South Africa: COMMERCIAL SALES MANAGER – VEGETABLES/ HERBS / FRUITS / SALADS posted by Farm Manager SA

• Agricultural Diploma/ Degree
• Min of 4 years related field working experience
• Knowledge and experiences in intensive vegetable & herb farming essential, especially with the below mentioned:

1. VEGETABLES: – Sweetstem Brocolli, French beans, Baby corn, Salald Onions, Butternut, Capiscum, Courgettes, tomatoes, carrots
2. HERBS: – coriander, thyme, mind, dill, parsley, lemon grass, chives, rosemary, oregano, basil, sage
3. CHILIES: Red bird eye, finger and serenade
4. LEAFY VEGETABLES: – spinach, wild rocket, pakchoi, green mizuna, red mizuna, swiss chard
5. FRUITS: Strawberries, paw paws, pomegranate, sweet melon, avocado
6. SALADS: – iceberg, romain raphael cos, blond butter head etc

• Computer literate
• Excellent organizational and leadership skills with the ability to manage and motivate a team.
• Previous international sales experience essential
• Strong communication skills to collaborate with internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Problem-solving skills and the ability to make sound decisions in a fast-paced environment.
• Valid driver’s license
• Valid passport

 
 
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
 
Sales and Marketing

• Oversee all event management
• Drive marketing opportunities in new markets

 
Account Management

• Operate as the lead point of contact for all matters specific to your portfolio of customers
• Build and maintain strong, long-lasting existing customer relationships
• Negotiate contracts and close agreements to maximize profit
• Ensure the timely and successful delivery of product according to customer needs and objectives
• Communicate clearly the progress of monthly/quarterly initiatives to internal and external stakeholders
• Develop new business with existing clients and/or identify areas of improvement to exceed sales quotas
• Using an existing network of industry contacts to generate new business
• Ensure debtors are well maintained and any discrepancies are dealt with
• Making periodic visits to the farms to explore specific needs and anticipating new opportunities
• Co-ordinate customer visits to Kenya and also overseas visits
• Sign off all customer invoices (covered by Sales Director when absent)

 
People Management

• To manage the Head Office Sales Team in terms of the day-to-day objectives around sales targets.
• To overview the Sales Teams’ responses with clients to ensure that on a day-to-day basis, key product is being pushed to be sold out.

 
 
Customer Relationships

• Build strong customer relationships through appropriate management of client orders to service levels
• Coordinate, run and present during client visits at farm sites, including preparation of growth agendas / NPD to classification of key concepts for retail growth.

 
Claims Management

• To manage the critical process of reviewing and signing off claims within a 24-hour period to assess if the claims are acceptable and if not, to manage rejections and disputes.
• Monitor claims trending and manage claims issues at senior levels with the Packhouses

 
New Product Development (NDP)

• Manager the NPD process in line with client requests, by pulling together with relevant parties to ensure that queries are answered within a reasonable timeframe and that an appropriate and considered response is provided to the client
• Drive the NPD agenda as part of the overall sales remit.

 
Payments

• No sale is complete until a payment is made and as such, the Commercial Manager is responsible for following up payments to ensure that payment is made in good time and that credit limits are met.

 
ONLY short-listed candidates will be contacted