National Client Manager  - KZN

Reporting to: General Manager

Commercial Job Purpose

To implement the commercial strategy and execute plans to drive growth and sales for clients within the specified portfolio.

This role is responsible for expanding market share, enhancing client relationships, and ensuring the growth and profitability of the clients in the specified portfolio.

Minimum Educational Requirements

Bachelor’s Degree in commerce, Business Administration, or equivalent qualification

Minimum Experience Requirements

3 years of experience in commercial roles within the FMCG industry

Proven track record of successful key client account development strategies that resulted in significant growth.

Extensive experience in managing multiple client accounts

Key Outputs

1. Commercial Strategy Support

2. Client Service and Engagement Management

3. Client Relationship Management

4. Market Analysis and Expansion

5. Performance Monitoring and Reporting

6. Team Development and Management

Critical Competencies

Strategic Thinking: Ability to develop and execute long-term commercial strategies. Leadership: Ability to inspire and guide teams to achieve exceptional results.

Analysis: Proficiency in analysing market trends, financial data, and performance metrics.

Negotiation: Expertise in negotiating and managing high-value contracts with key clients. Communication: Ability to communicate both verbally and in written format, to effectively convey strategies and build relationships.

Customer Orientation: Deep understanding of customer needs and the ability to develop strategies that enhance customer satisfaction.

Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities.

Skills Map

- Strategic thinking

 - Long-term planning

 - Business acumen

 - Leadership skills

- Team building and development

- Coaching and mentoring

- Conflict resolution

- Sales strategy and management

- Customer relationship management (CRM)

 - Key account management

- Negotiation skills

 - Customer service excellence

 - Market research

Financial analysis and budgeting

- Data-driven decision making

 - Performance monitoring and reporting

- Excellent verbal and written communication

–Presentation skills

- Interpersonal skills

- Networking

- Adaptability to changing market conditions

 - Problem-solving skills

- Innovation and creativity

- Decision-making under pressure

- Proficiency in CRM software

- Competence in data analytics platforms

- Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word)

- Project planning and execution

- Time management

- Organizational skills

- Understanding of FMCG industry dynamics

 - Knowledge of consumer behaviour

- Awareness of regulatory and compliance requirements

Key Outputs and Input Duties

1. Commercial Strategy Support

• Analyse market segments to identify key areas for growth.

• Contribute to development strategies for clients within the specified portfolio, ensuring a targeted approach to meet diverse client needs.

• Conduct thorough competitive analysis to understand market positioning, strengths, and weaknesses relative to competitors.

• Stay abreast of industry trends, consumer behaviours, and technological advancements.

• Contribute to innovation in the commercial team. Performance Indicators

• Revenue Growth

• Market Share Growth

 • Return on Investment

2. Client Service and Engagement Leadership

• Establish clear, measurable targets for clients within the specified portfolio.

• Contribute to the development and execution of effective account strategies to drive revenue growth.

• Ensure a seamless and positive client experience across all touchpoints.

Performance Indicators

• Sales Growth

• Marketing ROI

• Client Acquisition

• Client Retention and Client Lifetime Value

3. Client Relationship Management

• Proactively engage with clients within the specified portfolio to understand their needs, expectations, and challenges.

• Develop deep, trust-based relationships through regular communication and personalised interactions.

• Conduct regular face-to-face or virtual meetings with clients in the specified portfolio to discuss their business needs, review performance, and identify opportunities for collaboration and growth.

• Maintain effective feedback mechanisms, such as surveys and review meetings, to gather client insights and address any concerns promptly.

• Ensure that all client interactions reflect the company’s commitment to excellence and customer centricity.

• Develop and implement comprehensive account management and business plans for clients within the specified portfolio.

• Clearly articulate the company’s value proposition across its service suite to clients within the specified portfolio. Performance Indicators

• Client Retention

 • Revenue

• Client Satisfaction

• Contract Renewals

• Account Profitability

4. Market Analysis and Expansion

• Gather comprehensive market intelligence through various sources, including industry reports, competitor analysis, customer feedback, and market surveys.

 • Analyse market trends to identify emerging opportunities and threats.

 • Benchmark performance against key competitors. Identify strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (SWOT analysis) to develop strategies that differentiate the company’s and client’s offering.

• Contribute to the formulation and execution of market entry strategies for new geographic regions or client market segments. Performance Indicators

• Market Share Growth

• Revenue from New Markets

• Successful Service Launches

5. Performance Monitoring and Reporting

• Deliver against service levels agreements for clients within the specified portfolio.

• Use a balanced scorecard approach to measure performance across multiple dimensions, such as financial outcomes, client satisfaction, internal processes, and learning and growth.

 • Schedule regular performance reviews at the client, team and individual level.

• Maintain robust data collection systems to capture relevant performance data from various sources.

• Analyse performance data to identify trends, patterns, and insights.

• Inform the development and maintenance of performance dashboards that provide real-time visibility into key metrics.

• Maintain a culture of continuous improvement by encouraging teams to learn from both successes and failures. Performance Indicators

 • Sales Target Achievement

 • Revenue Growth

• Client Satisfaction

6. Team Development and Management

• Ensure that all team members understand and are aligned with the company’s mission and strategic goals.

• Enable team-building activities and initiatives to strengthen relationships, improve communication, and promote collaboration among team members.

• Inform and participate in recognition and reward programs to celebrate achievements and motivate team members.

• Provide regular, constructive feedback to team members on their performance.

• Conduct performance reviews and development planning sessions for direct reports.

• Inform and participate in team recruitment processes where applicable.

• Inform and participate in team onboarding processes where applicable.

• Inform and participate in team development processes.

• Inform and participate in mentorship processes.

Performance Indicators

• Employee Retention

• Team Performance

• Team Capability

• Team Diversity

 • Employee Engagement