Account Manager: Massmart & Route to Market at Diageo

Purpose of Role
Own, develop and drive the relationships and commercial agenda with customers – this is a customer facing role first and foremost Develop customer management capability Deliver breakthrough business performance within their account base

Top Accountabilities

• Develop truly extraordinary collaborative customer partnerships and strategies Management of profit and NSV targets – “being responsible for the numbers” Motivate sales teams behind clear, simple and powerful customer strategies. Develop and orchestrate end-to-end relationships via a cross functional network within Diageo and the customer base Lead multiple commercial, marketing, supply and financial touch points internally and externally
• Local owner: Talent Engagement Manager Updated 2018
• Drive the highest standards of execution for all specified channels. Obtain and apply facts and data, driving excellence in planning, decision making and performance measurement and taking corrective action as required.
• Contribute to shopper and category insight, resulting in powerful and breakthrough category strategies
• Develop and co-ordinate tailored brand activity by channel and major customer. Nielsen interpretation and development of corrective action plans.
• Develop accurate forecasting through demand planning resource Monitoring, evaluating and advising on Brand/Customer volume, trends and dynamics.
• Create and develop extraordinary account plans Implement and develop appropriate KPI’s

Qualifications and Experience Required

• Qualifications Suitable university degree.
• High cognitive ability
• Experience 6–10 years’ experience gained across commercial and other functions – cross functional experience an advantage.
• Minimum 2 - 3 years ‘Senior/Strategic’ Key Account Management experience or leading account team
• Experience managing account exceeding R900m NIV Cross functional integration and coordination Joint Business Planning knowledge and experience at strategic level Exposure across different channels and different levels of customer sophistication (e.g. National Accounts, Key Accounts and Field Sales)
• Track record of success in highly demanding sales organisations (FMCG) and in alcoholic beverages
• Strong knowledge & demonstrated delivery in challenging trading environments; understanding of channel, pricing, negotiations and strategy development
• Exposure resolving numerous conflict-filled situations
• Negotiation and conflict resolution with powerful customers
• Skills Leadership, sound commercial record, networking, influencing, communication, selling skills, planning, negotiating, training and development, performance management, problem solving and analysis and high degree of systems literacy. Agility, resilience and ability to embrace change a must

Barriers to Success in Role

• Lack of personal drive and self-discipline/self-management principles Inability to grasp complexity of market (multiple channels, languages, cultural differences, norms and practices) Lack of commercial track record highlighting successes to date (through commercial awareness, creativity and astuteness) Inability to influence people across the regional sales team and leadership team.
• Local owner: Talent Engagement Manager Updated 2018
• Lack of financial competence and budget management Low tolerance of ambiguity and lack of flexibility Unable to focus on detail and big picture simultaneously Finds conflict of personal risk excessively stressful Is not motivated by feedback Lacks competitive drive and focus Lack of ability to inspire change and momentum Inability to balance multiple priorities and work to a series of tight deadlines. Lack of passion for customers, shoppers and categories Lack of positive thinking – preventing the ability to create new possibilities Lack of technology literacy and interest