Sales Manager Global Sweet Specialties - Benelux

About the role

• The Sales Manager is responsible for profitably growing the Sweet Specialities portfolio in Benelux. The reports to the VP Sales Lead - Global Sweet Specialities

• The brief is both to profitably grow with existing customers and to acquire new customers across all market segments, deploying a suitable Route-to- Market (direct or indirect).

• The key metrics are the delivery of volume, penetration of existing chocolate/cocoa customer base, financial business objectives (e.g. margin) and customer satisfaction (NPS).

• Focus, resilience, change management, project management, influence management (internally and externally), hunting spirit and creativity are the main engines that fuel growth

• It is a great opportunity to be part of the team that underpins one of Barry Callebaut strategic growth initiatives 

Key responsibilities include :

Cross-functional commercial leadership

• As customers are usually focused mostly on their chocolate/compound or cocoa purchases, growing their Sweet Specialties portfolio implies working with and through other Barry Callebaut commercial teams and indirect channel (distribution) to deliver End-to-End solutions (E2E)

• Therefore, the role is about engaging colleagues across functions, project managing, in complex situations and ownership.

• To deliver value to customers and be part of the customer account team, it is important to become a deep expert in the overall Sweet Specialty portfolio, products and applications as well as be familiar with chocolate specialties

• The role also supports operational customer-related topics to ensure high-quality and timely answers to customer needs

New customer acquisition

• Develop and align a Specialties profitable growth strategy for your scope/territory through a formalized customer and competitor market mapping (clarity on volumes, who buys what from whom, price points etc..)

• Based on the agreed strategy, identify, engage and win new customers, both via direct and indirect Route To Market

• Deeper penetration in relevant segments

Grow share and new applications at existing customers (cross- and upselling)

• Grow share of wallet with existing customers

• In line with aligned strategy, manage and execute contract/business negotiations in cooperation with account team for existing supply and new projects

• Manage existing Route-To-Market for Specialties 

Meet internal governance needs with high efficiency and effectiveness

• Forecasting

• Salesforce.com as a tool to drive growth and streamline customer information sharing

About you

• At least 6-8 years of proven track record and commercial experience a B2B environment with value in use / technical offering

• You come from the industry and can demonstrate profitable growth in the chocolate or sweet specialties market with the right network and intimacy in the relevant customer segments
  
  

• Strong Segment insight (market, consumer, customer, retail) and B2C experience (e.g. Chain accounts) is a plus

• Proven track record in growing profitably different types of customers (from Artisans to Distributors, Key Accounts and FMCG multinationals) both in direct and indirect route to market settings

• Key Account Management: you find energy in engaging different types of customer stakeholders, from production worker to sourcing manager to CEO, to build win-win customer relationships

• Strong knowledge of Specialties portfolio and applications
  
  

• Master in Economics/Business/Food Engineering or equivalent

• English (full proficiency), Dutch & French (native language / ability to handle complex negotiations).

• Outstanding commercial skills, value & solution selling, negotiation

• Strong project and change management skills

• You are familiar with salesforce.com and use it effectively to drive profitable growth and customer intimacy. 

• You are motivated to travel >60% of your time across your territory and related BC sites