Regional Account Manager NL

About the Role

As the ‘CEO’ of your customer portfolio you will be the key contact for our mid-sized industrial B2B customers; in charge of holistically managing the overall relationship and growth of your business in both volume and margin. The main market segments in which you will operate are confectionery and bakery and to a lesser extent dairy and ice cream.

To achieve your targets you will need to understand your customers’ needs in a 360° way. As a result, you can bring relevance and value through a consultative approach. You refer sales leads, customer feedback, and information on competitor activity or other market intel to appropriate contacts within the organization so that they can respond to changing market conditions and customer demands.

You understand how to build bridges between the various departments of a multinational organization (R&D, technical support, pricing, customer care, etc).

You establish annual business plans and prioritize and schedule your activities, to ensure targets are met.

In the Regional Account approach, driving innovation and extending the Specialty portfolio together with our customers is key to generate continuous, long-term value. Focus, persistence, and creativity are the main engines that power your growth.

Key Responsibilities Include

• Within the functional area guidelines for Regional Accounts, achieve the business targets for the accounts in scope and under your direct responsibility.
• Develop and maintain the business relationships with these customers and develop account plans, in conjunction with the sales director and other departments.
• Delegate, motivate, and inspire internal stakeholders for the common goal.
• Perform sales activities for achievement of sales budget and targets within sales territory to meet commercial objectives: Pursue sales leads; Prospection; perform regular customer visits; assess customer needs and suggest appropriate products and services; respond to customer inquiries; negotiate prices and delivery times, follow up raw material markets and conclude sales contracts to meet revenue targets.
• Propose sales improvements and new ways to approach actual and potential customers in sales territory.
• Actively communicate frequently with the sales team, sales director, and other departments within the organization regarding targets, customers, and product availability.
• Secure forecast availability on the top customer level and communicate with internal Demand Planners and supply teams.
• Proactively develop and maintain new and existing customer relationships and ensure professional customer relationship management (CRM).
• Experienced with internal commercial rules and trade legislation when negotiating and making business agreements and contract bookings with customers.
• Ensure knowledge and know-how within the area of expertise is continuously updated and relevant.
• Validate the accuracy and appropriateness of the data used and ensure relevance and high quality of data output e.g. reports, and analysis.
• Actively transfer information and feedback from the market/customers to managers and colleagues and relevant other departments.
• Actively increase your professional knowledge and expertise and ensure understanding of the global BC organization.

About You

• Bachelor /Master's Degree in Economics, Business Administration, or Sales & Marketing
• Knowledge of the chocolate/food manufacturing industry is a plus
• Fluent English + local language
• Open for frequent traveling
• Familiar with CRM systems (e.g. Salesforce)