Job Description

About AkzoNobel
Since 1792, we've been supplying the innovative paints and coatings that help to color people's lives and protect what matters most. Our world class portfolio of brands - including Dulux, International, Sikkens and Interpon - is trusted by customers around the globe. We're active in more than 150 countries and use our expertise to sustain and enhance the fabric of everyday life. Because we believe every surface is an opportunity. It's what you'd expect from a pioneering and long-established paints company that's dedicated to providing sustainable solutions and preserving the best of what we have today - while creating an even better tomorrow. Let's paint the future together.
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Job Purpose
Ensures execution of the agreed sales in a region, selected cost from P&L and profitability related targets established by the Business within multiple areas, constituting the sales region / area by managing the subordinated field force and organizing high quality sales support infrastructure required in the execution of sales processes. This individual is accountable for the Trade and Specification channels of the business in the West Coast Region and responsible for Specialist Paint Centers, Contractors and Professional Specifiers in four provinces (Western Cape, Southern Cape, Eastern Cape and Northern Cape). Has leadership element to their role.
Key Accountabilities

• Lead a team of sales professionals who position and sell and specify the product and service portfolio to customers and professionals
• Contribute to the design and implementation of the Sales strategy for the region
• Coach and lead the team to deliver sales results and profitability on annual budget based on an identified customer account base.
• Short and long term financial results of the Sales department
• Development of the capability of the sales team.
• Trade Pipeline Management
• Product Specifications & Project monitoring

Key Activities

• Guide the sales team in understanding and assessing customer's needs, business objectives, strategies and building value propositions
• Build, develop and motivate a sales organization with the skills and knowledge to ensure individual success and manage all people related (HR and development) responsibilities and budgets
• Accurately forecast sales opportunities from a scope, timing and revenue perspective
• Establish and build senior-level relationships with key decision makers and buyers, both internally as externally
• Serve as a coach to the team to deliver business targets
• Execute a professional, detailed Business Plan for developing sales strategies and identifying resources required for implementation
• Coach team to develop account plans
• Drive commercial excellence and continuous improvement
• Ensure management information system/governance structure is in place and inform higher level on consolidated risks and opportunities.
• Identifies potential channel conflict/ market issues, alerts management, and proposes corrective actions.
• Sets clear and agreed business plans, reviews and reports on progress on a regular basis, and takes appropriate action where necessary to deliver sales targets
• Manage the resources to deliver sales growth across all accounts (including call plans, strategic account plans, commercial agreements and relationships)
• Manage the team to deliver profitable commercial agreements with customers. This includes coaching team members in the negotiation (attending for support where necessary) of the agreement and ensuring the agreements make commercial sense for both AkzoNobel and the customer.
• Captures customer insights and links them to current business strategy and provides propositions to drive future business growth.
• Maintain relationships with lead providers companies and specifying professionals.
• Account Responsibility: Manage key accounts (Trade & Industrial), increase sales and profitability.
• Develop and maintain partnerships with customers who include contractors, architects and interior designers, institutions and government departments.

Experience

• Bachelor's Degree in Sales/ Marketing, or relevant field
• A Minimum of 5 years sales experience within the FMCG/retail environment
• Management experience in addition to Financial management skills
• Ability to develop new business and to build relationships with clients
• Willingness to travel regularly within RSA
• Proficiency in MS office packages
• Proficiency in SAP

At AkzoNobel we are highly committed to ensuring an inclusive and respectful workplace where all employees can be their best self. We strive to embrace diversity in a context of tolerance. Our talent acquisition process plays an integral part in this journey, as setting the foundations for a diverse environment. For this reason we train and educate on the implications of our Unconscious Bias in order for our TA and hiring managers to be mindful of them and take corrective actions when applicable. In our organization, all qualified applicants receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age or disability.
Requisition ID: 47528