Job Description

The Sales Manager will be responsible for managing, developing and growing relationships with major South African retail groups, with a specific focus on strategic key account management and commercial performance
The ideal candidate will have a proven track record of managing major retail accounts such as Shoprite, Checkers, Pick n Pay, Woolworths, SPAR and Massmart, Amazon and will have established relationships and a strong understanding of the South African retail buying environment
The role will have significant responsibility for annual trading term negotiations, pricing, rebates, promotional agreements, ranging, category growth and account profitability.
This is a commercially focused role requiring an experienced retail sales professional who is comfortable with managing Key Accounts Managers, targets, budgets and profitability for each key account.

Key Responsibilities

Major Retail Key Account Management

Take full ownership of strategic relationships with major retail groups
Develop and maintain strong relationships with senior buyers, category managers, procurement teams and other key decision-makers
Develop individual strategic account plans aligned to each retailer's commercial objectives
Manage the complete customer relationship from annual planning and negotiations through to execution and performance reviews
Conduct regular customer business reviews and present sales performance, category insights and growth opportunities
Identify opportunities for increased ranging, distribution, market share, product penetration and revenue growth
Understand each retailer's buying cycles, category strategies, promotional calendars and commercial requirements
Resolve customer issues and commercial disputes effectively while protecting the company's interests

Annual Trading Terms & Negotiations

Lead annual trading term negotiations with major retail customers
Negotiate annual pricing, rebates, discounts, promotional contributions, marketing spend, listing fees and other trading agreements
Develop detailed negotiation strategies and commercial proposals prior to customer negotiations
Negotiate directly with senior retail buyers and commercial decision-makers
Ensure negotiated trading terms support both revenue growth and sustainable profitability
Review existing customer agreements and identify opportunities to improve commercial returns
Monitor compliance with agreed trading terms, including rebates, promotional funding, claims and deductions
Work closely with Finance to ensure customer profitability and commercial agreements are accurately tracked
Escalate significant commercial risks and negotiate appropriate resolutions

Sales & Account Growth

Develop and execute strategic sales plans for each major retail account
Deliver agreed revenue, volume, gross margin and profitability targets
Drive new product listings and increase existing product ranges
Identify opportunities for category expansion and increased distribution
Develop customer-specific promotional and growth strategies
Analyse account performance and implement corrective actions where required
Prepare accurate sales forecasts and communicate customer demand to internal stakeholders

Retail Category & Commercial Management

Monitor category performance, competitor activity, pricing and market trends
Use customer and market data to identify commercial opportunities
Work with retail customers on range reviews, new product launches and category development
Negotiate promotional activity and ensure promotions deliver an acceptable commercial return
Monitor pricing and competitor positioning across major retail channels
Develop strong knowledge of retailer-specific systems, processes and commercial requirements

Internal Stakeholder Management

Work closely with Supply Chain, Planning, Production, Finance, Marketing and Customer Service to ensure major retail customer requirements are met
Communicate customer forecasts, promotions, ranging requirements and volume expectations
Ensure agreed pricing, promotions and trading terms are correctly implemented internally
Proactively manage supply and service-level issues with customers
Provide senior management with regular reporting on account performance, commercial negotiations, risks and growth opportunities

Minimum Requirements

Relevant tertiary qualification in Sales, Marketing, Business Management or a related field
Minimum 5-8 years' proven sales management experience within the South African retail environment
Direct experience managing major retail accounts
Proven experience negotiating annual trading terms with major retail groups
Established understanding of the South African retail buying environment
Experience dealing directly with retail buyers, category managers and senior commercial stakeholders
Strong track record of growing major retail accounts
Demonstrated experience negotiating pricing, rebates, promotional spend, discounts and commercial agreements
Strong understanding of retail buying cycles, category management, promotions and ranging
Strong commercial and financial acumen, with the ability to understand account profitability and margins
Excellent negotiation, influencing and relationship-management skills
Strong analytical and reporting capabilities
Experience working with ERP/CRM systems and customer sales data

Advantageous Experience

Preference will be given to candidates who have:

Managed multiple national retail accounts simultaneously
Existing relationships with senior buyers and category managers within major South African retail groups
Successfully negotiated multi-million-rand annual trading agreements
Managed national promotional programmes and retailer-specific pricing structures
Experience with range reviews, new product listings and category negotiations
A demonstrated history of growing revenue while improving or protecting gross margins.

Key Competencies

Key Performance Areas

Sales Manager - Retail (71389)

Key skills