Key Accounts Manager at Lafarge Cement

About the Job

The Key Accounts Manager is responsible effectively managing business dealings with contractors and customers by building amazing relationships, prescriptive selling of tailored solutions to project needs and influencing specifications to ensure the company is the supplier of choice where possible. The KAM is also responsible for converting business leads into sales, generating revenue and driving profitability for the business.

What you'll be doing

Business Development

• Searches and collects information on new and upcoming projects, especially within region/channel of coverage. Monitors such development and establishes contact with appointed contractors with the objective of influencing the project cement specifications.
• Gathers and shares up-to-date market information & trends relevant to the company (market trends, market players, new products and innovations, feedback on products/solutions) etc., with the purpose of supporting the development of impactful commercial and product development strategies (new products, market penetration, market development, etc).
• Involves in the bidding and pre-selling phases of projects to offer professional advice to contractors, recommend VAPs where necessary with the aim to prescriptively sell our products and lock up projects.
• Constantly estimates the size of the contractors segment with a view to increasing the business SOW and build market growth forecast into the total business volume model/plan

Contractors & Institutional Customers Management

• Maintains up to date information on customers’ portfolio; profile, products in use, new/on-going projects and priorities. Execute delivery plans in line with customers’ schedule, and advises on ETA for critical projects. Ensures a minimum of 70% of customers in database are active.
• Positions self to be an integral part of customers' business by developing a detailed understanding of customers’ business – needs, structure, operations, organization, pain points, gains and competition.
• Improves customers’ operation by effective planning and communication of deliveries, introduction ofnnew/alternative products/solutions and best practices.
• Addresses cement and cement application problems that may arise and is associated with the business product usage.
• Enables price and margin optimization especially on VAPs by creating additional value through demonstrating vast knowledge of the distinctive features and benefits of the business products in application
• Establishes relevance with all levels and stakeholders along the customers’ structure, from the top most management down.
• Categorizes customers’ according to size, value and potential and establishes callage plan – type of visit, frequency of visit, etc
• Carries out periodic shortage reconciliation on bulk transactions with the objective of refunding customer with products for under-deliveries
• Builds loyalty to the LH brand and manages customer relationships through all phases of the selling cycle, including customer complaints or inquiries related to products, services, or solutions.

Sales Strategy Planning & Execution

• Estimates and prepares forecasts of demand on a monthly, quarterly and yearly basis across products, SKUs and plants.
• Develops and maintains a sales plan for the Tier I customers; executes the sales strategy & customer action plans focusing on customers/opportunities bringing the most sustainable returns to the company - In compliance with all sales policies in place.
• Analyses the required Logistics/bulk assets to meet the monthly, quarterly and yearly demand forecast in collaboration with the Logistics team in such a way that the bulks are sufficient enough during the high tides to max out on all opportunities available in the market and suffer only a minimal idle time during the low tides
• Matches project location with the most accessible business products with a view to manage product application performance and possible solutions or alternatives where necessary

Volume, Profitability & Credit Management 

• Consistently strives to meet the customers’/project’s cement need in the most profitable way by seeking to deliver from the plant with the most overall benefit, recommending the SKU with the most margin and ensuring functional, calibrated weighbridges on site for bulk related deals.
• Explores premium/differentiated pricing on specific projects by capitalizing on available technical services and special project needs that our products meet
• Achieves monthly, quarterly and annual allocated sales targets - volumes, prices/commercial margin

Accounts Receivables:

• Provides customers with accurate information on pricing, payment terms related to the customer contract, investigates and resolves any irregularities or enquiries.
• Provides all necessary information to sales administration to ensure timely and accurate invoicing of customers.
• Provides customers with a monthly SOA and reconciles any differences
• Effectively manages credit lines and maintains DSO < 45 days by ensuring customers get invoices on a bi-monthly basis along with a schedule and credit payments are matched off with specific invoices paid for so as to be in alignment with customers records on outstanding/unpaid invoices for ease of reconciliation.
• Coordinates timely collection of payments and drives recoupment of failed/overdue payments.

OH&S

• Is accountable for ensuring the health and safety of self, colleagues and customers by complying with the company policies, procedures, guidelines, rules and regulations of Occupational Health & Safety

Tools: CRM/SFDC Usage/Sales Planning

• Creates contacts and prospects and keeps the database up to date
• Plans and reports customer visits in the tool in a timely manner and with quality information
• Registers and follows-up opportunities & customer action plans
• Follows-up on customer complaints and finds solutions by involving all relevant team members

Customer Engagement

• Involves in quotation and bidding activities where necessary
• Introduces array of products to customers and request for leads/referrals to pitch
• Organizes avenues for top managements of the business to meet and bond with top management of customers
• Creates brand affinity by participating in memorable events in the International communities within the construction space – The Chinese festivities, The Indians, etc
• Maintains a professional and business-like appearance at all times

Who you'll be working with

• Technical Sales Engineers on key account sales and quality related issues.
• Customer Services Manager for prompt and satisfactory services
• Logistics Managers for product distribution
• Sales Admin Manager for sales processes.
• Industrial team and planning team

Who we are looking for

Education

• BSC/HND preferably in Civil Engineering
• Additional qualification will be an added advantage

Work Experience

• Minimum 8 years of working experience, with at least 2 years in a technical role and 6 years in in Sales supervisory position

Functional Competencies

• Market knowledge
• LH Products & Services knowledge
• Customer needs identification/investigation
• Selling skills (incl. negotiation)
• Price & Margin Management
• Financial Acumen & Analytical skills
• Product Application Knowledge
• Project Planning & Work Flow Process

Professional Soft Competencies

• Communication skills
• Presentation skills
• Time management skills
• Stakeholder management skills
• Team Performance management skills
• Coaching skills

Behavioral/Leadership Competencies 

• Drive
• Ownership
• Resilience
• Integrity & Trust
• Accountability
• Assertiveness

Other

• Driving license
• Microsoft Office (PowerPoint, Excel, Word)
• CRM/SFDC

Mobility

• Nationally