Category Specialist: Furniture | JHB at Datafin Recruitment

ENVIRONMENT:

• A leading retail group is seeking a Category Specialist: Furniture who drives growth in the group’s  furniture business by winning, designing, and delivering bespoke workspace solutions to corporate and SMME customers. This role combines consultative selling with project management discipline, managing furniture opportunities end-to-end from customer diagnosis and CAD-based layouts through to solution design, quotations, negotiation, delivery, installation, and snag closure.

DUTIES:

• Advise customers using specialist furniture knowledge including ergonomics, space planning, aesthetics, and functionality; conceive bespoke solutions that meet requirements and budget constraints
• Achieve regional furniture revenue and gross profit targets across corporate and SMME segments; maintain and grow existing customer relationships through regular engagement and proactive opportunity identification
• Hunt for new business through prospecting, referrals, and engagement with professional stakeholders; generate accurate quotations, proposals, and presentations that communicate value
• Build relationships with interior designers, architects, construction firms, and project managers; conduct consultative discovery to diagnose customer needs and present solutions using CAD visuals and case studies
• Manage furniture opportunities as projects with clear scope, timelines, teams, suppliers, delivery, and installation plans; coordinate with internal teams and external suppliers to ensure seamless execution
• Negotiate with customers and suppliers to protect margin while remaining competitive; escalate price pressure and risk to line manager with options and recommendations
• Maintain awareness of market trends, competitor offerings, and customer preferences; source non-catalogue items and buyout products; provide market intelligence to management for strategic planning

REQUIREMENTS:

Required Qualifications

• Tertiary qualification in Sales, Marketing, Business Administration, Interior Design, Project Management, or related field
• Solid experience in external sales in corporate or SMME environments with responsibility for new business development and account management
• Experience managing project-based sales, furniture solutions, or workspace design with consultative selling and solution configuration
• Exposure to furniture retail, office supplies, or workspace solutions environments; proficiency with CRM and sales pipeline management systems
• Demonstrated ability to negotiate with customers and suppliers; strong communication and presentation skills

Preferred Qualifications

• Postgraduate qualification in Sales, Marketing, Project Management, or Interior Design
• Professional certifications in project management (PRINCE2, PMP) or CAD/space planning software
• Experience engaging with interior designers, architects, and construction professionals

KEY SKILLS | CAPABILITIES:

• Technical Skills: Furniture product knowledge | CRM and sales pipeline management | ERP and order management systems | Microsoft Office Suite | Quotation generation and pricing | Supplier negotiation | Space planning and solution design | Project management
• Soft Skills: Consultative selling | Commercial acumen | Negotiation | Communication | Presentation skills | Stakeholder engagement | Relationship building | Problem-solving | Analytical thinking | Time management | Composure under pressure