Job Description

Your Role
As an External Account Manager - Animal Nutrition, you will play a key role in maintaining and expanding Brenntag South Africa's footprint within the animal nutrition sector. You will be responsible for managing and developing a portfolio of key customers, building lasting relationships, and identifying new business opportunities to drive profitable growth. This role combines technical expertise, relationship management, and commercial acumen to deliver innovative solutions that meet customer needs and align with Brenntag's strategic objectives.
Responsibilities

• Manage and grow a portfolio of Category A and B customers within the Animal Nutrition division.
• Maintain existing business relationships while identifying opportunities to broaden product offerings at key accounts.
• Source and develop new customer opportunities, ensuring alignment with divisional growth targets.
• Achieve sales and gross profit objectives while improving margins and overall profitability.
• Conduct regular customer visits (minimum of 30 per month) to strengthen partnerships and ensure service excellence.
• Stay current with product knowledge, technical training, and market trends by attending relevant seminars and workshops.
• Prepare and submit weekly call reports, forecasts, and administrative documentation accurately and on time.
• Collaborate with internal teams to manage pricing, customer profiles, and sales conditions effectively.
• Support the sale of short-dated stock where applicable and ensure optimal stock rotation.
• Maintain Good Housekeeping Practices and comply with all company Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and Rules of Procedure (ROP).

Your Profile
You are a proactive, technically minded sales professional with strong knowledge of animal nutrition, ingredients, and feed manufacturing. You are results-driven, relationship-focused, and comfortable managing complex customer portfolios while consistently achieving growth targets.
Skills

• Excellent customer relationship management and negotiation skills.
• Strong technical understanding of animal nutrition ingredients and formulations.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and CRM systems and SAP knowledge advantageous.
• Strong organisational and time management abilities, with a focus on accuracy and follow-through.
• Effective communicator with proven ability to work cross-functionally within a commercial environment.
• Valid driver's licence and own vehicle.

Experience

• 3-5 years' technical sales experience in animal nutrition manufacturing, ingredients distribution, or a related industry.
• Proven experience managing complex customer relationships and key accounts.
• Demonstrated success in achieving sales and gross profit targets.
• Experience in sales and marketing functions involving strategic account development and customer retention.

Education

• Matric or equivalent qualification.
• Bachelor's degree (BSc Agriculture) in Animal Science or a relevant field is required.
• Additional commercial or marketing qualifications will be advantageous.

Our Offer
Competitive and fair salary
Retirement savings plan
Professional development opportunities
Brenntag provides equal employment opportunities to qualified applicants and employees of all backgrounds and identities to create a workplace where difference is valued because it forms a resilient and more innovative organization. We do not discriminate on the basis of age, disability, gender identity, sexual orientation, ethnicity, race, religion or belief, parental and family status, or any other protected characteristic. We welcome applications from women, men and non-binary candidates of all ethnicities and socio-economic backgrounds.
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