Account Manager Job at International Flavors & Fragrances

International Flavors & Fragrances is an industry leader in food, beverage, health, biosciences and sensorial experiences, where science and creativity meet to create essential solutions for a better world – from global icons to unexpected innovations and experiences. With the beauty of art and the precision of science, we are an international collection of thinkers who partner with customers to bring scents, tastes, experiences, ingredients and solutions for products the world craves. Together, we will do more good for people and planet.

We are recruiting to fill the position below:

Job Position: Account Manager

Job Requisition ID: R9666
Job Location: Lagos
Job type: Full time (On-site)

Job Summary

• Responsible for driving sustainable profitable sales and market share growth by identifying the customer needs and opportunities, establishing solid customer relationship, leading, coordinating and reporting IFF activities and promoting relevant solutions aligned with corporate strategy. For a defined territory, category, coordinated or global account:
• Ensure financial targets are met and business performance is constantly monitored and reported;
• Develop and maintain sustainable relationships with internal and external customers; prepare account plan and report relevant market information;
• Collaborate with internal departments to explore innovations and new concepts related to customers’ products and on-going projects;
• Monitor market development in terms of competitors, products, and trends; partner with operation team to ensure customer satisfaction in terms of service, quality, and supply.
• Understand Food Ingredients market and customer ecosystem including activities, strategies, brands, markets
• Develop multi-level cross-functional customer relationships with key customer decision makers/influencers
• Contribute/lead commercial negotiations (e.g., core listing, annual pricing, payment terms, rebates/cost savings agreements, supply contracts)
• Maximize potential advantage to IFF while delivering optimal solutions to customer (GP improvement, catalogue optimization, complexity reduction, etc.)
• Ensure customer supply chain requirements, processes and KPIs are well communicated to IFF Operations to ensure we meet customer needs
• Understand customer regulatory requirements/changes
• Acts as the main customer point of contact in all matters
• Demonstrate IFF Culture Principles and live our values
• Influencing stakeholders to align on shared objectives
• Lead projects through effective communication, and collaboration with key external and internal stakeholders
• Ensure objectives are aligned to the business and personal development plans are in place
• Develop commercial strategy for allocated customer portfolio
• Build and execute account plans successfully
• Responsible for setting clear commercial targets (Sales/GP/New Win/Grow Market share) with the Sales Leader
• Achieve new wins / grow market / market share aligned with account strategic plan
• Define and suggest the required account resources, investment, and relevant service model to support the account
• Effectively communicate the account plans with stakeholders including internal and external team members
• Review/update the progress of account plans versus KPI targets
• Ensure accurate monthly sales forecast to allow for effective operations planning and financial analysis
• Conduct retrospective reviews on projects wins and losses
• Collaborate and work closely with the Food Ingredients Technical team
• Effectively promote the most appropriate IFF product solutions / portfolio aligned with the brief
• Communicate projects on SFDC and conduct retrospective reviews on projects wins and losses
• Manage volumes/timing expectations and liaise with Operations to ensure supply chain readiness
• Defend and grow accounts whilst actively scouting for new customers, transforming leads into profitable business opportunities
• Accurately forecast and update sales forecast tool to capture performance vs budget, business risk & opportunities, new wins
• Monitor & Provide Account sales performance (monthly / quarterly / annually) and provide strategic project updates to Sales Leader
• Implement price increase in line with country/region strategy

Requirements
Training / Certifications:

• Essential: Bachelor’s Degree / ND Food Technology / Food Science / B.Sc.
• Added Advantage: Degree Business, Marketing

Experience:

• Approximately +7 years of experience in sales in the Food Ingredients industry
• Strong track record in commercial

Skills:

• Customer centric with B2B management experience
• Analytical with the ability to deal with financial concepts/processes(pricing/margin/forecasting)
• Creative and innovative thinking
• Project management with effective collaboration and orchestration skills
• Strong communication, presentation, storytelling, and negotiation skills
• Effective business English with a global mindset and ability to work with different cultures
• Ability to gather and leverage competitive market intelligence