Key Accounts Manager

Staff Solutions; Wes-Kaap; On-site; ZAR 240,000 - 300,000; Full time

Job summary

Staff Solutions is seeking an experienced account-management oriented professional in the Western Cape to manage customer relationships, identify growth opportunities and coordinate forecasting, pricing and on-boarding processes. The role emphasizes strong communication with customers and internal teams to ensure service quality.

Key duties include maintaining customer forecasts, negotiating rates within approved parameters and ensuring accurate rate loading and credit processes.

Qualifications

• Strong communication and relationship-management skills.
• Commercial awareness with ability to identify business development opportunities.
• Excellent customer-service and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers and key operational contacts.
• Develop understanding of each customer's business, seasonal cycles, commodities, routes and logistics requirements.
• Conduct regular customer visits, calls and account reviews.
• Maintain communication during normal operations and disruptions.
• Ensure queries and complaints are followed through to resolution.
• Identify customers at risk and address concerns.
• Identify opportunities for ongoing business and year-round fleet utilisation.
• Obtain customer forecasts and expected volumes.
• Prepare quotations and rate proposals and maintain rate sheets.
• Coordinate changes with Planning and Operations and manage capacity.
• Monitor transport movements and communicate progress to customers.
• Escalate potential service failures and implement recovery plans.

Skills

Communication

Relationship management

Sales support

Problem solving

Attention to detail

MS Office

Time management

Education

Grade 12 / Matric

Tertiary qualification in Sales/Logistics/Transport/Operations

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Customer Relationship Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with customers and key operational contacts.
• Develop an understanding of each customer's business, seasonal cycles, commodities, routes and logistics requirements.
• Conduct regular customer visits, calls and account reviews.
• Maintain consistent communication during normal operations and periods of disruption.
• Ensure customer queries and complaints are followed through to successful resolution.
• Identify customers at risk of reducing volumes and proactively address concerns.
• Maintain relationships beyond peak season and identify opportunities for ongoing business.

2. Business Development & Account Growth

• Identify new customer opportunities and growth opportunities within existing accounts.
• Understand potential routes, volumes and customer service requirements.
• Increase the company's share of wallet within existing customer accounts.
• Identify opportunities outside traditional peak seasons to support year-round fleet utilisation.
• Track quotations and opportunities through to successful conversion.
• Develop and maintain strong commercial relationships with customers.

3. Forecasting & Commercial Planning

• Obtain customer forecasts and expected seasonal volumes.
• Understand anticipated routes, peak periods and capacity requirements.
• Communicate forecasted requirements to Planning and Operations well in advance.
• Prepare, issue and follow up on quotations and rate proposals.
• Maintain accurate, customer-specific rate sheets.
• Understand base rates, fuel adjustments and applicable surcharges.
• Negotiate rates within approved commercial parameters and elevate larger commercial decisions when required.

4. Customer Onboarding & Credit

• Issue and follow up on customer credit applications.
• Obtain all required company and supporting documentation.
• Follow up internally to ensure credit applications are processed and approved.
• Confirm approved credit limits and payment terms with customers.
• Ensure customer master data is accurately captured.
• Ensure agreed rates and surcharges are correctly loaded.
• Obtain operational contacts and escalation details.
• Confirm customer invoicing requirements.
• Ensure Transport Agreements and Terms & Conditions are completed where required.

5. Operational & Capacity Coordination

• Ensure Planning and Operations have a clear understanding of customer requirements.
• Coordinate customer changes and requirements with Planning.
• Maintain an understanding of available fleet capacity.
• Identify potential capacity shortages based on customer forecasts.
• Assist in identifying additional transport service providers where required.
• Escalate potential capacity constraints before they result in service failures.

6. Service Execution & Problem Resolution

• Monitor important, sensitive and high-risk transport movements.
• Maintain proactive communication with customers regarding operational progress and exceptions.
• Identify potential service failures at an early stage and elevate appropriately.
• Coordinate recovery plans where service execution is at risk.
• Ensure operational issues and customer complaints are followed through to final resolution.
• Maintain a high level of customer service throughout the transport process.

REQUIREMENTS

• Grade 12 / Matric.
• Tertiary qualification in Sales, Logistics, Transport, Operations or a related field.
• Previous experience in customer service, sales support, logistics, transport or a similar service-based environment.
• Strong communication and relationship-management skills.
• Excellent customer-service and interpersonal skills.
• Commercial awareness with the ability to identify business development opportunities.
• Strong organisational, follow-up and problem-solving abilities.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Computer literate, including Microsoft Office and relevant operational systems.
• Valid driver's licence.
• Willingness and ability to travel within the Western Cape.

KEY COMPETENCIES

• Customer-focused
• Relationship building
• Business development
• Commercial awareness
• Problem-solving
• Negotiation skills
• Planning and organisation
• Strong follow-through
• Communication skills
• Attention to detail
• Ability to work under pressure
• Team collaboration