Senior Key Account Manager Molecular Diagnostics (Cape town)

Cepheid Proprietary Limited; South Africa; Remote; ZAR 900,000 - 1,500,000; Full time

Job summary

Cepheid, a Danaher company, seeks a high-performing Key Account Manager to join the Southern Africa team in Cape Town. You will drive strategic growth across regional customers and partners in diagnostics, coordinating with Marketing, Customer Care, and Global Operations to deliver premier diagnostic solutions.

You will manage tenders, develop regional account strategies, engage clinicians and procurement teams, and lead market expansion in private labs and hospitals.

Qualifications

• Undergraduate degree in Life Sciences or related field.
• 5+ years in diagnostics or healthcare industry experience.
• Strong sales and scientific acumen in lab diagnostics.
• Proven success in key account management and stakeholder engagement.
• Financial acumen with budgeting and P&L understanding.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and planning skills.
• Willingness to travel up to 50% regionally and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Achieve and exceed quarterly and annual sales targets across Southern Africa.
• Develop regional account strategies and manage tenders and partnerships.
• Serve as primary contact for direct customers and distributors.
• Engage with clinicians, KOLs, laboratory leaders, procurement groups, and policy stakeholders.
• Lead commercial expansion in private sector labs, hospitals, and healthcare facilities.
• Forecasting, funnel management, and reporting using SFDC.

Skills

Sales expertise

Scientific acumen

Key account management

Stakeholder engagement

Communication skills

Education

Undergraduate degree in Life Sciences

Tools

Salesforce (SFDC)

Job description

Join Cepheid – A Danaher Company Key Account Manager – Cape Town, South Africa Shape the Future of Diagnostics Across Southern Africa

Cepheid, a global pioneer in molecular diagnostics, is part of Danaher Corporation, a $200B+ global science and technology leader with over 75,000 associates and 20+ operating companies including Beckman Coulter, Radiometer, Cepheid, and Leica Biosystems.

At Danaher, our purpose is clear: Helping Realize Life’s Potential.

As part of our continued growth across the Middle East & Africa region, we are looking for a high-performing Key Account Manager to join our Southern Africa team, based in Cape Town. This role is ideal for someone with deep experience in diagnostics and healthcare, coupled with strong sales and stakeholder engagement capabilities.

About the Role

As a Key Account Manager, you will be responsible for the strategic growth and management of Cepheid’s key customers and commercial partners across your region.

You will drive performance by managing commercial relationships, securing tenders, maximizing product adoption, and leading account development initiatives. This is a high-visibility role with regional impact, working cross-functionally with Marketing, Customer Care, Service, and Global Operations to ensure exceptional delivery of diagnostic solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Achieve and exceed quarterly and annual sales targets across Southern Africa
• Develop and execute regional account strategies, ensuring competitive positioning in partnership agreements and national tenders
• Act as primary point of contact for direct customers and regional distributors
• Engage with clinicians, KOLs, laboratory leaders, procurement groups, and policy stakeholders to drive product acceptance and market penetration
• Lead commercial expansion in private sector channels such as commercial labs, private hospitals, and alternative healthcare facilities
• Support pre- and post-marketing activities, events, evaluations, and studies in collaboration with the Marketing team
• Maintain strong competitive intelligence to adjust sales and marketing strategies based on market feedback
• Identify and pursue growth opportunities through annual implementation plans aimed at increasing menu adoption, account penetration, and market share
• Provide accurate forecasts, funnel management, and reporting using Salesforce (SFDC)
• Evaluate and manage distributor performance; qualify new distributors following the CPTK process
• Train and support distributor teams, internal stakeholders, and customer staff where needed
• Collaborate cross-functionally using Danaher’s DBS (Danaher Business System) methodology to drive continuous improvement, growth, and operational excellence
• Ensure installed base availability and customer satisfaction KPIs are met by working closely with Customer Care and Service teams
• Demonstrate territory planning and data-driven decision-making through effective funnel analysis and internal resource orchestration
• Handle ad hoc business development projects essential for the company’s long-term success in the region

What We’re Looking For

• Undergraduate degree in Life Sciences or related medical/scientific discipline
• 5+ years of diagnostics or healthcare industry experience, ideally across diverse geographies or multicultural environments
• Strong sales and scientific acumen, particularly in lab diagnostics or molecular platforms
• Demonstrated success in key account management, strategic selling, and stakeholder engagement
• High level of financial and business acumen with proven success in managing budgets and understanding P&L dynamics
• Excellent communication, presentation, and planning skillsl
• Proactive and self-driven with the ability to work cross-functionally and independently
• Willingness to travel up to 50% regionally and internationally

Preferred Experience

• Multilingual – Fluency in English required; additional regional or global languages are a plus
• Experience in managing tenders, contracts, or public-private partnerships
• Prior exposure to distributor/channel management models
• Background in leading or contributing to healthcare transformation projects is an advantage

Why Cepheid? Why Danaher?

Joining Cepheid means joining a company that is redefining the way diagnostics are delivered. Our solutions enable rapid, accurate decisions that save lives – and you’ll be at the center of that mission.

• Access to global talent development and career mobility across 20+ world-class brands
• A culture of innovation, diversity, and continuous improvement through the Danaher Business System
• Mentorship, leadership training, and skill-building programs
• The chance to contribute to meaningful work with real-world impact on patient outcomes

Together, we’ll accelerate the real-life impact of tomorrow’s science and technology.

We partner with customers across the globe to help them solve their most complex challenges, architecting solutions that bring the power of science to life.

For more information, visit www.danaher.com.

Danaher is a leading global life sciences, biotechnology, and diagnostics innovator, helping to solve many of the world’s most important health challenges, ultimately improving quality of life for billions of people today, while setting the foundation for a healthier, more sustainable tomorrow.

The Danaher ecosystem is made up of more than 15 businesses united by a shared commitment to innovate for tangible impact.

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