Key Accounts Manager
Company Overview
Halls is a vertically integrated fresh produce business specialising in the farming, sourcing, packing, ripening, distribution and marketing of a range of sub-tropical fruit, with a primary focus on avocados. With a rich history of over 135 years in agriculture in South Africa, Halls also has operations in the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Germany, the Netherlands and China.
Purpose of the Position
The primary purpose of the Key Account Manager is to manage relationships with Hall’s most important customers and growers, and to grow revenue by executing the sale of a range of subtropical fruit product lines to Hall’s local and international customers.
Reporting to the Commercial Director, the incumbent will be required to lead and successfully coordinate sales and marketing building activities of the SA Sales Desk team working closely with the production planning, sourcing and supply functions within the business. Maintain and grow current and new grower relationships for more fruit through the SA Sales Desk and Vertical business.
The position will be based in Nelspruit.
Key Perfomance Areas
Client relationship management: Build and maintain strong, long-lasting relationships with key clients (customers and growers).
Account planning: Develop strategic account plans to grow revenue, grow the grower and customer base, and enhance client satisfaction.
Needs analysis: Understand clients and growers’ business objectives, challenges, and requirements to provide tailored solutions.
Communication: Serve as the main point of contact for key clients, addressing inquiries, resolving issues, and ensuring timely communication.
Cross-functional collaboration: Collaborate with internal teams such as packhouse, post-harvest, logistics and finance, value add, and customer support to deliver value to clients.
Account growth: Identify opportunities for upselling or cross-selling products and services to key clients.
Contract Negotiation: Negotiate contracts and agreements with key clients, ensuring terms are favorable for both parties.
Commercial administration: Ensure sales agreements, Incoterms, payment terms, customer credit application and product pricing administration is completed in a timely manner.
Performance monitoring: Track key account metrics, analyze performance, and provide regular reports to management.
Issue resolution: Proactively identify and address any issues or challenges that may arise with key accounts.
Customer advocacy: Act as a customer advocate within the company, ensuring that clients' needs are understood and prioritized.
Candidate Profile
Relevant tertiary qualification in business administration, marketing, supply chain management, commerce, or similar.
Proven experience in key account management or a similar role, preferably in the fresh produce or FMCG sectors.
Understanding of fruit grading, rejections and quality as required by local and international markets.
Experience in supplier and customer evaluation (technical, social, compliance, market audits).
Experience in logistics for local and exports market, brand requirements and management, maturity assessment and retention sampling, consumer assurance and communication around expectation and requirements.
Excellent communicator.
Self starter, who can work independently, and handle pressure
High standard of excellence and attention to detail.
Demonstrate high integrity
Frequent travel (local and international) will be required.
Fluent in English and Afrikaans.
MS Office experience (Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint) is essential.
Halls offers a market related remuneration package with commensurate benefits.
If you believe you are suitably qualified for this position and interested in joining a progressive, values-based business, please email your CV to recruitment@halls.co.za.