Sales Manager - Companion Animals

Virbac; Centurion; On-site; ZAR 1,200,000 - 1,600,000; Full time

Job summary

Virbac seeks a high-impact commercial leader to drive gross sales across a nominated territory, cultivating strong distributor, KA, and KOL relationships while upholding Virbac's culture.

You will lead strategic sales planning, manage budgets, coach a field team, and collaborate with marketing to rollout new products, ensuring sustainable growth and profitability.

Fluent English is required; Afrikaans is advantageous. A Bachelor’s degree or 8+ years in companion animal health is preferred.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Science or Commerce or equivalent
• 8+ years of progressive sales/marketing experience (ideally in companion animal health)
• Proven leadership in directing field forces and achieving targets
• Proficiency with CRM tools and MS Office / Google Workspace
• Fluent in written and spoken English; Afrikaans is advantageous

Responsibilities

• Lead strategic sales planning and territory development for a nominated area.
• Deliver on sales, gross margins, and budget targets while managing expenses.
• Coach and retain a high-performing commercial team and drive performance reviews.
• Build and maintain partnerships with Key Accounts and KOLs; represent Virbac at industry events.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Sales planning

Market analysis

Team coaching

CRM proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Science or Commerce

8+ years sales/marketing experience in companion animal health

Tools

CRM tools

MS Office / Google Workspace

Job description

Experiencing together a unique human adventure

Animal health is key to the health of the planet. Working at Virbac means taking part in a unique human adventure in which the engagement of each individual contributes to its evolution. Encouraging internal mobility between positions and countries, offering individual development plans and building a partnership based on trust between managers and employees are as many perspectives of motivation for our teams. We also offer them a work environment conducive to exploring new territories and balancing their professional and personal lives. Finally, fostering their engagement to animal health also means listening to them and helping them to acquire new skills, preparing them for the challenges of tomorrow and encouraging them to contribute to an ever more responsible approach to our business.

Within the framework of the Virbac Commercial Department, the position is responsible for the achievement of gross sales budget through the dynamic management of a nominated sales area in line with the Virbac culture, whilst fostering a professional and positive relationship with distribution partners, key accounts, and industry key influencers. Responsible for the management of expense (travel, maintenance and mobile phone) budgets in the designated area.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership & Sales Planning

• Articulate a compelling sales vision, mission, and strategy aligned with the Companion Animal Business Unit’s 3-year goals.
• Perform comprehensive market and competitive analyses to identify growth avenues and mitigate business risks.
• Lead territory planning, prioritize core brands, and execute value-added service initiatives to enhance Virbac’s market presence.

Operational Performance & Financial Management

• Deliver on operational financial targets, including sales volume, gross margins, expenditure controls, and business EBIT.
• Direct new product rollouts, commercial pricing structures, rebate frameworks, and evaluate ROI on promotional activities.
• Track field force productivity, review campaign execution, and swiftly implement corrective measures as needed.

People Management & Team Development

• Guide, mentor, and retain a high-performing commercial team.
• Drive Virbac’s performance management process (PERF), individual development plans (IDPs), ongoing training, and product evaluations.
• Foster close alignment and seamless collaboration between sales and marketing functions.

Key Account & Stakeholder Engagement

• Build and nurture strategic partnerships with Key Accounts (KAs) and Key Opinion Leaders (KOLs) across the veterinary and animal health sectors.
• Serve as a representative for Virbac at key industry events, trade shows, and congresses.
• Align customer strategies to highlight and differentiate Virbac’s offerings in the marketplace.

Qualifications & Experience

• Education & Experience: Bachelor’s Degree or Diploma in Science or Commerce; OR at least 8 years of progressive sales and marketing experience (ideally within companion animal health).
• Leadership Background: Demonstrated success in leading field forces, coaching sales teams, and executing strategic initiatives.
• Industry Expertise: In-depth understanding of the companion animal health market, veterinary practices, and industry dynamics.
• Technical Proficiency: Proficiency in Microsoft Office / Google Workspace and CRM tools.
• Language Skills: Fluent in written and spoken English; proficiency in Afrikaans is advantageous.

Core Competencies

• Strong commercial and business acumen, with expertise in strategic planning, organization, and sales forecasting.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal relationship-building skills.
• Proven capability to inspire teams and consistently achieve results in a target-driven environment

Virbac provides numerous career opportunities, thanks to the diversity of its jobs and their international dimension.

Joining Virbac means joining dynamic teams ambitious for success.