National Accounts Manager - Elizabeth Arden SA

This role is an Onsite Role: This role requires full-time presence at our Isando office.

Overview:

To achieve both gross and net monthly wholesale sales by customer in line with our company’s budget and strategy. Manage the Customer P&L end to end and to build solid relationships with all customers to achieve joint business plans in Cosmetics.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and implement a comprehensive business plan for each customer working closely with marketing and field sales team to achieve company budget and strategy in line with organisational vision & mission
• Present, manage and coordinate accurate monthly sales forecast per customer to achieve both gross and net wholesale sales, and ensure broader business are up to date with latest estimated view by account
• Build SOP’s for different aspects of KEY ACCOUNT’s in order to ensure continuity and consistency across accounts within the business.
• Ensure Optimal stock Cover with each customer focusing on the Key Principles of: Right Place, Right Time and Right In addition, ensuring healthy balance on months cover based on sell-in and sell-out models.
• Build strong business partnerships with key stakeholders i.e. Buyers, planners and regional Mgrs. on each key account.
• Build a joint business plan with each key account agreeing growth objectives, forecasted sell in and sell thru targets, promotional and advertising allowance parameters, backed with insight and full understanding.
• Full customer P&L accountability holistically, managing expense lines through co-op, tallies and markdowns, manage Gross to Net through monthly Spend grid tracker
• Negotiate in store space and positioning by brand at end to optimise visibility in stores.
• Negotiate CO-OP advertising and in store promotions plan in line with company’s overall brand and customer strategic focus.
• Negotiate tailored pricing and display activities/costs within agreed guidelines to ensure brands remain competitive on an ongoing basis.
• Develop unique ways and plans to grow the business of each account with customer exploiting all available oppurtunities.
• Provide solutions and options to management in face of challenges, problems and budget shortfalls on each account.
• Develop and initiate new promotional sell in and sell thru programmes with the marketing and field sales teams and deploy their insight from ground level to influence decision making.
• Drive timeous and exemplary in store execution in conjunction with marketing and field sales.
• Plan and conduct quarterly review and (pre) strategy meetings with KEY ACOUNT to showcase promotional programs and launches.
• Plan and conduct quarterly business performance review and outlook meetings with key stakeholders by account, keeping them updated against brand strategy and keeping our brands top of mind.
• Work with trade marketing on different customer’s needs and oversee merchandising requirements focusing on both new installations, revamps etc.
• Ensure that all new launches and promotions are timeously listed in KEY ACCOUNT.
• Negotiation Of Annual Trading Terms the update thereof and ensuring it serves the brand’s business in
  each account whilst optimising the account’s P&L.

Joint Business Planning:

• Define growth opportunities within each category relative to KEY ACCOUNT business and gain buy-in to enable.
• Evaluate potential setbacks to the plan and develop contingencies to overcome or foresee them.
• Align all customer plans with company’s brand and customer strategic focus as per various functional objectives.
• Secure approval for these plans and forecasts from the customers,and ensure processes and plans are in place to flawlessly execute the plans.
• Negotiate and agree individual promotional forecasts with each retailer. Monitor performance against these forecasts and deploy tactics to combat deficits.
• Once jointly agreed goals (budgets) are locked in, track weekly sell in, sell thru and stock performance and proactively communicate deviations.
• Analyse monthly sell-in, sell thru, stock and productivity (stock turn) performance by brand, product category, region and store to preserve a healthy balance for sustained future business.
• Analyse credits/returns/markdowns/tallies, co-op advertising and promotional spend against budget and relative to the performance of each key account.
• Prepare pre and post promotion analysis (Top promotions only) and share with various functional teams for future decision making.

Creative Business Development:

• Develop relevant, unique and creative strategic growth plans in conjunction with the customer, marketing and field sales team for each key account, ensuring that all available opportunities are
• Recommend and implement adjustments /corrective actions/solutions to address problems and budget shortfalls on each account.

Management of Retail Reality: 

• In each key account, keep abreast of developments in the store environment through working in collaboration with sales field teams, consider competitive activities in store and fully understand systems and procedures each key account follows.
• Monthly trade visits with sales field representatives, trade marketing and marketing paying attention to identify opportunities within the store environment, quality in execution and observe and note competitor activity.
• Regular communication with merchandising and trade marketing, sell in and sell thru teams to effectively manage the opening, revamping and closing of doors.
• Maintain category management disciplines in conjunction with category manager.
• Analysis and management of stock levels in store in conjunction with the key account.
• Engage regularly with customer logistics and the sales planner to ensure planned orders are shipped on time and in line with monthly forecast of the account. Work with logistics on tactical plans to be in line with SLA agreements.
• Ensure relevant Cycle information is always handed in timeously to key account so new launch and promotional orders are received by Brand Head Office at required date in conjunction with the Brand Planner.
• Report on Infill regularly to Demand Planner and resolve account queries in this regard.

Strong Customer Relationships:

Regularly communicate and meet face to face with key account buying and planning team on all developments on the account. Ensure all communication from meetings and discussions via email/phone are clearly and concisely recorded with specific actions, responsibilities and timelines.

Drive to continuously build a strong business partnership and links with each key account to enable mutual beneficial business operations.

Constantly challenge customers to grow our brand’s business and to drive the company’s success today and in the future.

Ensure Bi-Annual planning and presentation of Customer Strategic meetings / Tradehouse, include all internal and Customer stakeholders to present Seasonal/Annual plans.

In Depth Product/Brand Knowledge:

Develop and intimate knowledge of the company’s brands, values, positioning, target consumers coaching and information sharing for enhanced decisions.

Forecasting Accuracy:

Ensure that all promotional and launch volumes are accurately reflected and included and the demand forecast 6 months in advance of the planned implementation date.

Actively participate in monthly forecasting meetings, information on sell in, sell thru, new product performance, promotional buy in volumes and timings, stock movements, micro macro    environmental influences and any other relevant information for each key account which may affect the demand plan.

Internal and external liaison with:

Internal:

•    Revlon/Elizabeth Arden Team 
•    HR regarding recruitment and all performance management issues. 
•    Retail Operations with all general queries
•    Supply Chain – Orders, Deliveries and queries
•    Finance – accounts payable and queries
•    Marketing – Enabling NPD and Promotions, Collaboration
•    Trade Marketing – Merchandising and Instore Execution 
•    Digital Marketing – Ecommerce
  
External:

•    Store/group buyers to agree retail/promotional strategy and performance standards
•    Store Department Managers re sites, windows, retail performance, consultant/team issues.
•    External vendors, i.e. promotion agencies, suppliers of installations.
•    Review Key performance Indicators at both individual and store level versus required targets and benchmarks

Qualifications:

•    Matric with a Business or Marketing related degree;
•    Must be competent to understand relevant financial documents;
•    3-4 years’ experience working in a retail sales environment and working to achieve targets for accounts

Who you are:

•    Computer proficiency with Microsoft Office with advanced Excel skills;
•    Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to influence and solid negotiation skill-set;
•    Good rapport and communication skills;
•    Planning, Organisation and Flexibility;
•    Impact, Assertiveness and Persuasiveness;
•    Take sell-Initiative and innovative mindset;
•    Be analytical and be able to analyse data with view of improving productivity, look for opportunities to drive sales;
•    Numerate, able to interpret sales information and recognise trends;
•    Flexible and adaptable – able to adapt and vary approach;
•    Proactive mindset– Willing to identify problems and independently develop and implement solutions;
•    Ability to operate under solid pressure and meet tight deadlines;
•    Ability to represent the company’s best interest in negotiations and discussions with retail business partners
•    Good team player and should meet or exceed team goals

•    Excellent relationship building skills, work in synergy with others and collaborative;
•    Be self-motivated, confident, energetic, and creative;
•    Should be able to deliver creative and innovative thoughts;
•    Excellent verbal and written skills;
•    Willing to travel as per business needs away from home.

Personal profile:

•    Share Brand passion for our brands. 
•    Love building relationships with external customers and colleagues; 
•    Enjoys travelling; 
•    Demonstrate lots of initiative; 
•    Want to get stuck in and be hands on; 
•    Reflects Company image through personal appearance, personality and style. 

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