Category Specialist – Furniture at Datafin Recruitment

ENVIRONMENT:

• A leading School Supplies Provider is looking for a dynamic and driven Category Specialist (Furniture) to join their Johannesburg team.
• This role is ideal for a self-motivated, enthusiastic individual with strong people skills and a deep understanding of furniture solutions.
• The successful candidate will focus on growing existing business while generating new opportunities, with the ability to conceive bespoke, customised solutions beyond the standard catalogue.
• Responsibilities include analysing customer needs and recommending suitable furniture options, responding to product-related queries, and working closely with the sales team to develop selling strategies and close deals. A strong focus on maximising sales and profitability is key to success in this role.

 REQUIREMENTS:

• They are looking for a dynamic, self-motivated, enthusiastic person with excellent people skills
• Understands the Furniture Range of the company and the ability conceive bespoke customised solutions for customers of products not in their catalogue.
• Analyse customer needs and recommend appropriate furniture. Answer customer queries regarding furniture products. Coordinate with sales team to establish selling strategies and deals. Work with sales team to maximize sales and profitability.
• Develop sales strategy and programs in order to ensure that the furniture items are sold by yielding profits
• Provide excellent client services to the customers prior to and after the sale
• Meet monthly sales targets set by the management
• Participate in relevant Furniture trade shows and conventions.
• Follow up on prospective clients through calls, emails and visits.
• Assisting in debt collection in assigned accounts/regions from existing clients.
• Proven record of high individual and corporate customer satisfaction.
• Strongly adept at working with all types of wood and other furnishing materials.
• Proven ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously.
• Excellent negotiating skills and must be able to work individually & in a team.
• Execute work within the given timelines: Quote Requests and Order Processing Procedures
• The candidate must demonstrate their experience in space planning and floor layouts and provide solution based space assessments.
• Experience in Project management and a project management mind-set to ensure both internal and external customer service with an attention to detail orientation.
• The incumbent will work closely with specific sales portfolios and must be able to plan and ensure internal customer satisfaction.
• Candidate will be required to work well with Interior Designers, Architects, Construction Firms as well as Project
• Applicants will be expected to maintain as well as hunt – cold canvas for new business and must be able to generate quotations based on the customer requirements
• Applicants must have the ability to negotiate at both corporate and SMME levels and must be able to cold canvas for new business.
• Experience in the corporate sales environment will be an advantage
• Thorough knowledge of the CPA-Consumer Protection Act would be an advantage
• The applicant must be well presented, demonstrate an ability to work under pressure and manage competing priorities.

 Qualifications

• Matric/ GR12 certificate
• Any relevant Sales and Marketing, Customer service qualification will be an added advantage.
• Min 3 years as an External Sales consultant
• Applicants must have their own suitable transport and valid driver’s licence.
• Preferable – Qualification in Project management  
• Applicants must be computer literate and have a good understanding of Microsoft outlook, excel and word