, logistical, and customer-related challenges effectively.
- High level of professionalism, accountability, and business maturity.
- Strong collaboration and cross-functional engagement capability.
- Results-driven with a focus on growth, retention, and continuous improvement.
Employment Equity
All suitably qualified candidates will be given fair consideration.
Remuneration & Benefits
- Market-related salary package to be discussed with shortlisted candidates.
- Opportunity to work within a leading national temperature-controlled logistics and supply-chain environment.
- Exposure to strategic national customer accounts and commercial operations.
- Long-term career-growth potential within a well-established and performance-driven organisation.
