National Customer Manager

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:

Reporting Line: National Channel Director

Role Context

The National Customer Manager will play a critical role in managing and developing an assigned national sales territory, with responsibility for driving customer retention, revenue growth, pipeline development, and new business acquisition across the portfolio.

The role requires a commercially astute and highly proactive sales professional capable of operating within a fast-paced field sales environment, while building strong customer relationships and collaborating across Sales, Finance, and Operations functions to maximise territory performance.

This position reports directly to the National Channel Director and is based in Cape Town, Western Cape.

Purpose of the Role

The purpose of the role is to manage and develop the assigned National Channel sales territory in order to maintain and grow the organisation’s market leadership position through:

• Strategic customer relationship management
• Revenue growth and customer retention
• New business acquisition and territory expansion
• Effective pipeline management and sales planning
• Growth in Shipments Per Day (SPD) performance
• Proactive customer engagement and problem resolution
• Cross-functional collaboration to optimise commercial outcomes

The successful candidate will be responsible for executing a structured field sales strategy focused on maintaining existing customer relationships while continuously identifying and securing new business opportunities within the assigned territory.

Key Responsibilities

• Customer Relationship Management & Territory Development
  • Manage and develop the assigned National Channel sales territory in alignment with commercial growth objectives.
  • Ensure all customers within the respective base are visited within the required 30-day call cycle.
  • Build sustainable revenue streams with existing customers through structured relationship management, face-to-face engagement, and proactive account development.
  • Identify opportunities to expand customer relationships through value-added solutions, problem-solving, and ongoing customer engagement.
  • Investigate and pursue new business opportunities within existing customer accounts during client engagements and site visits.
  • Proactively identify risks to customer relationships and intervene accordingly to minimise potential customer or revenue loss.
  • Ensure customer attrition levels remain as low as possible and do not exceed 5% per month.
• Sales Activity, Revenue Growth & New Business Acquisition
  • Plan and execute a minimum of 3 client visits per day, consisting of:
    • Maintenance visits
    • Development visits
    • Acquisition visits
  • Ensure client visits are scheduled and planned at least one week in advance wherever reasonably possible.
  • Drive ongoing revenue growth through structured territory management and strategic sales execution.
  • Continuously identify and pursue opportunities for new business within the assigned territory by cultivating leads and leveraging professional networks.
  • Secure First Time Buyers (FTBs) on a consistent basis to support revenue growth objectives.
  • Develop and implement effective sales approaches to secure major account prospects within the shortest possible timeframe.
  • Grow Shipments Per Day (SPD) figures in line with local and country commercial objectives.
  • Strategically plan and execute sales best practices to optimise territory revenue performance and market penetration.
• Pipeline Management & Commercial Performance
  • Maintain effective pipeline management practices at all times.
  • Uphold a pipeline strength of at least 40% of total portfolio revenue.
  • Monitor territory performance, customer trends, and sales activity to identify opportunities for continuous commercial improvement.
  • Ensure accurate forecasting and structured opportunity management across the territory portfolio.
• Customer Service & Operational Collaboration
  • Manage customer concerns, complaints, and escalations timeously and in accordance with company procedures in order to minimise customer dissatisfaction and potential revenue loss.
  • Collaborate closely with Sales, Finance, and Operations teams to maximise customer service delivery, operational alignment, and revenue growth within the territory.
  • Support the achievement of operational and commercial objectives through effective cross-functional engagement and communication.
• CRM, Reporting & Administrative Management
  • Ensure all customer visits, customer information, sales activity, pipeline updates, and relevant commercial data are accurately captured and maintained using the applicable CRM systems and tools.
  • Maintain accurate and up-to-date territory records and reporting information.
  • Ensure administrative follow-up actions are completed effectively and timeously.
• Additional Operational Support
  • Assist with additional functions outside the immediate job scope where required to ensure the Sales Department operates effectively, efficiently, and in accordance with network standards and operational requirements.

Minimum Requirements

• Qualifications
  • National Diploma, Degree, or Postgraduate qualification in a relevant field.

• Experience
  • Minimum 3–5 years’ experience within a field sales environment.
  • Proven experience managing customer relationships, territory development, and revenue growth initiatives.
  • Experience within the express courier, logistics, supply chain, or related commercial services environment will be advantageous.
  • Demonstrated experience in pipeline management, customer acquisition, and account development.

• Additional Requirements
  • Valid driver’s licence.
  • Willingness and ability to travel extensively within the assigned territory.

Key Competencies

• Field Sales & Territory Management
• Customer Relationship Management
• Business Development & Revenue Growth
• Pipeline & Opportunity Management
• Commercial Acumen
• Negotiation & Influencing Skills
• Customer Retention Strategies
• Planning & Organising
• Stakeholder Engagement
• Problem Solving & Decision Making
• Communication & Interpersonal Skills
• CRM & Sales Reporting
• Results Orientation
• Resilience & Accountability

Leadership Profile & Attributes

• Strong customer-focused and commercially driven mindset.
• Ability to operate effectively within a fast-paced, target-driven sales environment.
• Proactive, self-managed, and highly disciplined approach to territory management.
• Strong relationship-building capability across customer and internal stakeholder environments.
• High levels of professionalism, accountability, and responsiveness.
• Ability to identify risks, opportunities, and growth areas proactively.
• Strong organisational and administrative capability with attention to detail.

Employment Equity

All suitably qualified candidates will be given fair consideration.

Remuneration

• A competitive total target compensation package is offered, aligned to the level, responsibility, and commercial nature of the role.