Sales Export Executive at Saint-Gobain

Job Purpose:

• To achieve maximum sales profitability, growth and account penetration within an assigned territory and/or market segment by effectively being responsible for the customer satisfaction and market share within the assigned territory.

Qualifications required to fulfil the role:

• Matric
• Degree in geological or civil engineering
• Relevant industry experience in construction/building disciplines is preferred.

Specific Work Experience, Knowledge and Skills required to fulfil the role

• At least 3-5 years’ experience in a sales role, achieving sales targets
• At least 3-5 years’ experience working in Africa including West Africa
• Previous experience in the construction industry
• Experience in Key Accounts, Distribution and Project sales
• Language proficiency in English, French is mandatory
• Willing to travel daily (locally and internationally)
• Commercial awareness – ability to identify opportunities and action
• Operating in business to business environment
• Broader understanding of economic drivers preferred
• Success at selling new concepts and products
• Ownership of and engagement with continuous self development
• Proven technical competence – understanding of technical concepts and ability to translate for commercial benefit
• Thorough knowledge of business process (forecasting, sales reports, presentation skills, supply chain)
• Experience in market research (market trends, competition) for the annual budget process
• Previous experience in working in accordance with Sales Policies, procedure and internal control measures.
• Proven track record of achieving sales targets
• Assertive, well spoken with good verbal and written communication skills.
• Good planning and organisational skills
• Strong negotiation and persuasion skills.
• Resilient, able to work under pressure, dealing effectively with high stress situations.
• Analytical thinking and problem-solving logic.
• Computer literacy (SAP, CRM, Ms-Office)

Key Accountabilities:

• Responsible for identifying business growth/ promotion platforms around the markets and liaising with the respective internal stakeholders to enhance opportunities for tapping on such opportunities
• Prospect of new customers (both professionals and private)
• Engage in Project Sales as well as Distribution and Retail
• Travel vastly in West Africa
• Negotiate and conclude offers,
• Conduct market analysis (products and competitor)
• Assess opportunities and drive new product introduction offering to meet customer requirements and achieve revenue targets
• Develop markets for new and existing products to attain revenue targets
• Analyse growth drivers in the respective markets and align the business to enter those opportunities around such areas as projects versus RTM to achieve revenue targets.
• Engage key stakeholders within the regions around new business development so as to position the business towards tapping on the stake holders for business development
• To analyse current business and RTM to highlight gaps and recommend avenues for improvement to maintain/ grow current business - customers, product categories
• To manage key accounts relationships to enhance the retention thereof
• To work with internal stakeholders to align towards servicing the key accounts to enhance customer service and customer retention
• To explore business development opportunities with key accounts and execute for attainment of revenue targets
• Accountable to own area customer relationships and said revenue:
• To maximise market advantage, through a strong focus on distributors, end user requirements, customer’s sales teams and customer relationship management, to maximise market advantage
• Own trade spend within the sale territory
• Responsibility for achievement of debt management within area of responsibility
• To work across the supply chain, internal and external, engaging customers to promote and demonstrate system value.
• Building sustainable relationships to maximise market advantage, through a strong focus on merchants, end user requirements, customer’s sales teams and customer relationship management, to maximise market advantage.
• Ability to articulate how our offer stands out, offer technical expertise and advice on the advantages of our comprehensive product range, communicating the value proposition to the customer.
• Responsible for training of customer base (with focus on customer sales force) on existing products, new products and value add propositions (for example: product handling and stock rotation)
• Merchandising as and when required to ensure complete product offering understandable to end user.
• Achievement of local demand forecast
• Successful management of call reports.
• Working with other team members to develop technical skills.
• Adherence to strict ethical codes of conduct and maintenance of confidentiality at all times
• Proactively identifying new opportunities for enhanced product offerings, uncovering and understanding these through application of trained techniques, supply chain knowledge, commercial awareness and in depth knowledge of customers’ businesses.
• Achievement of sales target.
• Adherence to Company reporting procedure/commercial admin systems, offering appropriate feedback and information.