Key Account Manager

Puratos is an international group with a full range of innovative products and application expertise in the bakery, patisserie and chocolate sectors. Products and services are available in more than 100 countries around the world, and in many cases actually produced there by our subsidiaries. Clients are artisans, industry, retailers and food service.

The Key Account Manager’s primary responsibility will be to manage a Large Key Supermarket account in the Texas region and build profitable, sustainable business. A number of additional local supermarkets also fall under the job mission, all to be managed with the support of dedicated local brokers. The objective is to achieve & exceed sales revenue, profitability and other budgetary objectives within the scope of the 2020 long-term plan. The role involves strategic planning, market competitiveness, pricing, and resource management.

**Manage the relationship with the Account’s organization:** * Develop deep multi-layer relationships within the Supermarket team, keeping the contact matrix up to date (Key Account Plan), and encourage multi-departmental contact between Supermarket & Puratos. * Manage the local Texas Puratos Supermarket team: from the customer service support, to the 2 dedicated technical resources on the team – day to day activities in line with the needs of the Supermarket & Puratos business priorities. * Regular visits to the Supermarkets bakery team (Directors, buyers, R&D) as well as to their commissaries. * Management & training of the Puratos supermarket broker to keep focus on our priorities in order to maximize sales growth. * Organize a yearly business review to develop the joint business plan for the coming year **Business Management, Pricing & Profitability:** * Follow up & report on the customer’s KPI’s : sales results, service level, quality, profitability, budgets. Clarify deviations to budget and initiate corrective actions where necessary * Addition and maintenance of all projects within the CRM system weekly. * Manage all related activities and projects eg category management projects - together with the business development team (field sales, tech support, marketing, operations,…) * Confirm the conditions and budgets each year to the customer in line with the Puratos procedures * Collaborate with Pricing Controllers to manage customer specific pricing, integrating all commercial conditions **Strategic Planning / Vision:** * Manage & update the Key Account Plan annually listing all key projects, target business, budget/profitability targets, timings and key actions to deliver the vision for future growth; product portfolio, customer profile, triangle sales approach, pricing strategies and future resources required. * Bring a category management approach to the Key Account, using the Puratos Approach, to help accelerate customers sales through effective studies and advice presented. **Additional Responsibilities:** * Play a role on selected business development teams as a voice of the customer/the sales community to help guide new product development & business sales support required. * Participate in sales/technical meetings and communications to exchange Best Practices and improve our overall performance with this customer.

* Proven track record in Key Account Management in the baking industry within the Supermarket Channel, demonstrating proven results in relationship building, negotiation skills, strategic insight and concept thinking. Must have an ability to influence, advice, and manage corporate accounts. * A good background knowledge of Marketing & Sales to develop new concepts, ideas with a creative and goal oriented objective. * Experience working within a Category Management approach to be able to use Puratos data/studies to help advise customers on range gaps and improvements needed to accelerate sales. * A basic knowledge of Bakery/Sweet Goods/Chocolate ingredients, technical knowledge, and their product applications. * Excellent social competencies, respect and relationship building skills are a must. * Knowledge of applicable software programs to communicate via email and develop activity memos, reports, and spreadsheets (Word, Excel, Powerpoint..) * Keen understanding of financial issues relating to sales and profit. Must be able to analyze and solve problems with a financial perspective. * Excellent oral communication, written, and presentation skills. Excellent project management and organizational skills. * Field sales, Trade marketing, Category management or Consumer marketing experience is a plus.