Key Accounts Manager at L'Oréal

KEY JOB ACCOUNTABILITIES:

To service, develop and manage a portfolio of accounts in line with the Brand / BU strategy

• Build a strong partnership and intense working relationships with set identified key accounts and distributors.
• Manage accounts sales growth and profitability in line with BU/entity strategic objectives.
• Develop, communicate, and monitor quarterly mutually signed off (L’Oréal and Customer) Sell in and sell out targets in line with the     divisions annual financial set plan and growth ambition.
• Work closely with the Commercial Director to micromanage all P&L line items under commercial’s control relevant to the account’s profitability, through regular customer P&L reviews. Manage spend (sell in deals/ sell out retro commitments/ coop.
• Create and implement a differentiated customer specific annual business plan for each account and distributor, considering all functional areas: commercial agreements, marketing actions, education, merchandising and retail opportunities and profitability. 
• Drive quarterly differentiated customer specific promo grids by client with the support of Commercial, E-commerce, Marketing and Education in line with the PPD annual strategy- ensuring mutual agreement and partnership evident with the customer. Be proactive and agile to prevent risk to plan and reactive measures.
• Ensure seamless innovation buy-in from customer end to end: Present innovation to customer wit the support of Marketing/ Education and manage listing process in line with customer’s process. 
• Work close with the e-commerce team ensuring the e-commerce plan is in support of the overarching strategy for the customer’s specific agreed joint business plan. Have regular alignment meetings with client and ecom team ensuring the client are developed from a digital and ecom perspective and get to a agreed ecom weight of business. 
• Drive and be accountable for all account’s specific projects, trials and special out of the norm initiatives with the relevant division’s functional and support teams.
• Monitor the accounts’ performance against business plan and develop alternative and pro-active strategies ensuring optimised growth and minimised risk.
• Represent L’Oréal PPD and communicate critical business information to the appropriate internal and external contacts for action.
• Steer, support and develop internal teams to ensure optimal account support and strategic execution with the buy in of the key buyers, planners and salon management. 
• Coordinate and inform field forces on Accounts related developments and priorities.
• Under the supervision of the Commercial Director, build the joint business plan with the account(s)and drive quarterly business review meetings with the client with the support of the various PPD functional areas (Commercial, Marketing, Education and Support Functions).
• Contribute to the PPD commercial fundamentals (Active Purchasing Customers, Reactivations, Conquests, DN, Innovation Penetration, Sell in and Sell Out budgets and P&L levers) by sharing account perspective risks and opportunities.
• Build, accurately forecasts with key accounts and distributors with the planning team and achieve the account (s) results: Forecast accuracy, infill over 95%, optimal service levels and healthy sustainable forward stock covers. Ensure optimal input in the internal colab meetings and drive quarterly forecast meeting with the customer. 
• Communicate with the support of the PPD planning team weekly OOS, low stock levels and back in stock communication to client and manage orders accordingly, upkeeping a transparent partnership. Work with Education to suggest alternatives to best manage OOS situations. 
• Work with customer, customer service as well as the commercial team on the ground to coordinate all orders, account issues, statements, returns and collections, DC variables and all related back-end account admin (examples: Openings, closings, change of address, term changes, credit limits, credit blocks). 
• Analyse monthly stock and sales data (sell in and sell out) by account, and ensure relevant actions transpire in accordance.
• Plan all growth drivers by client accordingly internally- driving the necessary rhythms internal to ensure top of mind and optimised execution.
• Prepare and lead the Account (s) negotiations, serve as gatekeeper of the relationship, and escalate when relevant. 
• Act as the expert of his account to feed an omni channel approach and ensure account planning process, admin and rhythms are in place to drive optimal internal and external alignment. 
• Build deep customer intelligence and strong network partnership with key internal and external stakeholders.
• Connect Account key stakeholder of all functions with their L’Oréal counterpart.
• Ensure the consistency of L’Oréal voices when speaking to the retailer/ distributor or independent salon.
• Conduct frequent trade visit with the relevant Commercial Regional and Business partners, Marketing and Education ensuring on top of trade priorities, trade marketing and POS objectives and build in person relationships across regions where needed to optimally support accounts.
• Build a strong network support with co- Key account Managers in other divisions (Lux/ LDB) to adopt best practices, processes and amin efficiencies to PPD. 
• Travel to regions quarterly and manage and coordinate an online offline approach for catch ups, meetings, and trade visits.
• Drive synergy in strategy with distributors through aligned business objectives, joint business plans, quarterly focused (commercial, marketing and education) and transparency in salons being serviced- ensuring the distributor act as partner and an extension of our operational team on the ground servicing L’Oréal salons as a third party, 

TECHNICAL, PROFESSIONAL COMPETENCIES REQUIRED:

• B Com or equivalent business degree 
• Ability to build and maintain strong working relationships
• Strong conceptual/creative thinking
• Computer literacy on MSOffice – Advanced Excel proficiency MANDATORY
• Solid administration & organizational skills
• Solid Commercial understanding and sensitivity
• Good negotiating skills
• Sound communication skills (written & verbal), coupled with the effective ability to interact with people at all levels
• Ability to work flexible hours to meet deadlines
• Team player – support the team objectives (commercial, Marketing, Ecom and Education)
• Reliable, energetic, proactive, punctual & able to work independently
• Operational SAP Knowledge 
• Demonstrated business understanding & ability to synthesize/analyse data and generate insights
• 2 years Key Account Management experience at national level, preferably experience in dealing and managing distributors 
• Results and Outcome driven
• Knowledge of market, customer expectations and brand(s)
• Analytical skills
• Mastering P&L account management
• Strategic thinking skills
• Sales ethics and sensitivity to legal issues and competition law
• Experience in retail would be an advantage