Key Account Manager - National Retail Chains

Placements24; LegKraal Gate; Hybrid; ZAR 600,000 - 1,000,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Remote work

Travel opportunities

Health insurance

Retirement benefits

Career advancement

Professional development

Travel allowances

Job summary

Placements24 is seeking a skilled Key Account Manager to manage relationships with major national retail chains in a fully remote role with periodic travel to meet clients.

You will drive sales, shape commercial strategies, and deliver growth targets while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction across key accounts. The position requires strategic thinking, strong negotiation and relationship-building abilities in the South African FMCG market.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Admin, Marketing, Sales, or related field.
• 5–7 years in Key Account Management or National Sales in FMCG retail.
• Proven success with large, complex accounts and growth targets.
• Excellent negotiation, presentation, and communication skills.
• Strong analytical and strategic planning abilities.
• Ability to work independently and travel as required.
• Deep understanding of South African retail FMCG landscape.
• Legally eligible to work remotely in South Africa.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic account plans to achieve sales targets for national retail accounts.
• Build and maintain relationships with senior decision-makers in national retail chains.
• Present product introductions, promotions, and category insights to key accounts.
• Negotiate pricing, terms, and promotional support to maximise sales and profitability.
• Monitor account performance, sales trends, and market dynamics; provide reports.
• Collaborate with sales, marketing, operations, and finance to ensure execution.
• Identify opportunities for business expansion and new product placements.
• Resolve customer issues promptly to ensure retention.

Skills

Negotiation

Presentation

Communication

Analytical skills

Strategic planning

Stakeholder management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business Administration / Marketing / Sales

Tools

CRM software

Sales reporting tools

Job description

About the Role

Our client, a highly successful and rapidly expanding FMCG company, is seeking an exceptional Key Account Manager to manage and grow relationships with major national retail chains. This is a fully remote position, allowing for flexibility and autonomy, although travel to meet with key clients will be a requirement. You will be the primary point of contact for these critical accounts, responsible for driving sales, achieving growth targets, and ensuring customer satisfaction. The ideal candidate will possess a deep understanding of the FMCG retail landscape, excellent negotiation skills, and a proven track record of managing large and complex accounts. You will play a vital role in shaping the commercial strategy for our client's brands within these influential retail partnerships. We are looking for a strategic, results-oriented professional with outstanding communication and interpersonal skills, who can build strong, lasting relationships. This is a significant opportunity to impact the success of our client's business by fostering key partnerships and driving market penetration. The ability to understand client needs and translate them into mutually beneficial business outcomes is paramount.

Key Responsibilities

• Develop and execute strategic account plans to achieve and exceed sales targets for assigned national retail accounts.
• Build and maintain strong, long-term relationships with key decision-makers within national retail chains.
• Understand client business objectives, challenges, and opportunities, and tailor solutions to meet their needs.
• Present new product introductions, promotional plans, and category insights to key accounts.
• Negotiate pricing, terms, and promotional support to maximize sales and profitability for the client's brands.
• Monitor account performance, sales trends, and market dynamics, providing regular reports and forecasting.
• Collaborate with internal teams (sales, marketing, operations, finance) to ensure seamless execution of account strategies and customer satisfaction.
• Identify opportunities for business expansion and new product placements within key accounts.
• Resolve any customer issues or concerns promptly and effectively, ensuring client retention and loyalty.
• Stay abreast of retail industry trends, competitor activities, and best practices in key account management within the FMCG sector.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Sales, or a related field.
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in Key Account Management or National Sales, with a significant focus on the FMCG industry and national retailers.
• Demonstrated success in managing large, complex accounts and achieving ambitious sales growth targets.
• Excellent negotiation, presentation, and communication skills.
• Strong analytical and strategic planning abilities.
• Proven ability to build and maintain strong relationships with senior stakeholders.
• Proficiency in CRM software and sales reporting tools.
• Ability to work independently, manage time effectively, and travel as required.
• Deep understanding of the South African retail landscape and FMCG market dynamics.
• Must be legally eligible to work remotely in South Africa.

Benefits

• Highly competitive salary and a generous commission structure.
• Remote work flexibility with travel opportunities.
• Comprehensive health insurance and retirement benefits.
• Significant opportunities for career advancement within a growing company.
• Professional development and training programs.
• Travel allowances and expense management support.