Key Account Manager at Black Pen Recruitment

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in a relevant discipline
• B2B experience within natural food ingredients industry is a Must
• Minimum of 5+ years relevant experience with successful Sales, Business Development, or Key Account Management experience in the food/beverage ingredients, chemicals or a related sector
• Knowledge of customers, competition, and an existing network in South Africa are necessary. Experience in additional countries or markets in the region will be advantageous
• Excellent oral and written proficiency in the English language
• Additional knowledge of local or other languages will be advantageous, but not mandatory
• Demonstrated ability to apply strategic planning, budgeting, and forecasting skills to develop account plans
• Understand customer strategy, initiatives, priorities, launch processes, and how to position the company’s offerings
• Understand profitability goals for key accounts
• Can effectively execute all account management steps in the brief handling process; understands how to manage scale-ups
• Can effectively generate new business by identifying unmet customer needs
• Ability to build strong relationships with key customer decision-makers
• A team player with excellent interpersonal skills
• IT skills - Proficiency in using common PC applications, good MS PowerPoint, and MS Excel skills
• Excellent presentation and project management skills
• Able to travel frequently in the region

Responsibilities:

• Develop / Maintain / Promoting company’s business: You will proactively generate new business opportunities and develop the brief pipeline leveraging the company’s resources and capabilities to create most relevant commercial opportunities with clients
• Servicing their customers: You will partner with the client’s customers’ R&D and marketing teams, understand their brand strategies, positioning, strengths & weaknesses, and ensure the company is well positioned to participate in briefs and is on core lists
• Positioning their products: You will monitor flavour trends, competitive activity and product development; obtain insightful marketing data to support and nurture their business goals
• Enhancing the bottom line: You will continuously develop key accounts and prospects on the ground, follow up on customer submissions, and manage wins through to production and launch, and delivering budgeted sales

Benefits:

• Pension Fund
• Medical Aid
• Travel Allowance