Account Manager (Taste) at IFF

• We are looking for a talented Account Manager to be based in Lagos, Nigeria! Be part of a motivated, passionate, and open-minded team where together we can achieve greatness and make a real impact. Your potential is our inspiration.
• IFF is a global leader in flavors, fragrances, food ingredients and health & biosciences, we deliver sustainable innovations that elevate everyday products.
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• Taste: Crafting unique, technology-enabled flavor designs that define the identity of food and beverage brands, shape trends in flavor building and fuel market success.​
• As an Account Manager, you will be responsible for driving sustainable business growth, strengthening strategic customer partnerships, and delivering profitable solutions across West Africa.
• Working closely with customers and cross-functional teams, you will help translate market opportunities into commercial success while positioning IFF as a trusted innovation partner.

Where You'll Make a Difference

• Deliver annual sales, profitability, and volume targets across assigned accounts and territories.
• Develop and execute strategic account plans aligned to regional business objectives.
• Identify and secure new business opportunities while expanding existing customer partnerships.
• Build and maintain a healthy opportunity pipeline using Salesforce (SFDC).
• Lead commercial negotiations and support pricing and margin optimization initiatives.
• Develop trusted relationships with key stakeholders across customer organizations.
• Create customer growth roadmaps and joint business plans to drive long-term success.
• Lead innovation projects from concept through commercialization.
• Translate market trends and consumer insights into actionable customer opportunities.
• Partner with Technical, R&D, Product Development, Operations, Regulatory, and Customer Experience teams to deliver winning solutions.
• Drive customer satisfaction, retention, and proactive issue resolution.
• Support forecasting, demand planning, and business review activities.
• Manage customer profitability, receivables, budgeting, and forecasting activities.
• Ensure accurate reporting, pipeline management, and account planning through Salesforce.

What Makes You the Right Fit?

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Food Science, Chemistry, Biotechnology, or a related field.
• Minimum 5-8 years of B2B sales and account management experience.
• Experience within Food Ingredients, Flavors, Fragrances, Nutrition, FMCG Ingredients, Specialty Chemicals, or related industries.
• Proven success managing strategic accounts and complex sales cycles.
• Demonstrated track record of delivering revenue growth and profitability targets.
• Experience working across multiple West African markets.
• Strong commercial and negotiation skills with a customer-focused mindset.
• Excellent stakeholder management and relationship-building capabilities.
• Strong financial acumen, forecasting, and business planning skills.
• Ability to work effectively in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
• Excellent communication, presentation, and influencing skills.
• Comfortable with frequent travel across the region (40-60%).

How Would You Stand Out?:

• Experience selling complex technical or ingredient-based solutions to FMCG manufacturers.
• Knowledge of categories such as Beverage, Dairy, Bakery, Culinary, Snacks, Confectionery, and Health & Wellness.
• Strong understanding of innovation commercialization and new product development processes.
• Experience facilitating customer workshops, innovation days, and executive-level business reviews.
• Advanced Salesforce (SFDC) and pipeline management experience.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to translate market insights into commercial opportunities.
• An entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for identifying growth opportunities.
• Proven ability to build relationships with senior decision-makers and executive stakeholders.
• Experience working in multinational or highly matrixed organizations.
• Resilience, adaptability, and a strong results-oriented approach.

Why Choose Us?

• Fantastic opportunity to become part of our fast-moving, creative and innovative team!
• Professional onboarding process.
• Ability to work with multiple disciplines in a dynamic, global environment.
• Training and development opportunities.
• Exposure to diverse customers and markets across West Africa.
• Opportunity to collaborate with global experts in innovation, science, and commercial excellence.
• Chance to make a meaningful impact by driving business growth and customer success across a strategically important region.