Lead, Partner Experience at Afrimash

We seek to engage the services of a reliable Lead in Partner Experience to manage the Vendor and Internal team support on a full-time basis. The Category Manager at Afrimash is instrumental in providing market linkage support across internal and external members of the Afrimash order cycle. This involves providing professional support to the Customer Experience team, providing support for the vendors, and processing orders made via their online stores.

Additionally, you will be involved in hiring and training additional support team members and interns in the Partner Experience Department. The candidate is expected to drive new strategies to improve the quality and quantity of products, vendors and improve vendor satisfaction and business relationships across all stakeholders.

What We Offer:

• Stimulating and comfortable working environment.
• Meaningful work experience from Day 1 to improve your skills.
• Exposure to ICT features for e-commerce vendor management.

Key Tasks

• A good knowledge of Agriculture, especially Crop/Animal Science which is necessary for providing tailored advice, support, and decisions for the company
• Explore deeper understanding of the Vendor and Order Life Cycles, identify and fill product gaps and generate new ideas that grow market share, improve Partner experience.
• Review and publish submitted products, provide timely responses to product-related inquiries and comply with documentation directives.
• Knowledgeable in resolving customer complaints and proffering recommendations in a mutually satisfactory manner.
• Maintenance of business relationships with vendors, to achieve better pricing and quality of services.
• Understand company policies and procedures associated with selling on Afrimash marketplace with the commission charged included in the contracts.
• Liaise between Afrimash vendors and cross-functional internal teams to ensure the timely successful on-boarding process flow for the newly acquired vendor within a stipulated time frame
• Play the role of an advocate of the vendor to the internal management of Afrimash
• Evaluate and monitor vendor activities to ensure that vendors registered on the platform upload minimal no of SKU and products on store manager as well as comply with the vendor manual
• Arrange meetings with staff and vendors to discuss issues affecting the supply chain and possible measures.
• Provide analysis on and execute the strategy for growing product assortment across catchment areas
• Ensure pricing competitiveness, assortment, and the stock availability of key vendors in the category.
• Building partnerships with key brands/industry influencers to grow the category.
• Ensure problem resolutions are achieved without compromising the relationship with vendors and company customers
• Review and set retail prices on all products
• Develop exit strategies for unsuccessful products
• Determine the positioning of a product category to maximize visibility
• Liaise with marketing teams to determine competitive pricing and promotional activities of a product category
• Make forecasts for product demand to ensure the sustainability of inventory

Competencies

• Good negotiation skill
• Proficiency in the use of Microsoft office packages and other essential applications such as Slack and Internet explorer
• Proven experience as a category manager or similar role
• Solid knowledge of products and category management, marketing and sales principles
• Understanding of data analysis and forecasting methods
• Excellent communication and people skills
• Good Product knowledge skill
• Ability to use good judgment in making timely business decisions while having the interest of the company at heart,
• Ability to supervise and lead a staff of interns,
• Ability to use creative thinking to promote customer/vendor satisfaction and company growth
• Author contract documents including statements of engagement, compliance and penalties

Skills/Abilities

• Minimum of 2-3years’ experience in either or of the following: Product Merchandiser, Vendor prospecting/management, Sales management.
• Candidate should have a Degree in related courses which include; Business Administration/Management, Sales, Marketing, Economics, Mechanical Engineering.
• Preferably a multilingual candidate, who is street smart and also book smart.
• Good knowledge of the Major markets in Southwest Nigeria (Yaba-Lagos, Sagamu-Ogun, Ogunpa-Oyo, Trade Fair-Lagos etc)
• A good relationship with top distributors in Major markets across different product categories would be an added advantage.
• Post NYSC candidate
• Experience with an E-commerce firm is an added advantage as well as familiarity with Slack, WordPress, and related e-commerce applications.