Key Account Manager Food&Beverages South Africa

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Key Account Manager – Food and Beverage, South Africa will be part of Strategic Key Accounts team (Food and Beverage) and will focus on developing new and existing Strategic Key accounts in South African region.  This role will serve as the primary interface for the regional organization and act as a liaison, ensuring all requirements are met in a timely manner.  This person will also be responsible for conducting regular status and strategy meetings with customer’s regional management group to understand their needs and link to the organization’s product/service strategies. 

An outstanding Key Account Manager – Food and Beverage, South Africa will be someone whose customer-oriented approach and sales expertise result in increased profitability.

Role Responsibilities:

• Thorough market and customer research, daily customer phone calls and emails, business travel to customers when needed, and other prospecting activities
• Act as a primary contact for assigned strategic accounts, which includes traveling to customer locations to solidify relationships, attending regional industry trade shows, determining customer needs, and learning application and business requirements
• Establish, cultivate, and leverage customer relationships at a branch and regional corporate level to grow the business (this role is a strong mix of hunting and growing the relationship)
• Lead sales presentations, annual pricing negotiations, business reviews and product proposals, and other communications designed to drive sales
• Ensure customer satisfaction by completing quotes, reviewing business opportunities, and answering technical questions
• Work cross-functionally with Donaldson territory sales managers, OEM managers, technical business development managers, and product management team to identify, develop and close new sales opportunities.
• Penetrate assigned account by selling new or additional products to existing locations and identifying additional customer locations
• Act as a customer advocate within internal organizations and cross-functional teams on pre- and post-sale matters including but not limited to our OEM group, engineering, and manufacturing facilities
• Build and maintain strong relationships, across functions at customers, and favorable contacts with current and potential accounts utilizing Microsoft Dynamics CRM

TRAVEL: Up to 30%

Minimum Qualifications:

• 5+ years of sales experience
• Previous Account management or Business Development experience
• Bachelor’s degree

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master’s degree or equivalent through experience
• Previous sales experience in the Food and Beverage industry is a strong plus
• Strong time management skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills
• Customer service focused, including the ability to create an atmosphere that encourages an open dialogue about the internal and external customer's needs
• Detail oriented, strong analytical abilities, with excellent organizational skills
• Excellent listening, negotiation, business professional presentation and collaboration skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft CRM software, Microsoft office suite with an emphasis on Excel
• Languages: English mandatory, proficiency in additional local languages is a strong plus

Employment opportunities for positions in the United States may require use of information which is subject to the export control regulations of the United States. Hiring decisions for such positions are required by law to be made in compliance with these regulations. Applicants for employment opportunities in other countries must be able to meet the comparable export control requirements of that country and of the United States.

Our policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all qualified persons without regard to race, gender, color, disability, national origin, age, religion, union affiliation, sexual orientation, veteran status, citizenship, gender identity and/or expression, or other status protected by law.