Job Description

An international agribusiness company in crop protection that has been an allay to farmers for many years is looking for a Product Portfolio Manager. This company has an extensive range of products and services, and aims to work with farmers to preserve natural resources, restore soil biology and address the need for producing nutritious food.
Purpose of the job:

• Develop and Implement marketing strategies for the products within the respective portfolios in order to grow sales.
• Build a regenerative agriculture vision for the business and upskill the sales team to drive the adoption thereof.
• Identify new in-house product development opportunities to balance and strengthen the respective portfolios.
• Support the Sales teams and the Technical Advisors with in-house product data, technical advice and training to complement the ongoing sale of these products.
• Evaluate the development product plan to determine relevance. strategic importance of its content to the company

Required outputs- Functional:
DIMENSIONS

• Strategically manage the portfolios- exploiting strengths and opportunities and counteracting weakness.
• Drive a vision for the adoption of a regenerative or conservation agriculture approach in commercial crop production.
• Produce forecast of products sales to assist with raw material purchasing and production scheduling.
• Identify market opportunities and potential products, activities and delivery mechanisms to exploit these opportunities.
• Actively participate in regional agent training meetings and assist with farmer's days in order to promote in-house products.
• Prepare annual sales forecasts and budget for specific area.
• To liaise with external parties with regard to research initiatives to build IP.
• Evaluate sales figures for the area on a monthly basis, writing reports outlining performances and concerns, imitating strategies to grow sales and identifying threats to the in-house product range.
• Compile realistic product/sales budgets each year in collaboration with the Technical Advisors and Regional Managers.
• Liaise with the Commercial Manager on a regular basis to monitor stock holding and plan raw material procurement based on a realistic sales forecast.
• Initiate new products ideas and advise R&D on the desired label and intent of the product, providing a realistic market analysis and product positioning.

TECHNICAL

• Provide answers to the Technical Advisors and Regional Sales Managers pertaining to all technical aspects of the products in their portfolio.
• Identify potential new products to balance or bolster their portfolios and drive sales growth.
• Initiate through R&D or undertake field demonstration trials with various products in order to develop IP of the business.
• Develop product labels for new products and assist with trial protocols for Development work.
• Assist in the investigation of customer complaints.

MARKETING

• Promote new developments and technology developed within the portfolio.
• Evaluate sales figures for the area on a monthly basis, writing reports outlining performance and concerns initiating strategies to grow sales and identifying threats to the in-house product range.
• Compilation of realistic product/sales budgets each year in collaboration with the Technical Advisors and Regional Sales Managers.
• Liaison with the Commercial Manager on a regular basis to monitor stockholding and plan raw material procurement based on realistic sales forecasts.
• Monitor competitor activity (new and existing) w.r.t. pricing, new products, promotional strategies etc. and take timeous corrective action as required.
• Initiate new product ideas and advise R&D on the desired label and intent of the product, providing a realistic market analysis and product positioning.
• Ensure marketing literature is updated and supported by new trial data and to assess the appropriateness of use by the Technical and Sales teams.
• Develop new markets and monitor market changes.
• Organise and attend agents training days, roadshows, farmer's days, crop symposiums, and marketing conferences.

Qualifications and expertise required:

• Minimum educational B. Tech or BSc Agri degree.
• Must be AVCASA or BASOS accredited.
• Minimum of 5 years' relevant work experience in a technical or sales related field within an agricultural environment.
• Must possess a sound knowledge of the agricultural industry as well as products and markets.
• Knowledge of Act 36 of 1947 and its supporting guidelines pertaining to product registrations.
• Must be in possession of a valid driver's license, have own reliable transport and be medically fit to drive.
• Proficiency in MS Office (Word/ Excel/ PowerPoint).
• Knowledge of .NET would be advantageous.
• Self-starter with an entrepreneurial flair to see projects through to completion.
• Ensure marketing literature is updated and supported by new trial data and to assess the appropriateness of use by the Technical and Sales teams.
• Develop new markets and monitor market changes.
• Organise and attend agents training days, roadshows, farmer's days, crop symposiums, and marketing conferences.

Competencies (skills, knowledge, characteristics):

• Safety oriented
• Working with people
• High work management and standards
• Self-driven and self-motivated
• Strategic thinking
• Problem solving and analysing
• Relating and networking (internally and externally)
• Planning and organising
• Adapting and responding to change
• Coping with pressures and setbacks
• Presenting and communicating information (written and verbal)
• Technical knowledge and expertise
• Deciding and initiating action
• Persuading and influencing
• Deadline driven
• Writing and reporting
• Delivering results and meeting customer expectations

Skills Required