Head: Independent Key Accounts (JHB North) at Aspen Pharma Group

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

Develop business plans.

• Growing the business of independent pharmacy accounts in line with the business strategy, business plans and growth targets to ensure that the business remains profitable.
• Accurately forecasting  as per business unit requirements.
• Analyse the performance, projecting the landing based on the company’s growth objective applying the commercial agreements in ensuring the growth objectives is achieved and profitable P&L’s by channel is met.

Negotiate with independent customers the SLA for the financial year.

• Discuss and negotiate with all independent customers the Services for the financial period required.

Create Service level agreements

• Develop the SLA annexure and supply to legal to draft the Contracts.
• Ensure all SLA annexures are compliant to the marketing code and that services are received for all investments.
• Ensuring that all legal contracts are drafted and signed by customer and internal stakeholders. 

Remediation and Compliance to contracts 

• Monthly Review of the KAMs inputs in relation to remediate services received from the Customer.
• This is executed by interrogating services received from the customer (and reported on by the KAM), to understand the rationale and whether this is feasible from a business perspective.
•  Revise the KAM’s utilisation and dissemination of services received within the business. 

Accurately Forecast sales and data fees

• Calculate and forecast the budgets required for data fees.
• Revise data Fees monthly and forecast with finance as per budget requirement for the financial year for each account in the division. 
• Monthly forecast Sales landing for the division based on the teams projected numbers received and rolling this up to a final business unit forecasted projection

SOH report with Forecast landing projector 

• Monitor the divisions stock on hand days covered, ensuring that wholesaler stock levels, do not exceed a maximum of 60 days sock holding.
• Guide the KAM based on the stock on hand, the projected sales landing called by the KAM, ensuring forecasted sales objectives is achieved.
• Signing off on the agreed upon / amended forecasted number.

Strategic relationship with customers (Customer Services)

• Regularly meeting with KAMs and customers to ensure that strong business relationships exist and that customer needs are being met between in achieving the Aspen objectives for the year.
• Direct the KAM on business reviews, including customer performance and SLA adherence
• Report the performance of the business unit at an executive level. 
• Compile a monthly performance pack with high level trends and gaps to be rectified. This includes an analysis of the business unit performance which is communicated to all executives and sales managers

Developing and driving the people strategy

• Ensuring that the business attracts and retains appropriate skilled personnel necessary in line with the business objectives.
• Responsible for developing, coaching, and disciplinary action where required. 

Financial Objective;

• Annually determine and strictly manage operational expenditure (OPEX) for the division. 
• Full responsibility on decision making for cost containment for the division.
• Expenditure kept in line with actual sales performance and compiling commission structures to reflect this accordingly.
• Managing headcount, salaries, and offers within budget requirements.
• Annual salary increases to be based on individual performance.
• Evaluate ongoing performance and provide a long range forecast of expected expenditure based on commercial performance
• Approve ongoing strategic interventions against long range expenditure forecast
• Reconcile expenditure to outcomes

Performing additional work outputs and Cross Collaboration related to the role as required

• Collaborate with the Commercial finance channel regarding P&L’s on proposals for private label products in the independent pharmacy channels.
• Forecast and supply the minimum order quantities for the private label products in collaboration with brand management and supply chain

Authorisations and sign-offs

• Final approval on claims that exceeds the maximum KAM approval value.
• Approve and Co-sign with the marketing Business Unit Heads  on all promotional investments in the independent business unit.
• Identify, initiate, and create requirements for the divisions QlikView models to be developed via business intelligence.
• Identify a need for the business division in terms of business intelligence models and requirements.
• Create a business process identifying the fundamentals to ensure BI is able to create a business model based on the workings. 
• Review and sign off the final models created by BI before publishing for future use in the entire business. 

Requirements

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE:

• Matric Certificate.
• Sales and marketing bachelor’s degree. 
• Post bachelor’s degree (Advantage)
• Min 5-10 years Sales / Marketing experience.
• Min 5 years Strong Management experience. 
• 2 Years’ experience in setting and strategizing of departmental budgets including Forecasting 
• 2 Years’ experience in customer negotiations i.e., Contracts 
• Computer literate (MS Office, Word, PowerPoint)
• The suitable candidate for the position will also have substantial expertise in Customer Relationship Management in Pharmaceutical Key 

KNOWLEDGE: 

• Computer skills
• Ms Office:  Advanced Excel (Formula calculations)
• PowerPoint, which are necessary for the creating reports and communicating internally and externally to all stakeholders.
• A solid understanding of the Pharma Industry (competitors and market positioning)
• Knowledge of finance and budget handling.
• Knowledge of different data sources
• Deep technical knowledge of project management, data analysis, and business intelligence
• Ability to interpret financial modelling 
• Vast experience on managing of Independent Key Accounts channel.
• Understanding of the Marketing code, ensure compliance is adhered to.
• Vast understanding of Independent contracts negotiating contracts ensuring they comply to legislation and that services are received.
• Creation of SLA annexures to ensure compliance
• Proven key strategic relations with Corporate Pharmacy Groups at a senior level 

SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE:

• Results driven
• Influencing capabilities.
• Independent and self-directed individual that can drive execution.
• Highly numerate, strong analytical skills 
• Project management skills; Commercial implementations in Key account 
• Ability to think strategically and innovatively 
• Strong capabilities to learn quickly
• Effective problem solving and decision making
• Commercial and strategic awareness
• The ability to communicate effectively (written and verbal) is essential.
• Strong sales track record and sound organizational skills.
• Ability to lead and mentor KAM’s.
• Proven leadership competencies. Able to make difficult decisions.
• Commercial and strategic awareness
• Well-developed negotiation skills and competencies